TTD-Holding on to You. A rare diamond and, seemingly a different recording method to rest of the album. Maybe it was recorded separately in another studio? However, it's a stand out track (in production terms ) on a great, great album. I would love to hear your take on it . Keep up the good work! From a big fan in Leicester England.
When I was a little kid, pre-school, I was obsessed with Sledgehammer. First song I ever LOVED. Flash-forward to age 12-13, I wanted a bass. I hadn’t listened to Gabriel in years (listening to 90s grunge) but the first thing that came out of me with that bass, that I had to figure out, was this song. It was a part of my DNA. I’ve been playing bass for a living since :)
Saw Peter Gabriel in Rio de Janeiro, 1993. Tony Levin on bass, David Rhodes on guitar, Manu Katché on drums and David Sancious on keyboards. Just picture that. What a band! What a show!
As much as I love the studio version, and Kate Bush in general (owning several of her cds), the live version with Paula Cole is one of most amazing things I've ever heard. She was a star of that tour.
I became obsessed with trying to emulate the tight percussive ghost notes sitting in amongst the main riff. Phenomenal bass playing and production from an incredible album.
I had the incredible honour of meeting the man himself at Real World Studios in 1992 when we were mixing some of our album there, he was an absolute gentleman ! I also got to play all his keyboards !
I worked with an Iranian refugee who told me he was his biggest fan, he showed me a picture of him and Peter together. I asked him how he got the picture, he told me he kept asking people where he lived until someone gave him his address, went and knocked on his door. Peter came out and was happy to be photographed with his no 1 fan. Pretty cool and humble.
This is not meant as a slight, but having watched Rick Beato "What makes this song so great" videos for years and always feeling him fall short of what I wanted in a video essay, is is such a pleasure to have discovered your "Songs that Changed music" series. This focus on production, arrangement and influences as well as context is so much more illuminating than simply breaking down chord progression. What an absolute delight! Thank you and keep up the good work.
You’re very kind, I like to feature songs that were really important and do the best I can to cover all aspects of the writing, recording and production! Rick does great work and I’m honoured to be included in a discussion with him.
Thanks George, I've been wanting to write a similar comment but thought that I was alone in noting Rick falling short in numerous ways. So, as you, I'm absolutely delighted to have discovered this series!
Please note that Rick Beato is teaching about music as a writer and composition more than as a cultural influence. I love both shows for different reasons
@@williamthomas2278 That's a fair point and I see what you mean, but the problem with Rick is that he's teaching _through_ a very American cultural prism, which often leads to toe-curling inaccuracies as regards music outside of the US. Those of us that have a broader horizon are weary of his US-centric misrepresentations and have stopped watching his videos.
Makes sense, though: It's the song's most important ingredient, next to Peter's vocals, and also its foundation. And yeah, being also a bassist I loved that, too :-))
"Fretless Bass +Otave pedal =Marriage made in heaven ..the Fretless Bass never got the respect it truly deserved despite being common among 80s British pop music..
Warren is next level compared to Rick Beato. Legit stuff which can come only from years in the industry (not that Rick doesn't have that, but I find Rick less profound).
I always knew Peter Gabriel was special as a child Solbury Hill always moved me in a way I cant explain but I never realised how much detail went into sledgehammer amazing.
Same, saw him twice in the early to mid eighties - incredible showman and music quality that still impress me today. Some of the best concerts in my life.
I'm blown away by the technical details presented, and how clearly you speak. Too bad I don't understand a single word of it. I just watched because I love this song. I'm tempted to watch another one now. Thanks!
Another vote for Owner Of A Lonely Heart by Yes. The whole dynamic with producer Trevor Horn - whose stint in the band just a few years earlier led him to switch to production - is fascinating. The story I heard is that he literally got on his knees to beg the band to finish it, that's how big he (correctly) thought it would be.
Yeah, I remember “Owner of a Lonely Heart” sounded so distinctive when it came out. It just jumped out of the speakers. Cool, melodic songwriting combined with Trevor Horn's crisp, modern production.
As a non-producer and non-musician, I have just subscribed...LOL..the musicality of these musicians is just mind-blowing.. Greetings from South Africa.
This song was a huge hit here in Brazil in the late 80s, because it was the theme song of the TV series Sledge Hammer, which was broadcasted by Rede Globo, the largest Brazilian TV network.
Interesting irony: when ABC promoted the show here in the states, all the adverts featured Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer". But when the show actually premiered, we get this iconic Danny Elfman, over-the-top, 007/Untouchables sounding theme with a horn section and a operatic bridge!
@@TogonzoMedia Yeah, it confused me a lot as a kid ... I was a big fan of the series and thought the song was about it. They came out in the same year also.
Sax is one of the coolest instruments, and I'd bet it's one of those that so many people say they would "love to learn" but never even think about it! Off to check out your channel dude to see if there's any cool sax there!!
Having just bought a Boss Octaver I was playing this bass line all day... One of my all time favourite, I’m going to watch the video and I hope to hear more about the bass sound! Love the series Warren!
This is a crazy song but I lovvvvvvveeeee the production. I thought the bass was a synth bass at first!!!! I love the horns and the drums my goooddddnnneeessssssss!!!!!
I really love this series. The fact that its coming from a producer/musician's perspective really adds to it. It bounces along with your links and isolated tracks. It's clear you LOVE what you're doing. Music history at its finest! These are good enough to be seen by a wider audience BBC etc ...
I am not a great social media commentator but I have to say your youtube channel is epic. Educational for me as a home based songwriter/producer but also fascinating and of general interest when you do episodes like this which cover both bases for me. Brilliant stuff.
Man, between you, Rick Beato and David Bennett my head is exploding with all this music theory and studio know how and I'm all the richer for it. So thank you, it's so very much appreciated!
Thanks so much for this video, Warren! You break songs down so beautifully and this one is no exception. Peter Gabriel along with great players such as Tony Levin, Manu Katche, David Rhodes, Wayne Jackson, and Daniel Lanois' masterful production resulted in a brilliant track. I have never tired of listening to this classic song (or anything off of SO for that matter).
Fantastic record. Thank you for breaking it down. At one time I kept Peter Gabriel's D.I.Y. album cover up on my wall where I would see it every day before I left for work. While I can't possibly compare, his ethos and singular approach to song construction was something I really aspired to. I still try to get a little closer to that every day. Good to see the Tony Franklin demonstration, another great influence along with Tony Levin. Both monsters. I've got a 62 precision with 70's dimarzio P/J configuration which I made fretless around 1983. When Fender released the Tony Franklin signature, I looked at his, looked at mine and did the classic Monty Python/Holy Grail line "No thanks, we've already got one!" GREAT series Warren, keep em coming!
I LOVE these, good onya mate! Gated reverb, I froze my butt off in an unheated garage driving my self crazy trying to get that snare sound in the early 80's.
I remember listening the So album on my walkman when I was 10 years old in 1986. I was hypnotized by those songs. I played that tape over and over again. It's amazing to hear the isolated tracks 35 years later. Still sounds amazing! Thank you, Warren!!
I still recall the very first time I heard this song on the radio, back in 1986. It immediately sounded as if it had always been there and it would always be there. An instant classic!
This is why youtube and creators are so important. This is a topic which I admittedly, maybe foolishly, never considered much deeper. This video gave me insight into things I didnt even think to consider!
@@janbures5203 - There's really no such thing as "best". There will always be others who have done it better. Besides, this is largely subjective anyway.
These are fascinating videos. It's amazing to hear how disparate influences - motown in this case, chant, reggae, etc, in the Message in a Bottle videos - are all combined to make something that comes to sound absolutely new, and eventually, totally familiar. Hope you keep making these!
Wow Warren! PG has probably been my single favorite artist since "The Lamb...", and "So" is without a doubt within my top5 favorite albums of all time. Thanks for demystifying the track! Killen's mic'ing technique was a revelation. As always, YOU ROCK BRUH!!!
I grieve is amazing. The Up tour was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, and he ended with that if I remember correctly.I didn’t realize that was on the city of angels soundtrack.
It’s simply one of the best sounding songs I’ve ever listen to. Every time I hear it it just picks me up. Such a brilliant groove element to it. That bass is just so amazing.
I've always loved this song. And it's not my usual fare. Just now I found out why. Daniel Lanois!!! He is THE man when it comes to record production vision as far as I can tell...everything from Dylan, to Willie and Emmylou. And his own albums are amongst my favourites of all time. Never knew he did Sledgehammer. Cheers Warren. Made my day!
I remember reading an interview with Osbourne's Ozzy in the mid 90's in which he was talking about his then brandnew album 'Ozzmosis': He said he was blown away when hearing Peter Gabriel's 'So', that it was an absolute masterpiece, and that it also was his inspiration to create his own masterpiece with his latest album; And he reckoned he'd gotten pretty close, too :-) I then bought that album out of sheer curiosity, and I actually did like it a lot! :-))
It amazes me how much work and tech goes into a great song like this. I hear the panflute sounding so simple and then the song marches in. It all sounds so deceptively simple. And then you break it down and show how this composition is so utterly complex. The vocals, the instruments, the electronic gear, and even the venue. I’ve loved this song since it came out (also Big Time) but never appreciated the amount of work that went into it. Thank you for breaking it all down for us. And a huge THANK YOU to Mr. Gabriel for bringing it to life!
This song was my favorite in Highschool! The video was astounding, but it was the bass line, horns and and gospel like background groove that resignated with me that forever endears! Thank you for this breakdown!!!
Yes "So" was a great album, however my favorite song on it is "Big Time." The play on words is what really grabbed me. "I've been stretching my mouth to let those big words come right out".
One of my all-time favourite artists, I was fortunate to see him live at Newcastle City Hall UK on the Melt tour. I will never for get his entrance in total darkness to the drum beat of Intruder, he appeared through a side door in the upper gallery with a massive search light and made his way through the audience, down the stairs and up to the front of the stage, amazing memories and an amazing musician!
I remember when this song was first released and the first time I saw the video on MTV. I remember the animation for the video was cutting edge at the time not to mention a kick-ass song! This had so many awesome elements in it and you said it correctly, it was "Gabrielized"! Great video Warren! I look forward to these videos as it's so nostalgic for me - these were songs from my teenage years! A suggestion for a future video: Deep Purple - "Hush", "Highway Star", "Perfect Strangers" or the ever popular "Smoke on the Water" - we all learned to play that riff on guitar at one time or another!
SO I broke my Walkman Pro listening to that song!!......had it in sitting on my lap while I air drum'd along, and the walkman sliped, hit the floor, the end!.....bollocks Gabrial !! :-( Definitely one of my favorites of the era. Just out of high school, every party cover band was playing it. The perfect blend of shiny eighties'ness and funky soul groove. The video was a huge step forward, and raised the creative bar for every other band ;:-)
I just watched his Secret World Tour Concert. Brilliant. I can’t find the right adjectives to describe his voice. Warren, you are bringing a smile to my face with these videos. Thank you PS Tony Franklin! Wow Also I worked with Wayne Jackson in Memphis Tn in the 90s.
Must be nice to ring up oh, let's say Tony Freakin' Franklin to talk about one of the coolest fretless bass lines by one of the best fretless bass players!
Even though I have heard Sledgehammer a bazillion times since I was a teen (now I'm 60+)..... after your video, I had to go listen to it again IMMEDIATELY! ;-) Thanks!
Peter Gabriel, Ian Brown & Paul Weller 3 of my most favourite singers/musicians/artists of all time... I had So when it was out in 86 & still listen & love it now... Absolute timeless classic....
I'll never forget Tony Levin playing this song live at the Roskilde Music Festival in the mid 90's, with Peter and the band. Also quite impressed with his percussive bass playing style using 'drum' type sticks as an extension to the fingers of his right hand. Really different approach to the bass.
Beautifully dissected! disarranging all the component parts, and then reintroducing them as played recorded, and performed! it's a fantastic timeless track I remember saying to so many people when this came out in the 80S listen to this brilliance it's just pure genius! The Angel Gabriel at his best
You just pick bangers every single time. These videos are the highlight of every day they are released. Could I request you do XTC's "Making Plans for Nigel"?
That video is forever etched in my mind. I remembered where I was,even what chair I was sitting in the house I grew up in. The adverts had it on heavy rotation too. The song that defined 1986 and a decade Iam so glad to have grown up in.😎🙌🏿
Loved this song and the music video when I was a kid. Always wanted to know about the production. That whole album sounds beautiful. Thanks for covering it!
1986 the year I was born 🤣👍 Still Peter became such a big influence on me later on. There is just something about that voice and his songwriting/arrangements that almost always grab your attention right away. And don't get me started about all the amazing theatrical stuff he does live, it's so overwhelming ❤🤩 Maybe growing up or skyblue next?
You can tell that Sledgehammer wasn't contrived to be a hit. It's one of them classics that were a hit because they were brilliant. That's the holy grail. It combines all of Gabrielle's experimentation and innovation with spontaneous and powerful melody. It's also produced to hit the speakers big and relentless like a juggernaut, or, dare I say... sledgehammer.
I love this series, man! It takes songs we love, and breaks them down in ways non-professionals can appreciate and learn how layered they are. Cheers!!
I remember buying the record and playing it until it was virtually scratched to death. Then I bought the CD... And I was just a teenager with no money to fool around. And, please, let me repeat my comment above: "Word Up!" Perhaps including the cover versions.
Cameo's 'Word Up!' had popped into my mind also, when watching one of the previous episodes! I still 'see' the red undies over skin-tight black pants on the singer, in the original video clip x-)) From '86 too, like 'Sledgehammer' :-)
Another amazing episode! I was listening to this in the car on the drive to work and it remains utterly fresh. I love to break down songs in my head over multiple listens, trying to isolate parts as best I can and this really opened up the track for me. Thanks so much!
What songs would you like us to cover in this series? Please check out my video on Peter here:- th-cam.com/video/XmdGvzUV41A/w-d-xo.html
My Sharona- the Knack
Jimi Hendrix.... Song--Bold as love!!!!
TTD-Holding on to You. A rare diamond and, seemingly a different recording method to rest of the album. Maybe it was recorded separately in another studio? However, it's a stand out track (in production terms ) on a great, great album. I would love to hear your take on it . Keep up the good work!
From a big fan in Leicester England.
If you haven't done a Beatles tune yet, might I suggest Sgt. Peppers? 4 tracks of wonderfulness!
Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode
When I was a little kid, pre-school, I was obsessed with Sledgehammer. First song I ever LOVED. Flash-forward to age 12-13, I wanted a bass. I hadn’t listened to Gabriel in years (listening to 90s grunge) but the first thing that came out of me with that bass, that I had to figure out, was this song. It was a part of my DNA. I’ve been playing bass for a living since :)
Thanks ever so much for sharing! Amazing story! Tony Levin is truly inspirational
Saw Peter Gabriel in Rio de Janeiro, 1993. Tony Levin on bass, David Rhodes on guitar, Manu Katché on drums and David Sancious on keyboards. Just picture that. What a band! What a show!
Saw that same show at The LA Coliseum. Shankar on Violin and Paula Cole singing 🔥
Wow man' fair play!! Ya lucky sod haha😊 so cool is right man.. All my best mate from Gary Liverpool UK...
That's absolutely amazing!
"Don't give up" makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time, the whole album is a masterpiece building on his previous work
Agreed 100%!!
As much as I love the studio version, and Kate Bush in general (owning several of her cds), the live version with Paula Cole is one of most amazing things I've ever heard. She was a star of that tour.
I can't hear it without crying like a girlyman. I wish Kate and Peter got married and had hundreds of song-children together.
Such a great song even Willie Nelson covered it.!!!!
Yes, love that song too! I sang it earlier today; albeit in my car with the windows rolled down in an empty part of a shopping center parking lot. :^D
Tony Levin playing a fretless with a pick like an absolute S A V A G E.
Yes! Incredible
I became obsessed with trying to emulate the tight percussive ghost notes sitting in amongst the main riff. Phenomenal bass playing and production from an incredible album.
@@Producelikeapro When was that.?
It’s not a bass- it’s a stick
@@thechristianbernal Oh really? For whatever reason I thought he only played the stick live. That's cool to know!
I had the incredible honour of meeting the man himself at Real World Studios in 1992 when we were mixing some of our album there, he was an absolute gentleman !
I also got to play all his keyboards !
Wow! Amazing! Thanks ever so much!
What all did you see there? Care to share manufacture & model #'s you remember seeing there? Any notable modules spotted in the racks?
@@keykrazy yes, enquiring minds want to know! Haha
Cool, he's one of my musical heroes. Must have been a real buzz to meet him.
I worked with an Iranian refugee who told me he was his biggest fan, he showed me a picture of him and Peter together. I asked him how he got the picture, he told me he kept asking people where he lived until someone gave him his address, went and knocked on his door. Peter came out and was happy to be photographed with his no 1 fan. Pretty cool and humble.
So.......One of the best albums ever produced.
Agreed 100% Russell!
So it is...
This is not meant as a slight, but having watched Rick Beato "What makes this song so great" videos for years and always feeling him fall short of what I wanted in a video essay, is is such a pleasure to have discovered your "Songs that Changed music" series. This focus on production, arrangement and influences as well as context is so much more illuminating than simply breaking down chord progression. What an absolute delight! Thank you and keep up the good work.
You’re very kind, I like to feature songs that were really important and do the best I can to cover all aspects of the writing, recording and production! Rick does great work and I’m honoured to be included in a discussion with him.
Thanks George, I've been wanting to write a similar comment but thought that I was alone in noting Rick falling short in numerous ways. So, as you, I'm absolutely delighted to have discovered this series!
I am in complete agreement.
Please note that Rick Beato is teaching about music as a writer and composition more than as a cultural influence. I love both shows for different reasons
@@williamthomas2278 That's a fair point and I see what you mean, but the problem with Rick is that he's teaching _through_ a very American cultural prism, which often leads to toe-curling inaccuracies as regards music outside of the US. Those of us that have a broader horizon are weary of his US-centric misrepresentations and have stopped watching his videos.
Woah! 40% of the entire video's length dedicated to the fretless bass!
I *approve!!* 👍😁
Hahahaha Thanks ever so much!
Makes sense, though: It's the song's most important ingredient, next to Peter's vocals, and also its foundation. And yeah, being also a bassist I loved that, too :-))
"Fretless Bass +Otave pedal =Marriage made in heaven ..the Fretless Bass never got the respect it truly deserved despite being common among 80s British pop music..
That bass sound is so iconic. So intensely deep and liquid.
Yes! Agreed 100%!
Tony Levin!
Thanks to Rick Beato and the TH-cam algorithm for making me aware of this channel. Subscribed!
Thanks ever so much! I really appreciate it
me too
@@allenmontrasio8962 thanks ever so much
The professor of Rock following brought me here. Brilliant channel
Warren is next level compared to Rick Beato. Legit stuff which can come only from years in the industry (not that Rick doesn't have that, but I find Rick less profound).
When the horns come rising in on verse two, this song becomes something special. Probably the best pop song ever.
Amazing! Thanks ever so much!
I always knew Peter Gabriel was special as a child Solbury Hill always moved me in a way I cant explain but I never realised how much detail went into sledgehammer amazing.
Agreed! Gabriel is one of the greats! Only a couple left!
I've seen Peter Gabriel twice. He was AMAZING. What an artist.
Agreed 100%! Thanks ever so much!
I only saw Peter on the US tour. Great show though! Darn sure wish I had been old enough to see him with Genesis!
Same, saw him twice in the early to mid eighties - incredible showman and music quality that still impress me today. Some of the best concerts in my life.
I'm blown away by the technical details presented, and how clearly you speak. Too bad I don't understand a single word of it. I just watched because I love this song. I'm tempted to watch another one now. Thanks!
Thanks ever so much Tim!
Another vote for Owner Of A Lonely Heart by Yes. The whole dynamic with producer Trevor Horn - whose stint in the band just a few years earlier led him to switch to production - is fascinating. The story I heard is that he literally got on his knees to beg the band to finish it, that's how big he (correctly) thought it would be.
Marvellous idea Dirk!!
@@Producelikeapro Not to mention that bizarre music video, and the presence of most of the Art Of Noise on there.
@@stereoroid yes, wonderful!
Yeah, I remember “Owner of a Lonely Heart” sounded so distinctive when it came out. It just jumped out of the speakers. Cool, melodic songwriting combined with Trevor Horn's crisp, modern production.
Hell Yes to Yes
As a non-producer and non-musician, I have just subscribed...LOL..the musicality of these musicians is just mind-blowing.. Greetings from South Africa.
Thanks ever so much Lynette!!
This song was a huge hit here in Brazil in the late 80s, because it was the theme song of the TV series Sledge Hammer, which was broadcasted by Rede Globo, the largest Brazilian TV network.
Hi Silvio!! Thanks ever so much!
Interesting irony: when ABC promoted the show here in the states, all the adverts featured Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer". But when the show actually premiered, we get this iconic Danny Elfman, over-the-top, 007/Untouchables sounding theme with a horn section and a operatic bridge!
@@TogonzoMedia Yeah, it confused me a lot as a kid ... I was a big fan of the series and thought the song was about it. They came out in the same year also.
I saw the clip at 'Fantástico', is one of the strongest memories I have from childhood, so good it was
Don’t forget Games Without Frontiers, that did quite well too, 1980 - a magical time to be growing up music wise.
It’s not forgotten my friend! Masterpiece
Just one of many videos to come! Thanks ever so much for watching
79 to 81 was THE golden age
and "Family Snapshot" . . . no song gets the hairs on my neck sparking like "and I let the bullet flyyyyyyyyyyy......"
I LOVE me some PG. He has one of the best voices ever.
Agreed 100%!!
This entire album, So, is a MASTERPIECE. Peter Gabriel is a musical genius. 🔥
Yes and yes! Agreed 200%!
The album was beautifully engineered, with a wonderful clean, crisp sound. The opening high hats on "Red Rain" set the tone for the rest of the album.
Agree 100%!
The amazing horns is what really does this song for me. But then I'm a saxophone player.
Love the horns! Thanks ever so much!
Sax is one of the coolest instruments, and I'd bet it's one of those that so many people say they would "love to learn" but never even think about it! Off to check out your channel dude to see if there's any cool sax there!!
Ha! it's about coding! Didn't expect that! Cool too!
Having just bought a Boss Octaver I was playing this bass line all day... One of my all time favourite, I’m going to watch the video and I hope to hear more about the bass sound! Love the series Warren!
Thanks ever so much Lorenzo! Yes, it was combination of the Boss Octaver and chorusing!
@@Producelikeapro
./hh"it
I was 8 when this came out. But i'll never forget it. It's one of the songs that got me into drums. Such a great song.
Amazing! Thanks ever so much
This is a crazy song but I lovvvvvvveeeee the production. I thought the bass was a synth bass at first!!!! I love the horns and the drums my goooddddnnneeessssssss!!!!!
Me too! Amazing Production!! Thanks ever so much!
I really love this series. The fact that its coming from a producer/musician's perspective really adds to it. It bounces along with your links and isolated tracks. It's clear you LOVE what you're doing. Music history at its finest! These are good enough to be seen by a wider audience BBC etc ...
I am not a great social media commentator but I have to say your youtube channel is epic. Educational for me as a home based songwriter/producer but also fascinating and of general interest when you do episodes like this which cover both bases for me. Brilliant stuff.
Man, between you, Rick Beato and David Bennett my head is exploding with all this music theory and studio know how and I'm all the richer for it. So thank you, it's so very much appreciated!
You’re very kind! Thanks ever so much! Humbled to be included with such greats!
Peter Gabriel not only has my all time favorite video with "Sledgehammer" but my all time favorite romantic song in "in your eyes."
Amazing! Agreed! Did you watch this video on Peter that we did? th-cam.com/video/XmdGvzUV41A/w-d-xo.html
@@Producelikeapro yup
Thanks so much for this video, Warren! You break songs down so beautifully and this one is no exception. Peter Gabriel along with great players such as Tony Levin, Manu Katche, David Rhodes, Wayne Jackson, and Daniel Lanois' masterful production resulted in a brilliant track. I have never tired of listening to this classic song (or anything off of SO for that matter).
@Ivan Lendl - I also used to watch tennis on the TV a lot back then, with you and your mates Becker, Agassi, McEnroe, Graf, Navratilova... ;-))
I had the opportunity to do some sessions with Tony Levin about 15 years ago, and it was so fun to spend time with him and learn how he works.
That’s absolutely amazing!!
I’m a simple man... I see someone praising this classic banger, I ring the bell
Hi Nicks! Thanks ever so much
Peter must have had the overall sounds in his mind and worked on creating them in reality. What musical genius.
I agree, true genius!
So cool to see Tony Franklin on this, hes one of my very favorite rock bassists!
Yes! Amazing to be able to work with Tony!
Awesome, thank you, Warren.. I love this song and the music video blew me away when it come out back in 1986 ... when I was 16 years old! Time flies.
Hi Marc! Thanks ever so much! Yes, time flies!!
Fantastic record. Thank you for breaking it down. At one time I kept Peter Gabriel's D.I.Y. album cover up on my wall where I would see it every day before I left for work. While I can't possibly compare, his ethos and singular approach to song construction was something I really aspired to. I still try to get a little closer to that every day. Good to see the Tony Franklin demonstration, another great influence along with Tony Levin. Both monsters. I've got a 62 precision with 70's dimarzio P/J configuration which I made fretless around 1983. When Fender released the Tony Franklin signature, I looked at his, looked at mine and did the classic Monty Python/Holy Grail line "No thanks, we've already got one!" GREAT series Warren, keep em coming!
Wow!! Thanks ever so much my friend!! I really appreciate the support and sharing your experiences
I LOVE these, good onya mate!
Gated reverb, I froze my butt off in an unheated garage driving my self crazy trying to get that snare sound in the early 80's.
Thanks ever so much!
Reverb and a compressor dude.
@@Reprodestruxion gating on the console
I remember listening the So album on my walkman when I was 10 years old in 1986. I was hypnotized by those songs. I played that tape over and over again. It's amazing to hear the isolated tracks 35 years later. Still sounds amazing! Thank you, Warren!!
I remember when this song came out. OH CRAP I must be old now
Haha me too! I hear you!
@@Producelikeapro Yeah... but some of us were in our LONG pants by then>> :P
@degrande707 haha indeed!
@@toonertik haha very true!
Not as old as the artist himself, though ;-) I was 16 then, turning 51 next month. Still have great memories of '86 :-)
I still recall the very first time I heard this song on the radio, back in 1986. It immediately sounded as if it had always been there and it would always be there. An instant classic!
Agreed! Me too! Thanks ever so much
When you got Levin&Katché, you can be pretty sure that the rhythm section is nothing less than brilliant.
Agreed 100%!!
This is why youtube and creators are so important. This is a topic which I admittedly, maybe foolishly, never considered much deeper. This video gave me insight into things I didnt even think to consider!
Wow! Thanks ever so much Jeremy!
@@Producelikeapro Thank you for shedding light on something so intriguing with such eloquence!
@@jeremy8189 that’s very kind of you to say!!
One of the best basslines ever.
Nah. Great, but far from best. Both Tony and others have played better.
Best bassline imho is Normans Watts Roy’s Hit me with your rhytm stick.
@@janbures5203 - There's really no such thing as "best". There will always be others who have done it better. Besides, this is largely subjective anyway.
@@DavidLazarus I know its very subjective, thats why I said IMHO ;)
Great song! Especially as a gateway to more Peter Gabriel.
One of my favorites. Still have the record I bought back in the day. I always feel 20% happier after I listen to it. Actually, it's more like 23%.
Haha Couldn't agree more! Love this song!!
I got to meet Ian Cooper at metropoly long time ago ,,incredible experience,, the nicest and so much knoledge.
These are fascinating videos. It's amazing to hear how disparate influences - motown in this case, chant, reggae, etc, in the Message in a Bottle videos - are all combined to make something that comes to sound absolutely new, and eventually, totally familiar. Hope you keep making these!
I just love this series of "Songs that Changed Music". One of the best things you can find on TH-cam about stainless classics.
Wow Warren! PG has probably been my single favorite artist since "The Lamb...", and "So" is without a doubt within my top5 favorite albums of all time. Thanks for demystifying the track! Killen's mic'ing technique was a revelation. As always, YOU ROCK BRUH!!!
Hi Steve! Mine too! HUGE Fan!!
Agreed, Kevin Killen is a huge talent!!
I graduated HS in '86. What an amazing experience growing up listening to such great musicians. We were spoiled.
Yes, we certainly were!
Another "slam dunk" Warren! A song on the City Of Angels soundtrack that gets under the radar "I Grieve" is one that really sticks in my brain.
Thanks ever so much Abe!
I grieve is amazing. The Up tour was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, and he ended with that if I remember correctly.I didn’t realize that was on the city of angels soundtrack.
@@mrufino1 fantastic! Thanks for sharing
It’s simply one of the best sounding songs I’ve ever listen to. Every time I hear it it just picks me up. Such a brilliant groove element to it. That bass is just so amazing.
Thanks ever so much! I agree!
Yes! Now you’re talking!!
Thanks Michael!
@Cashew Gesundheit yes! Amazing
@Cashew Gesundheit Its a fantastic vocal. Across all his work I love how PG also has more than one type of voice but all disinctly PG.
@@hopetea7670 agreed 100%!
I politely just don’t get how this guy has a career. I hate everything of his. To me it all sucks. To each their own.
Thank you for this feature on one of the most iconic artists around.
Thanks ever so much Shawn!
I've always loved this song. And it's not my usual fare. Just now I found out why. Daniel Lanois!!! He is THE man when it comes to record production vision as far as I can tell...everything from Dylan, to Willie and Emmylou. And his own albums are amongst my favourites of all time. Never knew he did Sledgehammer. Cheers Warren. Made my day!
One of the best live shows I've seen was Peter Gabriel in 1991! Amazing show!
The Album 'So' is Fantastic, when i got Married our first Dance song was 'In Your Eyes' Stunning Song in all ways.
Thanks ever so much Trevor!
I remember reading an interview with Osbourne's Ozzy in the mid 90's in which he was talking about his then brandnew album 'Ozzmosis': He said he was blown away when hearing Peter Gabriel's 'So', that it was an absolute masterpiece, and that it also was his inspiration to create his own masterpiece with his latest album; And he reckoned he'd gotten pretty close, too :-) I then bought that album out of sheer curiosity, and I actually did like it a lot! :-))
It amazes me how much work and tech goes into a great song like this. I hear the panflute sounding so simple and then the song marches in. It all sounds so deceptively simple. And then you break it down and show how this composition is so utterly complex. The vocals, the instruments, the electronic gear, and even the venue. I’ve loved this song since it came out (also Big Time) but never appreciated the amount of work that went into it. Thank you for breaking it all down for us. And a huge THANK YOU to Mr. Gabriel for bringing it to life!
Hi Mark, Thanks ever so much for the incredible comment! Agreed, Peter Gabriel is unbelievably talented!
Surely the 'icing on the cake' is Peter's incredible vocal...
Peter's Vocal is absolutely incredible!!
As a bassist...
I love Tony's description... his forgiving description for a bassist is what I need... Us bassists don't get much love...
Thank you!
Seinfeld bass + fresh prince drums + peter gabriel = sledghammer
This song was my favorite in Highschool! The video was astounding, but it was the bass line, horns and and gospel like background groove that resignated with me that forever endears! Thank you for this breakdown!!!
Yes "So" was a great album, however my favorite song on it is "Big Time." The play on words is what really grabbed me. "I've been stretching my mouth to let those big words come right out".
Hi Randall! Thanks ever so much
One of my favorites too . The lyrics and the Big sound. Just remarkable!
One of my all-time favourite artists, I was fortunate to see him live at Newcastle City Hall UK on the Melt tour. I will never for get his entrance in total darkness to the drum beat of Intruder, he appeared through a side door in the upper gallery with a massive search light and made his way through the audience, down the stairs and up to the front of the stage, amazing memories and an amazing musician!
Wow! Thanks ever so much for sharing
I remember when this song was first released and the first time I saw the video on MTV. I remember the animation for the video was cutting edge at the time not to mention a kick-ass song! This had so many awesome elements in it and you said it correctly, it was "Gabrielized"! Great video Warren! I look forward to these videos as it's so nostalgic for me - these were songs from my teenage years! A suggestion for a future video: Deep Purple - "Hush", "Highway Star", "Perfect Strangers" or the ever popular "Smoke on the Water" - we all learned to play that riff on guitar at one time or another!
SO I broke my Walkman Pro listening to that song!!......had it in sitting on my lap while I air drum'd along, and the walkman sliped, hit the floor, the end!.....bollocks Gabrial !! :-(
Definitely one of my favorites of the era. Just out of high school, every party cover band was playing it. The perfect blend of shiny eighties'ness and funky soul groove. The video was a huge step forward, and raised the creative bar for every other band ;:-)
Just heard it yesterday because I felt the need for a perfectly produced song! Headphones on and enjoy! Love it!
Amazing
One of my favorite albums of all time! Groundbreaking music video also. Peter Gabriel's music is just God showing off!
Love that quote! Thanks ever so much
I just watched his Secret World Tour Concert. Brilliant. I can’t find the right adjectives to describe his voice. Warren, you are bringing a smile to my face with these videos.
Thank you
PS Tony Franklin! Wow
Also I worked with Wayne Jackson in Memphis Tn in the 90s.
Must be nice to ring up oh, let's say Tony Freakin' Franklin to talk about one of the coolest fretless bass lines by one of the best fretless bass players!
@@guitboxgeek haha yes, truly blessed!
Thanks Buddy! So glad you enjoy them!
Even though I have heard Sledgehammer a bazillion times since I was a teen (now I'm 60+)..... after your video, I had to go listen to it again IMMEDIATELY! ;-) Thanks!
That’s wonderful to hear! Thanks for sharing
Peter and Paula Cole on Secret World Live. You’ll never hear a better vocal duet, the gold standard.
Thanks ever so much!! Indeed!
Peter Gabriel, Ian Brown & Paul Weller 3 of my most favourite singers/musicians/artists of all time... I had So when it was out in 86 & still listen & love it now... Absolute timeless classic....
I'll never forget Tony Levin playing this song live at the Roskilde Music Festival in the mid 90's, with Peter and the band. Also quite impressed with his percussive bass playing style using 'drum' type sticks as an extension to the fingers of his right hand. Really different approach to the bass.
Amazing!! Roskilde is such an incredible festival!! That would have been wonderful to see him there!
Beautifully dissected! disarranging all the component parts, and then reintroducing them as played recorded, and performed! it's a fantastic timeless track I remember saying to so many people when this came out in the 80S listen to this brilliance it's just pure genius! The Angel Gabriel at his best
You just pick bangers every single time. These videos are the highlight of every day they are released. Could I request you do XTC's "Making Plans for Nigel"?
I second this request please
Marvellous Mark! Thanks ever so much!
@@ehesse1058 Thanks ever so much!
I third it.
Anything XTC would be a real treat!!
This is one of the main melodies in my life. Perfect, powerful, enchanting.
Thanks ever so much
I am really enjoying this series. So far every song you have chosen is a 10/10 stunner.
That video is forever etched in my mind.
I remembered where I was,even what chair I was sitting in the house I grew up in.
The adverts had it on heavy rotation too.
The song that defined 1986 and a decade Iam so glad to have grown up in.😎🙌🏿
Sledgehammer is an amazing piece of music, but it was a game changer in terms of Music Videos more than music itself
Loved this song and the music video when I was a kid. Always wanted to know about the production. That whole album sounds beautiful. Thanks for covering it!
The Up album by Peter Gabriel is so under rated... the production on it is insane. Of his earlier work, I love the song intruder from "melt".
I love it more than So. That album is a true masterpiece.
I remember seeing the video for Sledgehammer as a child in the 90s. It definitely left a mark on me. Timeless song! 👏🏿
Thanks ever so much Don!
1986 the year I was born 🤣👍 Still Peter became such a big influence on me later on. There is just something about that voice and his songwriting/arrangements that almost always grab your attention right away. And don't get me started about all the amazing theatrical stuff he does live, it's so overwhelming ❤🤩 Maybe growing up or skyblue next?
You can tell that Sledgehammer wasn't contrived to be a hit. It's one of them classics that were a hit because they were brilliant. That's the holy grail. It combines all of Gabrielle's experimentation and innovation with spontaneous and powerful melody. It's also produced to hit the speakers big and relentless like a juggernaut, or, dare I say... sledgehammer.
Gabriel has said that his gorgeous Real World studios was paid for from the success of this song and album.
You don't know how much these videos are helping me. I'm discovering stuff that I wouldn't have listened in a short period of time. Thank you so much!
Wow! Thanks ever so much Oscar!!
Really awesome series! Thank you so much Warren for making this series 😀👍
Hi Alexey! My pleasure!
I love this series, man! It takes songs we love, and breaks them down in ways non-professionals can appreciate and learn how layered they are.
Cheers!!
Thanks ever so much Tim!
I never realized how much the Seinfeld bass theme was inspired by this tune.
That "bass" theme is played on a synth so maybe even more than you think
That bass is stuck in my head. Unreal soul, funk and pop all combined into perfection on this track!
Another amazing episode, this series gets better and better. Hearing the stems is so cool
Thanks ever so much!
Those little fretless slides are amazing. Thats really what makes it for me.
I remember buying the record and playing it until it was virtually scratched to death. Then I bought the CD... And I was just a teenager with no money to fool around.
And, please, let me repeat my comment above: "Word Up!" Perhaps including the cover versions.
Thanks ever so much Jürgen!
Cameo's 'Word Up!' had popped into my mind also, when watching one of the previous episodes! I still 'see' the red undies over skin-tight black pants on the singer, in the original video clip x-)) From '86 too, like 'Sledgehammer' :-)
Fascinating. Great job Warren!
Thanks ever so much
Incredible man - saw him
In concert and the thought and love for his craft is self evident- unique
This song didn't change music. Peter Gabriel and his genius changed music. And he's still doing it.
Indeed, did you check this put? th-cam.com/video/XmdGvzUV41A/w-d-xo.html
Nailed it!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Another amazing episode! I was listening to this in the car on the drive to work and it remains utterly fresh. I love to break down songs in my head over multiple listens, trying to isolate parts as best I can and this really opened up the track for me. Thanks so much!
Thanks ever so much! I really appreciate it
0:59 Haha, Genesis Exodus
Haha Thanks ever so much Adam!
'Adam'.
I've got your Number(s).....
I can't wait to watch this. One of my favourite ever albums. Thank you!
Thanks ever so much Luke!