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Usually soundtracks don't work so well as their own. (If they do, they often differ a lot from the actual score heard on the film; Vangelis is a good example.) Gabriel's first film contribution shows Gabriel's talents in creating atmospheres. In film the music is used too sparingly, but as an album it's not for repeated listening. The decision to recycle material from Peter Gabriel albums 3 and 4 is not a bad idea at all; the songs really had this potential. In many cases it's just a fragment, e.g. piano intro of 'Family Snapshot' or outro of 'San Jacinto'. The most powerful track is 'Birdy's Flight' based on ending of 'Not One of Us' - the drumming is deliciously multiplied and the original song really pales in comparison. But as an album per se Birdy has quite little to offer in its shortness and such a cold, lonely, sad atmosphere. The film has a wider palette of emotions. And as a literature lover I must add that Alan Parker's film is not even closely as great as the novel by William Wharton.
Studio Album, released in 1985
Track Listings
1. At Night (2:43)
2. Floating Dogs (3:02)
3. Quiet And Alone (2:36)
4. Close Up (0:56) (from Family Snapshot)
5. Slow Water (2:55)
6. Dressing The Wound (4:12)
7. Birdy's Flight (2:58) (from Not One Of Us)
8. Slow Marimbas (3:29)
9. The Heat (4:46) (from Rhythm Of The Heat)
10. Sketchpad With Trumpet And Voice (3:09)
11. Under Lock And Key (2:30) (from Wallflower)
12. Powerhouse At The Foot Of The Mountain (2:21) (from San Jacinto)
Total Time: 35:39
Line-up/Musicians
- Peter Gabriel / flute, drums, keyboards, vocals, producer, liner notes
- Larry Fast / keyboards
- Tony Levin / bass
- Jerry Marotta / drums
- Morris Pert / performer
- David Rhodes / guitar
- Jon Hassell / trumpet
The third Gabriel album appeared during New Wave era, and it was really an influential effort to the legions of post-punk/alternative rock bands. It was also an avant-garde work drawing more connection to the groundbreaking works of Brian Eno and Robert Fripp, plus the instrumental rhythm section (Jerry Marotta-cymballess drum kit/Tony Levin-bass and stick) created a blueprint of ethno-tribal percussive beats that along with Gabriel himself, was to be copied in the decade to come.
The crimsonesque, dark metallic opener "Intruder" and the closing World Music/Afro beat of "Biko" encapsulate an excellent album, which also launched Steve Lillywhite as the one of the best producers of the 1980s (U2, Simple Minds, Talking Heads, the Pogues...). Amidst the entire electronic and ambient picture lies an unexpected hit single "Games Without Frontiers", a song that was the first Gabriel song that I heard, so I cherish pleasant memories on this. Kate Bush sings backing "jeux sans frontieres" during the chorus, which is French translation of the title. But, it also happens to be the name of a competition TV show, which was quite popular even in SFR Yugoslavia in the late 1970s/early 1980s. There were dozen or so national teams, mainly from continental West Europe, while Yugoslavia also took part in several annual occasions, "playing silly games" in historic locations (fortresses, seaside resorts) across these countries. It was some sort of teenage mini-Olympiad or something... English name of the game was "It's a Knock Out", which Gabriel sings just before the chorus. So, obviously, Adolf, Enrique, Sasha, Hans, Jane and Andre were very inspirational to Peter.
"Family Snapshot", "And Through the Wire" and "Not One of Us" are for me sub-standard songs and in retrospect they sound quite boring too. Overall, "Peter Gabriel III" is very good album and surely ranks among the best works of 1980. Highly recommended to prog fans especially those in favour of art/experimental pop music.
Studio Album, released in 1980
Track Listings
1. Intruder (4:53)
2. No Self Control (3:56)
3. Start (1:21)
4. I Don't Remember (4:42)
5. Family Snapshot (4:29)
6. And Through The Wire (4:58)
7. Games Without Frontiers (4:07)
8. Not One Of Us (5:21)
9. Lead A Normal Life (4:15)
10. Biko (7:27)
Total Time: 45:31
Line-up/Musicians
- Peter Gabriel / lead vocals, percussion, bass synth, synth, piano
- Jerry Marotta / drums, percussion
- Phil Collins / drums
- Morris Pert / percussion
- John Giblin / bass
- Larry Fast / bass synth, synth
- Tony Levin / stick
- David Rhodes / guitar, background vocals
- Paul Weller, Robert Fripp, Dave Gregory / guitars
- Dick Morrissey / sax
- Kate Bush / background vocals
Usually soundtracks don't work so well as their own. (If they do, they often differ a lot from the actual score heard on the film; Vangelis is a good example.) Gabriel's first film contribution shows Gabriel's talents in creating atmospheres. In film the music is used too sparingly, but as an album it's not for repeated listening. The decision to recycle material from Peter Gabriel albums 3 and 4 is not a bad idea at all; the songs really had this potential. In many cases it's just a fragment, e.g. piano intro of 'Family Snapshot' or outro of 'San Jacinto'. The most powerful track is 'Birdy's Flight' based on ending of 'Not One of Us' - the drumming is deliciously multiplied and the original song really pales in comparison. But as an album per se Birdy has quite little to offer in its shortness and such a cold, lonely, sad atmosphere. The film has a wider palette of emotions. And as a literature lover I must add that Alan Parker's film is not even closely as great as the novel by William Wharton.
