Peter Gabriel is a GENIUS. From his beginnings in Genesis, to his solo career, he has written and performed so many amazing songs with DEEP lyrics. His early work with Genesis is absolutely unreal.
I was there at the first ever Top Of The Bill show by Genesis @ Croydon Greyhound Pub.Music Venue with 3,000 others in South East London in 1972 when the original top act "Bell 'n Arc" disbanded on the day before.August,1972.
It's hilarious to me coming back to this song as an adult. When I first heard this as a young teen in the 80s... wow, it went right over my head. Hahahaha. Now? Whoa.
Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" is about sex, and the lyrics are loaded with phallic symbols. The innuendo was typical of the blues music Gabriel drew from. Gabriel said regarding the theme of this song: "Sometimes sex can break through barriers when other forms of communication are not working too well."
@@Tsass0 More accurately, it's stop motion animation, since only a few parts of this feature clay. Most of it involves other objects, like fruit, chalkboards, furniture, and so on. Claymation is just stop motion with clay. How I feel about people calling stop motion animation "claymation" tends to be the same way I feel about people calling ANY kind of oldschool special effect "CGI," even though it's actually an optical composite, miniatures, pyrotechnics, cloud tanks, Zoptic, matte work, forced perspective, or literally painting stuff onto the film...
Peter Gabriel Was the original lead singer for the band Genesis, And drummer Phil collins took over lead vocals for the group This was peter's 1st solo album and his 1st Hit During the height of the MTV music video
WRONG!!! This was NOT his first solo album, rather his 5th solo album. His first album after leaving Genesis was in 1977. The song Sledgehammer was from his 1986 album titled "So" and it was his first major hit. He's had other hits in the past with Shock the Monkey and Solsbury Hill but yes, this is his first #1 hit.
After leaving the band "Genesis" in 1975, Peter Gabriel launched a solo career with his eponymous album containing the classic hit single "Solsbury Hill". "Games Without Frontiers", another great song from his third solo album, was heavily played on MTV. Gabriel reached superstar status in 1986 with the release of his amazing solo album "So," which includes many classic hits, including "Sledgehammer", "In Your Eyes", and "Don't Give Up". I highly recommend hearing "Don't Give Up" while watching it's accompanying video. This song is an emotional, hard-hitting duet with iconic English singer Kate Bush.
An intern on the video was a young man named Nick Park. Your children will adore his later work. The adventures of Wallace and Grommet a series of short claymation films about a British inventor and his much more competent dog are hilarious. He also had a hit with Chicken Run and other works.
Sooo… the World premiere of this video on MTV was crazy! I remember being young and at a sleepover! We all just sat there staring and none of us said a single word,(which for pre-teen girls was unheard of!). This was so futuristic for the time we were in complete awe!!
Sounds great but I am not sure I totally believe you after 70 years on this Beautiful Planet:) You are, actually, telling me a group of girls got together and did NOT start talking from the moment they met until the moment they departed? That is quite a stretch of the imagination. LOL
In the 80s , computer animation, and stop motion clay animation were combined, for the first time ever. MAX HEADROOM , was popular at time on MTV shorts... Gabriel a pioneer in music , and art , combined the two in this video.
A total of 100 hours were spent shooting the music video, with each second of video consisting of 25 unique poses from Gabriel. A major hit on music television, "Sledgehammer" won nine MTV Video Music Awards in 1987, the most awards a single video has won.
During the week-long shoot, Gabriel lay under a sheet of glass while filming the video one frame at a time. The singer’s young daughters, Anna and Melanie, appear at the very end surrounded by a large group of extras.
PETER IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING ARTIST EVER... HE WAS THE ORIGINAL SINGER IN GENESIS WITH COLLINS ON DRUMS HE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN THE TAKE DOWN OF APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA.... THIS MAN HAS DONE SO MUCH .....
I was there at the first ever Top Of The Bill show by Genesis @ Croydon Greyhound Pub.Music Venue with 3,000 others in South East London in 1972 when the original top act "Bell 'n Arc" disbanded on the day before.August,1972.
The instrument in the beginning is called " shakuhachi ". It's a Japanese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo developed in 16th century, dates back to similar instruments from the 10th century in China. So you're right: it would very much be used in virtually every other martial arts movie soundtrack 🙂 Peter Gabriel is also known for his "world music" since the 1980ies where he not only uses instruments from around the world in his compositions but more importantly cooperates with musicians of all countries, most notably Africa, Asia and South America. His live performances and concerts are an intense musical experience and I was lucky enough to see the "So" tour back in the days.
Peter Gabriel was a former member of the band Genesis (as was Phil Collins, but Gabriel went solo first). Other songs by Peter Gabriel you might like: "Games Without Frontiers," "Biko," "In Your Eyes," and "Solsbury Hill."
The Peter Gabriel / Genesis rabbit hole has opened. Everywhere else it goes is just part of the circuitous trip. Living it in real time back then was quite the thing.
I always thought this was also about life, starting with the swimmers, and ending with him slumping over in the chair, and when he stands up he is made of stars (he passed away), and goes to whatever's next.
Peter Gabriel is a true pioneer and great human rights advocate. His WOMAD festival of world music is extraordinary. Gabriel helped to bring down apartheid in South Africa, with other great artists, campaigners and musicians. Free Nelson Mandela by the Special A.K.A was also pivotal. Jonny Clegg and his superb group fantastically important . Steve Biko by Gabriel became an anthem to all that the black people lost and ensured. Peter Gabriel songs are amazing from Solsbury Hill to Games without Frontiers to In Your Eyes to his duet with the uniquely talented Kate Bush. Legendary ❤👋
This video was leading edge back when MTV first started. Won a bunch of awards. Just the credits at the end tell you how much work went into the video,. Peter spent hours under a piece of glass with dead fish around while they filmed/animated it the old school way frame by frame.
Peter Gabriel is a musical genius. When he was lead singer of Genesis, they had such amazing musical creations. I highly recommend Dancing with the Moonlit Knight. The keyboard, guitar and lyrics are impactful.
This is the guy who WAS the lead singer of Genesis and who left, leaving them to Phil Collins to take over singing lead singer duties. Gabriel was known for extreme theatrical productions in his concerts, something that helped the split from Genesis…
I was there at the first ever Top Of The Bill show by Genesis @ Croydon Greyhound Pub.Music Venue with 3,000 others in South East London in 1972 when the original top act "Bell 'n Arc" disbanded on the day before.August,1972.
I saw Peter Gabriel in 1986 and it was an amazing show. He was part of the Conspiracy of Hope Amnesty International concert series. U2, The Police, Lou Reed, Bryan Adams, Peter Gabriel, and the Neville Brothers. It was an amazing show, and Peter Gabriel was a highlight.
Peter Gabriel, In Your Eyes (Secret World Live) Will be one of the top 3 music videos you have EVER seen. See why. I'm telling you... can't explain the beautiful impact of this video on everyone I've met & watched it. You just have to experience it.
I can’t begin to imagine how long it would have taken to create this video back in the day. I do love this song & Peter Gabriel, reminds me of my teenage years 😊
Peter Gabriel is very much into multi-media. He is a perfectionist with a sense of humor, which you see with the dancing chickens.. I still think "Us" ans "So" are his two best albums.
MTV used to often have "Top 100 videos of all time" countdown shows throughout the 90s that would run all day and night long. THIS was the video that was most often #1. Thriller was up there as well. MTV started in 1981, this was released just 5 years later. It's absolutely shocking how far videos had come in that very short span of time. To say this video was ahead of time is a gargantuan understatement.
Second vid of yours I have watched today (first was cult of personality). This video was simply groundbreaking ... never to be outdone, from the golden age of music videos - the mid-80's. Just before people stopped making epic vids and Mtv turned to reality TV ... there was SLEDGEHAMMER, released in 1986. Even Peter Gabriel himself failed to top it with his follow up vid for Steam. You may have heard his song "Big Time" ... Peter Gabriel is still performing today.
One of the few time a guy left his band and both themselves and the band got more famous. Gabriel was the original singer that Phil Collins(original Genesis Drummer) took over from. Two very talented people.
Biko, not just because it;s a great song but because of what is, a Eulogy for Bantu Steve Biko, an anti apartheid activist who was killed in Prison in South Africa in the 70's. The song is amazing and IMO one you really should listen to even if it's not a reaction.
Peter Gabriel was the original singer for the band Genesis. When he left the band Phil Collins (drummer) took over on lead vocals. The talent in that band was something special. Peter's solo efforts were amazing and his creative genius is head scratching. This song is off of his SO album, which was one of the biggest selling albums of 1986. This video was a monster on MTV and was unlike anything else on the video channel. It won video of the year at the MTV music awards. The song is about sex, plain & simple from a penis centered view. The lyrics are filled with phallic symbols throughout - "steam train", "big dipper" and of course "Sledgehammer". Other songs to react to - "In Your Eyes", "Shock the Monkey", "Big Time", "Biko". Many others
You might be thinking of Huey Lewis and The News. They sang a few songs in that film. Their voices are a little similar, the both have that grit in their voices. Best wishes from the UK 🎼🎶👍
The great Tony Levine on bass here using I believe a Chapman Stick. The Chapman Stick has Ten Strings and is played using the Two Hand Tap Method, a very difficult instrument. Back in the day he was on the Cover of Bass Player Magazine with a 3 string Music Man. Tony Levine was in King Crimson. This video won many awards back in the MTV days.
You got it, like the Doors, Break on Thru to the Other Side -- thats Sledgehammer! And an incredible song, a mile marker for me, that dropped when I was a 20 something stationed in England! Glad u love it as I do!
Glad you are finally getting into the lead singer for Genesis. This has to be one of the best videos ever created before computers and such a classic song. Gabriel's solo work has amazing music, live concerts, and theatrics. I just saw his tour with the new album and he did not disappoint. The more you get into his music the better it gets. A deep well to draw upon.
Yes, your understanding of the song is correct. This video was very groundbreaking when it came out because of the technology that was used to make it. Peter Gabriel is a very successful singer and songwriter, but he has actually been even more successful in his technology endeavors. He owns several patents and created (and sold) several technology companies.
Peter Gabriel was the lead singer in the group Genesis and Phil Collins took over as the lead singer after his departure. Genesis would be a group you would want to check out. They had hit such as. Tonight tonight and Throwing it All away. I'm not sure if you reacted to those already.
Peter was with Genisis, which others have already pointed out, until he got a bit too eccentric with his costumes and songs, so he left the band for a solo career. In actuality, he was way ahead of his time. This video was one of the most expensive up to that point to make and was very labor intensive for Peter to make. As a friend, I recommend the song and video off the same album "Steam" which is sadly so underrated and under played.
This is a falsehood. They all reunited for an interview a few years ago (its on TH-cam) & they all say that rumor is NOT true & tell the actual story which very much makes sense when you hear it. Also, Phil Collins played DRUMS on Gabriels First album & some other of his songs. 👍🥂
Gabriel is one of the greats in my book. The bass in this song. I think it's tuned down an octave. But wow, this song sounds amazing with headphone, or big speakers.
I remember how ground breaking this video was when it was shown on MTV for the first time! You should check out his song In your eyes. Needs to be the live version!
I love Peter Gabriel, he was the lead singer of Genesis before Phil Collins! He is a well-respected British artist. This song was a huge hit in 1986! I think the song is about love/sex...but that's just me, I guess! LOL!💖💖
SHOCK THE MONKEY is your next video. ABSOLUTELY. If you thought thus was wild, I can't wait for your take on this one. And then, you must listen STEAM.
It is a joy to see your expression at 8 minutes, when you are like "is this his "booty call" language? Cause it's kinda weird!" At the time, the parents were clueless 😂
This is what MTV used to be, all day and night long.
In Your Eyes live is an ABSOLUTE MUST!❤
Got to be the Secret World Live version. Astonishing!
@@iangt1171 Definitely!
I totally AGREE!!
Secret World Live just adding my vote so hopefully it gets done. That is a wonderful performance.
Yes! In Your Eyes from Secret World Live is one of the best live performances of all time!
Peter Gabriel is a GENIUS. From his beginnings in Genesis, to his solo career, he has written and performed so many amazing songs with DEEP lyrics. His early work with Genesis is absolutely unreal.
I would use the word "surreal" for a clearer description with Genesis, but, yeah pretty much lock step with ya.
@@Eladamri-qi6qyand Phil Collin’s and Mike Rutherford. Amazing musicians. Doesn’t he divining up that hill with Kate Bush?
I was there at the first ever Top Of The Bill show by Genesis @ Croydon Greyhound Pub.Music Venue with 3,000 others in South East London in 1972 when the original top act "Bell 'n Arc" disbanded on the day before.August,1972.
Song is full of innuendo's. You got it right, song is basically about sex. Thanks for the reactions, man!
BP finds the sexual innuendos in any and all songs if he can..lol He's focused on that.Guess it's the rap background...
Like Captain Hammer says in Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog, the hammer is his p-nis...
Not fruitcake but "Show me 'round your fruit cage, 'Cause I will be your honey bee." But yeah, he wants to pollinate... hehe.
"You could have a steam train/If you'd just lay down your tracks." That should be enough innuendo right there, lol.
It's hilarious to me coming back to this song as an adult. When I first heard this as a young teen in the 80s... wow, it went right over my head. Hahahaha.
Now? Whoa.
Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" is about sex, and the lyrics are loaded with phallic symbols. The innuendo was typical of the blues music Gabriel drew from. Gabriel said regarding the theme of this song: "Sometimes sex can break through barriers when other forms of communication are not working too well."
I can be anything you need but I'm feeling sledgehammer tonight 🎉
Definitely. My buddy used to say that this song was Peter Gabriel's ode to his dick.
Joyful exuberant life-giving sex!
Shock the Monkey, you've got to check out Shock the Monkey now
That's a great song!!!
Shock!
Shock the monkey tonight!!
Anything by PG is great!
I agree😊😊😊.
This is what happens when you allow creative people to do their thing unopposed. Gotta love it.
Remember kids, this was before heavy CGI. No CGI here.
Yeah kiddies! 🤣
Absolutely, correct.
Claymation
@@Tsass0 More accurately, it's stop motion animation, since only a few parts of this feature clay. Most of it involves other objects, like fruit, chalkboards, furniture, and so on. Claymation is just stop motion with clay.
How I feel about people calling stop motion animation "claymation" tends to be the same way I feel about people calling ANY kind of oldschool special effect "CGI," even though it's actually an optical composite, miniatures, pyrotechnics, cloud tanks, Zoptic, matte work, forced perspective, or literally painting stuff onto the film...
Peter put in So much time and effort on his videos. I mean how long was in the studio for this one....
A Jackhammer is fast and quick, a sledge hammer is slow and steady.
Right. He said sledgehammer and he meant sledgehammer.
Why do so many men think women want a jackhammer??? BIG mistake!!! We like it slow and deep🎯⚒
Peter Gabriel Was the original lead singer for the band Genesis, And drummer Phil collins took over lead vocals for the group This was peter's 1st solo album and his 1st Hit During the height of the MTV music video
WRONG!!! This was NOT his first solo album, rather his 5th solo album. His first album after leaving Genesis was in 1977. The song Sledgehammer was from his 1986 album titled "So" and it was his first major hit. He's had other hits in the past with Shock the Monkey and Solsbury Hill but yes, this is his first #1 hit.
After leaving the band "Genesis" in 1975, Peter Gabriel launched a solo career with his eponymous album containing the classic hit single "Solsbury Hill". "Games Without Frontiers", another great song from his third solo album, was heavily played on MTV.
Gabriel reached superstar status in 1986 with the release of his amazing solo album "So," which includes many classic hits, including "Sledgehammer", "In Your Eyes", and "Don't Give Up".
I highly recommend hearing "Don't Give Up" while watching it's accompanying video. This song is an emotional, hard-hitting duet with iconic English singer Kate Bush.
good list^^^
Oh yes Solsbury Hill....fantastic song and a great one for you to review BP....pleeeease :)
Another song to do is Biko. Make sure to pull some info about Stephen Biko to look into afterwards.
@@blairphifer1554 I had forgotten about that one!!! Good call! "Bantu Stephen Biko"!
No thinking involved with gabriel. Smoke a bowl and roll with it
EXACTLY I SAID THAT !!
I don’t think BP smokes bowls 😂
This kid hopeless has no feeling for music grew up under a rock
Exactly the opposite. Peter Gabriel has a message in all of his lyrics.
This whole song is about getting laid.
An intern on the video was a young man named Nick Park. Your children will adore his later work. The adventures of Wallace and Grommet a series of short claymation films about a British inventor and his much more competent dog are hilarious. He also had a hit with Chicken Run and other works.
One of the most important videos in the history of music videos, and I believe still holds the record for the most plays on MTV. Lots of awards.
"i have no clue what the F is about to happen " - rarely have truer words been spoken. That video is just so unexpected, at every turn.
Sooo… the World premiere of this video on MTV was crazy! I remember being young and at a sleepover! We all just sat there staring and none of us said a single word,(which for pre-teen girls was unheard of!). This was so futuristic for the time we were in complete awe!!
Sounds great but I am not sure I totally believe you after 70 years on this Beautiful Planet:)
You are, actually, telling me a group of girls got together and did NOT start talking from the moment they met until the moment they departed? That is quite a stretch of the imagination. LOL
His voice is familiar because if your parents let you out of the house in 1986-1988, you heard this song. This was his biggest of many hits.
When this came out, the video was very innovative. We had never seen anything like it.
An early effort from the people who brought you "Wallace & Gromit", and "Shaun the Sheep"
@@chrissouthgate4554 Wallace and Gromit!!!
In the 80s , computer animation, and stop motion clay animation were combined, for the first time ever. MAX HEADROOM , was popular at time on MTV shorts... Gabriel a pioneer in music , and art , combined the two in this video.
A total of 100 hours were spent shooting the music video, with each second of video consisting of 25 unique poses from Gabriel. A major hit on music television, "Sledgehammer" won nine MTV Video Music Awards in 1987, the most awards a single video has won.
i always wondered how many hours were involved in the shooting of it, and that sounds about right! ugh, the patience to do it that way!
During the week-long shoot, Gabriel lay under a sheet of glass while filming the video one frame at a time. The singer’s young daughters, Anna and Melanie, appear at the very end surrounded by a large group of extras.
In Your Eyes, Red Rain, and Solsbury Hill.
PETER IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING ARTIST EVER... HE WAS THE ORIGINAL SINGER IN GENESIS WITH COLLINS ON DRUMS HE WAS A VERY IMPORTANT PART IN THE TAKE DOWN OF APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA.... THIS MAN HAS DONE SO MUCH .....
Peter Gabriel and Johnny Clegg, man... pivotal artists to South Africa!
I was there at the first ever Top Of The Bill show by Genesis @ Croydon Greyhound Pub.Music Venue with 3,000 others in South East London in 1972 when the original top act "Bell 'n Arc" disbanded on the day before.August,1972.
The instrument in the beginning is called " shakuhachi ". It's a Japanese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo developed in 16th century, dates back to similar instruments from the 10th century in China.
So you're right: it would very much be used in virtually every other martial arts movie soundtrack 🙂
Peter Gabriel is also known for his "world music" since the 1980ies where he not only uses instruments from around the world in his compositions but more importantly cooperates with musicians of all countries, most notably Africa, Asia and South America.
His live performances and concerts are an intense musical experience and I was lucky enough to see the "So" tour back in the days.
Far more descriptive than my wind flute lol. Thanks for the info
Gotta love that "stop-motion" photography, making his body look as if it were clay being molded.
Peter Gabriel was a former member of the band Genesis (as was Phil Collins, but Gabriel went solo first). Other songs by Peter Gabriel you might like: "Games Without Frontiers," "Biko," "In Your Eyes," and "Solsbury Hill."
The Peter Gabriel / Genesis rabbit hole has opened. Everywhere else it goes is just part of the circuitous trip. Living it in real time back then was quite the thing.
One of the best videos ever. This is before they used computers for animation.
Solsbury Hill, Biko, In your Eyes….all must listens! Peter is an icon.
The bass line from Tony Levin is insane..... Peter is a great Artist both with Genesis and solo. In your eyes live is a must!!!
My young kids absolutely loved when this video came on the TV. They would come running to see the dancing chicken.
This MV is nothing but ART ❤ i loved it back and now.
Oh, Pegasus, Solsbury Hill, Games without Frontiers, In Your Eyes, Biko, (which I believe was done with Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
I always thought this was also about life, starting with the swimmers, and ending with him slumping over in the chair, and when he stands up he is made of stars (he passed away), and goes to whatever's next.
I agree.. About life.. But sex is the way we get there...
I got much the same from the video, but also that aspect of trying to break the mold and leave something meaningful behind. Very creative.
“In Your Eyes” live is a definite must see/react video…
Video was the major selling point of this track. Peter Gabriel created one of the most important innovative videos in 1986.
Peter Gabriel is a true pioneer and great human rights advocate. His WOMAD festival of world music is extraordinary. Gabriel helped to bring down apartheid in South Africa, with other great artists, campaigners and musicians. Free Nelson Mandela by the Special A.K.A was also pivotal. Jonny Clegg and his superb group fantastically important . Steve Biko by Gabriel became an anthem to all that the black people lost and ensured. Peter Gabriel songs are amazing from Solsbury Hill to Games without Frontiers to In Your Eyes to his duet with the uniquely talented Kate Bush. Legendary ❤👋
The most inventive video ever made and the song is a banger!
I'm in my 60s seen them all, nothing like it.
Never knew the video was made by Aardvark Productions (Wallace &Grommit) Nick Parkes
THIS SONG IS THE SHIT! I was 16 when this song came out, I'm 54 now and this is still one of my favorite songs.
The great Tony Levin is playing that signature, funky, perfectly-fitted bass.
BRO, peep his whole catalog. He's amazing. In yours Eyes Live from REAL WORLD tour will blow you away.
I remember when this song came out, it was HUGE because the video was so revolutionary.
His song Solsbury Hill is my favorite. I still have it on my cycling playlist.
This video was leading edge back when MTV first started. Won a bunch of awards. Just the credits at the end tell you how much work went into the video,. Peter spent hours under a piece of glass with dead fish around while they filmed/animated it the old school way frame by frame.
Stop motion and also used claymation.
Peter Gabriel is a musical genius. When he was lead singer of Genesis, they had such amazing musical creations. I highly recommend Dancing with the Moonlit Knight. The keyboard, guitar and lyrics are impactful.
Peter is one of the most creative musicians.
Yeah, he is pretty amazing when it comes to the videos. You've got a lot ahead of you of fun things to watch. Thanks for sharing as always. Great job!
He is outstanding. His live shows are indeed a show. You will be blown away.
This is the guy who WAS the lead singer of Genesis and who left, leaving them to Phil Collins to take over singing lead singer duties. Gabriel was known for extreme theatrical productions in his concerts, something that helped the split from Genesis…
@tombanaski3251 "Watcher Of The Skies" would be one.
This video was ahead of its time
The most incredible and involved music video EVER made. Billy Joel could only dream of being as talented as Peter Gabriel.
Peter Gabriel is an icon of the music industry
I was there at the first ever Top Of The Bill show by Genesis @ Croydon Greyhound Pub.Music Venue with 3,000 others in South East London in 1972 when the original top act "Bell 'n Arc" disbanded on the day before.August,1972.
I saw Peter Gabriel in 1986 and it was an amazing show. He was part of the Conspiracy of Hope Amnesty International concert series. U2, The Police, Lou Reed, Bryan Adams, Peter Gabriel, and the Neville Brothers. It was an amazing show, and Peter Gabriel was a highlight.
In your Eyes from the Secret World Tour is an absolute must!!! It is beyond amazing! He was the singer for Genesis when Phil Collins was the drummer.
Peter Gabriel, In Your Eyes (Secret World Live) Will be one of the top 3 music videos you have EVER seen. See why. I'm telling you... can't explain the beautiful impact of this video on everyone I've met & watched it. You just have to experience it.
The 80's were so much fun! I was in my 30's, had 2 teenagers at home...as well as their friends...then of course MTV around the clock
Solsbury Hill, Don’t give up, In your eyes, Games without frontiers.
I can’t begin to imagine how long it would have taken to create this video back in the day. I do love this song & Peter Gabriel, reminds me of my teenage years 😊
That sound at the beginning is the Call of the Gen Xer. Play that loud enough, and we'll just show up.
Peter Gabriel is very much into multi-media. He is a perfectionist with a sense of humor, which you see with the dancing chickens..
I still think "Us" ans "So" are his two best albums.
Another cool song from Peter Gabriel-Shock the Monkey
This was on MTV in extremely heavy rotation.
There comes a time when it's best to just sit back, listen and have fun.
Peter Gabriel is awesome.
Inspirational for me. Another day of music.
MTV used to often have "Top 100 videos of all time" countdown shows throughout the 90s that would run all day and night long. THIS was the video that was most often #1. Thriller was up there as well. MTV started in 1981, this was released just 5 years later. It's absolutely shocking how far videos had come in that very short span of time. To say this video was ahead of time is a gargantuan understatement.
MTV ERA! Peter Gabriel is great singer.."SHOCK THE MONKEY" and others! ❤
Second vid of yours I have watched today (first was cult of personality). This video was simply groundbreaking ... never to be outdone, from the golden age of music videos - the mid-80's. Just before people stopped making epic vids and Mtv turned to reality TV ... there was SLEDGEHAMMER, released in 1986. Even Peter Gabriel himself failed to top it with his follow up vid for Steam. You may have heard his song "Big Time" ... Peter Gabriel is still performing today.
One of the few time a guy left his band and both themselves and the band got more famous. Gabriel was the original singer that Phil Collins(original Genesis Drummer) took over from. Two very talented people.
Biko, not just because it;s a great song but because of what is, a Eulogy for Bantu Steve Biko, an anti apartheid activist who was killed in Prison in South Africa in the 70's. The song is amazing and IMO one you really should listen to even if it's not a reaction.
Peter Gabriel was the original singer for the band Genesis. When he left the band Phil Collins (drummer) took over on lead vocals. The talent in that band was something special. Peter's solo efforts were amazing and his creative genius is head scratching. This song is off of his SO album, which was one of the biggest selling albums of 1986. This video was a monster on MTV and was unlike anything else on the video channel. It won video of the year at the MTV music awards. The song is about sex, plain & simple from a penis centered view. The lyrics are filled with phallic symbols throughout - "steam train", "big dipper" and of course "Sledgehammer".
Other songs to react to - "In Your Eyes", "Shock the Monkey", "Big Time", "Biko". Many others
You might be thinking of Huey Lewis and The News. They sang a few songs in that film. Their voices are a little similar, the both have that grit in their voices.
Best wishes from the UK 🎼🎶👍
The great Tony Levine on bass here using I believe a Chapman Stick. The Chapman Stick has Ten Strings and is played using the Two Hand Tap Method, a very difficult instrument. Back in the day he was on the Cover of Bass Player Magazine with a 3 string Music Man. Tony Levine was in King Crimson. This video won many awards back in the MTV days.
You got it, like the Doors, Break on Thru to the Other Side -- thats Sledgehammer! And an incredible song, a mile marker for me, that dropped when I was a 20 something stationed in England! Glad u love it as I do!
One thing to remember is that Music videos were a very new art form in the 80s, the most imaginative artists really pushed the art form.
Yeah. This is a wild one. That’s just the way it was. 😊 The beat & music 🔥
Peter is a LEGEND!!!! So talented and innovative. I love me some Peter Gabriel LOL
Peter Gabriel sang the theme for the WALL-E movie, and for other movies as well.
I had this album on cassette...wore it out. Sledgehammer, In your Eyes, Don't give up, Big time. Great album!
❤❤❤ in your eyes live is a must reaction. 🔥
Glad you are finally getting into the lead singer for Genesis. This has to be one of the best videos ever created before computers and such a classic song. Gabriel's solo work has amazing music, live concerts, and theatrics. I just saw his tour with the new album and he did not disappoint. The more you get into his music the better it gets. A deep well to draw upon.
Yes, your understanding of the song is correct. This video was very groundbreaking when it came out because of the technology that was used to make it. Peter Gabriel is a very successful singer and songwriter, but he has actually been even more successful in his technology endeavors. He owns several patents and created (and sold) several technology companies.
Really ? I had no idea of that side of his interests. I'm going to look into that now.
In Your Eyes, Secret World Live tour in Modena Italy is an experience that cant be missed!
absolutely GENIOUS!
Peter Gabriel was the lead singer in the group Genesis and Phil Collins took over as the lead singer after his departure.
Genesis would be a group you would want to check out. They had hit such as. Tonight tonight and Throwing it All away. I'm not sure if you reacted to those already.
Don’t forget Mike Rutherford of Mike and the Mechanics. P loved their song In the Living Years.
That’s wild.
Don't miss "In your eyes", live at Secret World Live tour. Absolutely amazing!
The first video I remember vividly on MTV. Back when MTV was good. Also, I like that tee shirt!!
Peter Gabriel is a visual creative genius. All of his videos are works of art, even without the music.
Oh this song always filled the dance floor...
I finally got the meaning after all these years. The sledgehammer is the one sperm out of millions to breakthrough and create life.
When this came out, this was cutting edge video We were blown away.
I forgot how crazy this video was. When it first came out, it was cutting edge, no one had done anything like it. Great song.
Peter was with Genisis, which others have already pointed out, until he got a bit too eccentric with his costumes and songs, so he left the band for a solo career. In actuality, he was way ahead of his time. This video was one of the most expensive up to that point to make and was very labor intensive for Peter to make. As a friend, I recommend the song and video off the same album "Steam" which is sadly so underrated and under played.
Genisis.....that's why his voice reminds me of Phil Collins.
This is a falsehood. They all reunited for an interview a few years ago (its on TH-cam) & they all say that rumor is NOT true & tell the actual story which very much makes sense when you hear it. Also, Phil Collins played DRUMS on Gabriels First album & some other of his songs. 👍🥂
Gabriel is one of the greats in my book. The bass in this song. I think it's tuned down an octave. But wow, this song sounds amazing with headphone, or big speakers.
VVV this, also "Shaking the Tree Live", driving bass, great piano, vocals, and message. Love their dance on the round stage.
I remember how ground breaking this video was when it was shown on MTV for the first time! You should check out his song In your eyes. Needs to be the live version!
MTV helped launch so many hits and gave artists one more thing to create besides their music...a visual to go with it...
I love Peter Gabriel, he was the lead singer of Genesis before Phil Collins! He is a well-respected British artist. This song was a huge hit in 1986! I think the song is about love/sex...but that's just me, I guess! LOL!💖💖
SHOCK THE MONKEY is your next video. ABSOLUTELY. If you thought thus was wild, I can't wait for your take on this one.
And then, you must listen STEAM.
It is a joy to see your expression at 8 minutes, when you are like "is this his "booty call" language? Cause it's kinda weird!" At the time, the parents were clueless 😂
It’s Peter’s tribute to soul music and male sexuality. All in your face and awesome!
In your eyes is a masterpiece you must react to it live