Este primer disco de Peter Gabriel, después de abandonar Genesis, para mí está marcado por una canción, “Solsbury Hill“, que es una de las canciones más bonitas que yo haya escuchado nunca. Está canción es la que me llevó a hacerme con este disco, si bien es cierto, que el primer disco al que presté atención y que compré de Peter Gabriel fue “So”, cómo no, en 1986, pero el hechizo de “Solsbury Hill” es demasiado fuerte como para obviarlo, ese hechizo me “obligó” a viajar a 1977 y escuchar con cariño el primer disco sin título de Gabriel, conocido como “1” o “Car”, por la portada. En este primer álbum hay una mezcla de rock progresivo, “Moribund the Burgermeister” ó “Waiting for the Big One”, el pop de “Solsbury Hill” e incluso el blues “Down the Dolce Vita”. Dejando para el final una preciosidad como “Here Comes The Flood” y que Peter Gabriel regrabaría al menos un par de veces más. Queda claro que Peter Gabriel necesitaba salir de Genesis y buscar nuevas vías para su música, a mi con que compusiera “Solsbury Hill” me bastó.
Climbing up on solsbury hill
i could see the city lights
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
i had to listen had no choice
i did not believe the information
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 keep in 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
though my life was in a rut
till i thought of what i’d say
and 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
son, he said, grab your things i’ve come to take you home
yeaah, 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 one taught them etiquette
so 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