'' is the fourth studio album by
Genesis and the second from the "classic" lineup of
Peter Gabriel ,
Tony Banks ,
Mike Rutherford ,
Phil Collins , and
Steve Hackett . The album was recorded and released in
1972 as the band's career quickly gained momentum.
With ''
Trespass '' and ''
Nursery Cryme '' as warmups, ''Foxtrot'' was the album that finally showed the full promise of Genesis as a
Progressive Rock band. Book-ended by the
Arthur C. Clarke -inspired "Watcher of the Skies" and the 23-minute "
Supper's Ready ", ''Foxtrot'''s sound shares much with ''Nursery Cryme'' while demonstrating a marked improvement in terms of songwriting, musicianship, and overall production. Rutherford made more prominent use of his bass pedals, for example adding great slabs of bass to the middle section of "Can-utility and the Coastliners", and using them as the main bass instrument for most of "Supper's Ready". Banks'
Mellotron intro to "Watcher of the Skies" is one of the most celebrated uses of the instrument in rock music.
''Foxtrot'' was also Genesis' first album to enter the UK charts, reaching # 12 and paving the way for a long and successful chart career for the band. Still, it failed to reach the US charts, as their contemporaries,
Yes ,
Pink Floyd and
Jethro Tull proved more popular at the time.
Both "Watcher of the Skies" and "Supper's Ready" rank among some of the band's most beloved works, and became live favourites. "Watcher of the Skies" and "Get 'Em Out by Friday" appeared on
1973 's ''
Genesis Live '', while "
Supper's Ready " was omitted. Live versions of that track did appear on
1977 's ''
Seconds Out '' (with
Phil Collins on vocals), as well as the
1998 box set ''
Genesis Archive 1967-75 ''.
"Can-Utility and the Coastliners" is based on the legend of
King Canute , who supposedly ordered the seas to retreat to mock the sycophantry of his followers. The song was originally called "Bye Bye Johnny".
All songs credited to
Tony Banks /
Phil Collins /
Peter Gabriel /
Steve Hackett /
Mike Rutherford .
#"Watcher of the Skies" – 7:21
#"Time Table" – 4:45
#"Get 'Em Out by Friday" – 8:36
#"Can-Utility and the Coastliners" – 5:44
#"Horizon's" – 1:39 (actually written by Hackett only)
#"
Supper's Ready " – 22:54
- (i) Lover's Leap
- (ii) The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man
- (iii) Ikhnaton and Itsacon and Their Band of Merry Men
- (iv) How Dare I Be So Beautiful?
- (v) Willow Farm
- (vi) Apocalypse in 9/8 (co-starring the delicious talents of Gabble Ratchet)
- (vii) As Sure As Eggs Is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet)
- Peter Gabriel – Vocals , Flute , Percussion , Oboe
- Steve Hackett – Guitar
- Tony Banks – Organ , Guitar, Piano , Electric Piano , Mellotron , Vocals
- Mike Rutherford – Bass , Guitar, Vocals, Bass Pedals , Cello
- Phil Collins – Drums ,Percussion, Vocals
All releases of Foxtrot on
Charisma Records in the
USA were distributed by
Buddah Records .
- " label. Gatefold cover.
- label. No gatefold cover.
- " label. No gatefold cover.
- Atlantic 81848-1 (1982): Reissue with no gatefold cover.
