Peter GABRIEL


Greatest Hits

(1995)



1. Sledgehammer 5'13
(Peter Gabriel)
From So, 1986
2. Digging In The Dirt 5'20
(Peter Gabriel)
From Us, 1992
3. Biko 7'29
(Peter Gabriel)
From Peter Gabriel III, 1977
4. Solsbury Hill 4'24
(Peter Gabriel)
From Peter Gabriel I, 1977
5. Shock The Monkey 5'31
(Peter Gabriel)
From Peter Gabriel IV (Security), 1982
6. Don't Give Up 6'35
(Peter Gabriel)
From So, 1986
7. Steam 6'06
(Peter Gabriel)
From Us, 1992
8. Games Without Frontiers 4'09
(Peter Gabriel)
From Peter Gabriel III, 1980
9. Lovetown 5'31
(Peter Gabriel)
Soundtrack from Philadelphia, 1993
10. Big Time 4'33
(Peter Gabriel)
From So, 1986
11. Come Talk To Me 7'08
(Peter Gabriel)
From Us, 1992
12. Summertime 3'54
(Original Music Written by: George Gershwin
Original Lyrics Written by: Ira Gershwin, Dubose Heyward)
From The Glory Of Gershwin, 1994
13. The Feeling Begins 4'03
(Peter Gabriel)
From Passion, 1989
14. Birdy's Flight 2'58
(Peter Gabriel)
From Birdy, 1985

Total Time: 72:54





1. Sledgehammer

    you could have a steam train
    if you'd just lay down your tracks
    you could have an aeroplane flying
    if you bring your blue sky back

    all you do is call me
    I'll be anything you need

    you could have a big dipper
    going up and down, all around the bends
    you could have a bumper car, bumping
    the amusement never ends

    I want to be your sledgehammer
    why don't you call my name
    oh let me be your sledgehammer
    this will be my testimony

    show me round your fruitcage
    'cause I will be your honey bee
    open up your fruitcage
    where the fruit is as sweet as can be

    I want to be your sledgehammer
    why don't you call my name
    you'd better call the sledgehammer
    put your mind at rest
    I'm going to be-the sledgehammer
    this can be my testimony
    I'm your sledgehammer
    let there be no doubt about it

    sledge sledge sledgehammer

    I've kicked the habit
    shed my skin
    this is the new stuff
    I go dancing in, we go dancing in
    oh won't you show for me
    and I will show for you
    show for me, I will show for you
    yea, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I do mean you
    only you
    you've been coming through
    going to build that powerr
    build, build up that power, hey
    I've been feeding the rhythm
    I've been feeding the rhythm
    going to feel that power, build in you
    come on, come on, help me do
    yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you
    I've been feeding the rhythm
    I've been feeding the rhythm
    it's what we're doing, doing
    all day and night

2. Digging In The Dirt

    Something in me, dark and sticky
    All the time it's getting strong
    No way of dealing with this feeling
    Can't go on like this too long
Chorus:

This time you've gone too far [x3]
I told you [x4]
This time you've gone too far [x3]
I told you [x4]
    Don't talk back
    Just drive the car
    Shut your mouth
    I know what you are
    Don't say nothing
    Keep your hands on the wheel
    Don't turn around

    This is for real
    Digging in the dirt
    Stay with me, I need support
    I'm digging in the dirt
    To find the places I got hurt
    Open up the places I got hurt

    The more I look, the more I find
    As I close on in, I get so blind
    I feel it in my head, I feel it in my toes
    I feel it in my sex, that's the place it goes
Chorus
    I'm digging in the dirt
    Stay with me I need support
    I'm digging in the dirt
    To find the places I got hurt
    To open up the places I got hurt

    Digging in the dirt
    To find the places we got hurt
[x7]

3. Biko

    September '77
    Port Elizabeth weather fine
    It was business as usual
    In police room 619
    Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
    Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
    Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja

    When I try to sleep at night
    I can only dream in red
    The outside world is black and white
    With only one colour dead
    Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
    Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
    Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja

    You can blow out a candle
    But you can't blow out a fire
    Once the flames begin to catch
    The wind will blow it higher
    Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
    Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja

    And the eyes of the world are
    watching now
    watching now

4. Solsbury Hill

    Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
    I could see the city light
    Wind was blowing, time stood still
    Eagle flew out of the night
    He was something to observe
    Came in close, I heard a voice
    Standing stretching every nerve
    Had to listen had no choice
    I did not believe the information
    [ I ] just had to trust imagination
    My heart going boom boom boom
    "Son," he said "Grab your things,
    I've come to take you home."

    To keepin' silence I resigned
    My friends would think I was a nut
    Turning water into wine
    Open doors would soon be shut
    So I went from day to day
    Tho' my life was in a rut
    "Till I thought of what I'd say
    Which connection I should cut
    I was feeling part of the scenery
    I walked right out of the machinery
    My heart going boom boom boom
    "Hey" he said "Grab your things
    I've come to take you home."
    [ Back home. ]

    When illusion spin her net
    I'm never where I want to be
    And liberty she pirouette
    When I think that I am free
    Watched by empty silhouettes
    Who close their eyes but still can see
    No on taught them etiquette
    I will show another me
    Today I don't need a replacement
    I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
    My heart going boom boom boom
    "Hey" I said "You can keep my things,
    they've come to take me home."

5. Shock The Monkey

    Shock the monkey to live
    Shock the monkey to live

    Cover me when I run
    Cover me through the fire
    Something knocked me out' the trees
    Now I'm on my knees
    Cover me, darling please
    Monkey, monkey, monkey
    Don't you know when you're going to shock the monkey

    Fox the fox
    Rat the rat
    You can ape the ape
    I know about that
    There is one thing you must be sure of
    I can't take any more
    Darling, don't you monkey with the monkey
    Monkey, monkey, monkey
    Don't you know you're going to shock the monkey
    Wheels keep turning
    Something's burning
    Don't like it but I guess I'm learning

    Shock ! - watch the monkey get hurt, monkey

    Cover me, when I sleep
    Cover me, when I breathe
    You throw your pearls before the swine
    Make the monkey blind
    Cover me, darling please
    Monkey, monkey, monkey
    Don't you know you're going to shock the monkey
    Too much at stake
    Ground beneath me shake
    And the news is breaking

    Shock ! - watch the monkey get hurt, monkey

    Shock the monkey
    Shock the monkey
    Shock the monkey to life

6. Don't Give Up

    in this proud land we grew up strong
    we were wanted all along
    I was taught to fight, taught to win
    I never thought I could fail

    no fight left or so it seems
    I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
    I've changed my face, I've changed my name
    but no one wants you when you lose

    don't give up
    'cos you have friends
    don't give up
    you're not beaten yet
    don't give up
    I know you can make it good

    though I saw it all around
    never thought that I could be affected
    thought that we'd be last to go
    it is so strange the way things turn

    drove the night toward my home
    the place where I was born, on the lakeside
    as daylight broke, I saw the earth
    the trees had burned down to the ground

    don't give up
    you still have us
    don't give up
    we don't need much of anything
    don't give up
    'cause somewhere there's a place
    where we belong

    rest your head
    you worry too much
    it's going to be alright
    when times get rough
    you can fall back on us
    don't give up
    please don't give up

    'got to walk out of here
    I can't take anymore
    going to stand on that bridge
    keep my eyes down below
    whatever may come
    and whatever may go
    that river's flowing
    that river's flowing

    moved on to another town
    tried hard to settle down
    for every job, so many men
    so many men no-one needs

    don't give up
    'cause you have friends
    don't give up
    you're not the only one
    don't give up
    no reason to be ashamed
    don't give up
    you still have us
    don't give up now
    we're proud of who you are
    don't give up
    you know it's never been easy
    don't give up
    'cause I believe there's a place
    there's a place where we belong

7. Steam

    Stand Back!
    Stand Back!

    What are those dogs doing sniffing at my feet
    They're on to something, picking up
    Picking up this heat, this heat
Chorus 1:

Give me steam
And how you feel to make it real
Real as anything you've seen
Get a life with this dreamer's dream
    You know your culture from your trash
    You know your plastic from your cash
    When I lose sight of the track
    You know the way back
    But I know you

    You know your stripper from your paint
    You know your sinner from your saint
    Whenever heaven's doors are shut
    You kick them open but
    I know you
Chorus 2:

Give me steam
And how you feel to make it real
Real as any place you've been
Get a life with the dreamer's dream
    Stand back!
    Stand back!
    Can't you see I've lost control I'm getting indiscreet
    You're moving in so close 'til I'm picking up
    Picking up this heat, this heat
Chorus 1
    You know your green from your red
    You know the quick from the dead
    So much better than the rest
    You think you've been blessed
    But I know you

    You know your ladder from your snake
    You know the throttle from the brake
    You know your straight line from a curve
    You've got a lot of nerve
    But I know you
Chorus 2
    Everybody nosedive
    Hold your breath, count to five
    Backslap, boobytrap,
    Cover it up in bubblewrap
    Room shake, earthquake
    Find a way to stay awake
    It's going to blow, it's going to break
    This is more than I can take

    Oh yeah, I need steam
    Feel the steam all around me
    Ah you're turning up the heat
    When I start to dream aloud
    See you move your hands and feet
    Won't you step into this cloud of steam
    This steam
Chorus 1
    Help me yeah
    Ready to steam out the log jam
    Stir crazy from the freezer to the boil
    Water's bubbling, it's b..b..b..bubbling
    bubbling [x4]
    like it's coming to a boil
    Give me steam, lady
    Give me steam around me now
    Aah coming alive [x2]
    Said give me some steam

8. Games Without Frontiers

    Hans plays with Lotte, Lotte plays with Jane
    Jane plays with Willi, Willi is happy again
    Suki plays with Leo, Sacha plays with Britt
    Adolf builts a bonfire, Enrico plays with it

    It's a knockout
    If looks could kill, they probably will
    In games without frontiers-war without tears
    Games without frontiers-war without tears

    Jeux sans frontieres
    Jeux sans frontieres
    Jeux sans frontieres

    Andre has sa red flag, Chiang Ching's is blue
    They all have hills to fly them on except for Lin Tai Yu
    Dressing up in costumes, playing silly games
    Hiding out in tree-tops shouting out rude names

    It's a knockout
    If looks could kill they probably will
    In games without frontiers-wars without tears
    If looks could kill they probably will
    In games without frontiers-war without tears
    Games without frontiers-war without tears

    Jeux sans frontieres
    Jeux sans frontieres
    Jeux sans frontieres

9. Lovetown

    People go naked and pick up these trails
    Someone before me laid down these rails
    When it's loaded up too heavy,
    this engine fails
    In lovetown
    I can't settle down
    And do those teeth still match the wound
    Take a good look around
    In lovetown

    Aaahha, aaahha
    Looking in lovetown
    Aaahha, aaahha
    This is lovetown

    Sometimes you?e stormy water
    on which I pour my oil
    In each other? shadow
    The roots reach into the soil
    All these knots so tightly tied
    We could not uncoil
    In lovetown
    No place to settle down
    And do those teeth still match the wound
    Take a good look around
    In lovetown

    Aaahha, aaahha
    This is lovetown
    Aaahha, aaahha
    Looking in lovetown

    Who ? lonely lips will find these hidden scars?
    Who ? seen the kisses left in dimlit bars?
    Who ? out in the streets, looking for love like ours?
    Who ? looking in lovetown tonight?

    Have you got what you want
    Said have you got what you need
    With what you did and what you saw
    Did you find you needed more
    Have you got what you came for
    Are you really so sure
    Are you really so sure

    Looking in lovetown
    In lovetown
    Living in lovetown
    Hey yeah yeah.

10. Big Time

    Success

    I'm on my way, i'm making it
    I've giot to make it show, yeah
    So much larger than life
    I'm going to watch it growing

    The place where i come from is a small town
    They think so small
    They use small words
    -but not me
    I'm smarter than that
    I worked it out
    I've been stretching my mouth
    To let those big words come right out

    I've had enough, i'm getting out
    To the city, the big big city
    I'll be a big noise with all the big boys
    There's so much stuff i will own
    And i will pray to a big god
    As i kneel in the big church

    Big time
    I'm on my way-i'm making it
    Big time big time
    I've got to make it show yeah
    Big time big time
    So much larger than life
    Big time
    I'm going to watch it growing
    Big time

    My parties all have big names
    And i greet them with the widest smile
    Tell them how my life is one big adventure^
    And always they're amazed
    When i show them round my house, to my bed
    I had it made like a mountain range
    With a snow-white pillow for my big fat head
    And my heaven will be a big heaven
    And i will walk through the front door

    Big time
    I'm on my way-i'm making it
    Big time big time
    I've got to make it show-yeah
    Big time big time
    So much larger than life
    I'm going to watch it growing
    Big time big time
    My car is getting bigger
    Big time
    My house is getting bigger
    Big time
    My eyes are getting bigger
    Big time
    And my mouth
    Big time
    My belly is getting bigger
    Big time
    And my bank account
    Big time
    Look at my circumstance
    Big time
    And the bulge in my big big big big big big big

11. Come Talk To Me

    The wretched desert takes its form, the jackal proud and tight
    In search of you, I feel my way, though the slowest heaving night
    Whatever fear invents, I swear it make no sense
    I reach through the border fence
    Come down, come talk to me

    In the swirling, curling storm of desire unuttered words hold fast
    With reptile tongue, the lightning lashes towers built to last
    Darkness creeps in like a thief and offers no relief
    Why are you shaking like a leaf
    Come on, come talk to me

    Ah please talk to me
    Won't you please talk to me
    We can unlock this misery
    Come on, come talk to me
Chorus 1:

I did not come to steal
This all is so unreal
Can't you show me how you feel now
Come on, come talk to me
Come talk to me [x2]
    The earthly power sucks shadowed milk from sleepy tears undone
    >From nippled skin as smooth as silk the bugles blown as one
    You lie there with your eyes half closed like there's no-one there at all
    There's a tension pulling on your face
    Come on, come talk to me

    Won't you please talk to me
    If you'd just talk to me
    Unblock this misery
    If you'd only talk to me
Chorus 2:

Don't you ever change your mind
Now your future's so defined
And you act so deaf and blind
[And you act so deaf so blind]
Come on, come talk to me
Come talk to me [x2]
    I can imagine the moment
    Breaking out through the silence
    All the things that we both might say
    And the heart it will not be denied
    'Til we're both on the same damn side
    All the barriers blown away

    I said please talk to me
    Won't you please come talk to me
    Just like it used to be
    Come on, come talk to me
    I did not come to steal
    This all is so unreal
    Can you show me how you feel now
    Come on, come talk to me
    Come talk to me [x2]

    I said please talk to me
    If you'd just talk to me
    Unblock this misery
    If you'd only talk to me
Chorus 2

12. Summertime

    Summertime
    And the livin' is easy,
    Fish are jumpin'
    And the cotton is high

    Yo' daddy's rich
    An' yo' ma is good lookin'
    So hush, little baby

    Don't you cry ...

    One of these mornin's,
    You's gonna rise up singin'
    Then you'll spread yo' wings
    An' you'll take the sky

    Till that mornin',
    There's ain't nothin' can harm you
    With daddy and mommy standing by
    Standing

13. The Feeling Begins

    (instrumental)

14. Birdy's Flight

    (instrumental)