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Thread: Tell me what you know about In The Cage

  1. #1

    Tell me what you know about In The Cage

    This song has a really special meaning for me, as it was a song a dearly departed friend knew and loved, and he described Phil running back to his drum kit after singing and dueling with Chester, and every time I hear it, I think of Robert.

    Care to share your thoughts on this song? I'm not really familiar with the studio version, only the cut that's on Three Sides Live.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Highly Evolved Orangutan JKL2000's Avatar
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    Well, you should hear it sung by Peter Gabriel too!

  3. #3
    While its a great song by itself, you have to hear the full Lamb, one of the best albums ever recorded. And the lyrics actually make some sense within the context of the Lamb.

  4. #4
    Member since March 2004 mozo-pg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by flowerking View Post
    While its a great song by itself, you have to hear the full Lamb, one of the best albums ever recorded. And the lyrics actually make some sense within the context of the Lamb.
    There are plenty of Lamb haters out there but I agree with your assessment. I agree you should definitely hear the Gabriel version although Phil did an excellent job of picking up the slack.

  5. #5
    Member Sputnik's Avatar
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    I'm not a super fan of Lamb. I think it's OK, but ultimately a somewhat flawed album that bit off a bit more than the band could chew, both musically and lyrically. That said, I think In The Cage is the album's strongest moment, and one of the great Genesis songs, both musically and lyrically. In particular, I think this verse captures something important to the work as a whole, and something that many can relate to:

    In the glare of a light,
    I see a strange kind of sight;
    Of cages joined to form a star
    Each person can't go very far;
    All tied to their things
    They're netted by their strings,
    Free to flutter in memories of their wasted wings.

    After that, you have the break with Brother John, which is both ambiguous but also ties into the later narrative. It is perhaps Geneses' most dramatic musical moment. And of course the keyboard solo that leads up to this is practically Prog Rock defined.

    So my thoughts on this song are that it's a masterpiece of the style, one of the band's signature tracks, and that its lyrical theme is broad and ambiguous enough to fit a wide variety of interpretations and when combined with the music is almost certain to appeal to both the heart and the head of listeners, which is, to me, the hallmark of the best Prog Rock.

    Robert had good taste, imo.

    Bill

  6. #6
    I love Lamb

    If you accept that the story is about a trip, in the cage is where he drops the acid "I've got sunshine in my stomach". Later "It" confirms "It is purple haze" "if you ear right through it you'll see everything alive"

    There's a lot of duality and puns throughout of course

    If you accept that Rael is his brother John, and the cage is his corpeal self he trapped within... Listen to the words in this context and see if you agree

    Just my opinion after 200 spins

  7. #7
    This live version from Three Sides Live made me realize how great Genesis was. My gateway into 70s Genesis, even though I had heard The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway in the back of a car a few years earlier. I knew that was interesting but didn't quite connect at the time when 13.

  8. #8
    cunning linguist 3LockBox's Avatar
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    In the Cage is a great song, but as has already been stated, on a flawed album. I like 4 or 5 songs from The Lamb but rarely listen to whole album in one sitting. Same with its distant cousin, Subterrania, another album I learned to listen to without regard to storyline.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Prog Lives View Post

    If you accept that the story is about a trip,
    My interpretation was always that Rael dies during the first song, and the reste of the album is his journey through the after life, perhaps some form of pergatory. He redeems himself by attempting to save Brother John, and it's only when he sees his own face when he pulls the body from the water that he realizes that he's died.

    I never understood what Phil meant when he said it was "about a split personality", until I realized if he was using the phrase correctly (which most layman don't), he may have meant that the entire story is a delusion, and Rael may be a psych ward patient, or perhaps a "crazy homeless person", wandering the streets of NYC.

    And I've also heard it interpreted as a dream.

    As for In The Cage, it's a decent song. It's easy to see why they left it in the setlist onstage for so many years. Personally, there are other tracks I like better, particularly The Hairless Heart, Back In NYC, Supernatural Anesthetist, Colony Of The Slippermen, and Fly On A Windshield.

  10. #10
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    What do I know about In the Cage? I don't know anybody who can play the bass part!!

  11. #11
    Member 2steves's Avatar
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    the Lamb is a big surreal dream about the coming of age----puberty---aggression---the end of childhood innocents---sexuality---the id ---the ego----all done with a heavy dose of humor and craziness---it's a masterpiece of prog.

  12. #12
    Great song & PG sings it better than PC.

    The first disc of The Lamb is stellar but the second, well I'll let you make your mind up? It's mostly filler IMO and IT is probably the worst 'finale' song of any concept album I've heard. And don't try to make sense of the story as Banks et al are still trying to figure that one out!
    Last edited by Rufus; 05-12-2017 at 03:51 AM.

  13. #13
    "In the Cage" is a brilliant piece of songwriting and performance. As good as it gets really.

    As for The Lamb album, it's not even remotely weak, except that it ends with a wimper. Not good when the only bad song on a 94-minute album is the closing track. Otherwise, it's absolutely amazing for the first 89 minutes, without a weak moment.

  14. #14
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yamishogun View Post
    This live version from Three Sides Live made me realize how great Genesis was. My gateway into 70s Genesis, even though I had heard The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway in the back of a car a few years earlier. I knew that was interesting but didn't quite connect at the time when 13.
    I first heard "In the Cage" on Three Sides Live, as well. And I hated it. I bought the album because I loved "ABACAB," the track, and "No Reply at All." I was then pleasantly surprised to learn that Genesis was that band that did that "Turn it on Again" song that I loved. But what was up with this weird "In the Cage" crap? I think I even edited it out when I dubbed it to cassette.

    Fast forward a few years, when I began listening to more adventurous music, and I gave it another listen with fresh ears, and I was hooked. Still wasn't sold on this weird Peter Gabriel character, but I bought Seconds Out on the recommendation of a friend and that was the gateway to "old Genesis."

    Which is all a roundabout way of saying that "In the Cage" was part of my Prog fan awakening.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  15. #15
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Some good lyrical assessments in this thread of the song and the Lamb. The Lamb is a great album of course, but I admit I was a little disappointed when it first came out, being so strongly into 'Selling England'. Always felt there was too much vocals and not enough scenic instrumental music, such as in Firth of Fifth and The Cinema Show. But then it grew on me and I loved it for what it was, although tracks like 'Counting Out Time' and 'The Grand Parade...' I never found particularly strong. But 'In The Cage' was good. And the three songs in a row on side 3, 'Anyway' thru 'The Lamia' (my favorite song on the album) I always found brilliant. I kinda had to get thru the first 2 sides to get to the proggier sides 3 and 4. But I will always prefer 'Selling England', which is just more my thing.

  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by bill g View Post
    I never found particularly strong. But 'In The Cage' was good. And the three songs in a row on side 3, 'Anyway' thru 'The Lamia' (my favorite song on the album) I always found brilliant. I kinda had to get thru the first 2 sides to get to the proggier sides 3 and 4. But I will always prefer 'Selling England', which is just more my thing.
    My favorite sequence as well.. Re: SEBTP.. when my brother brought The Lamb home from college and said "check this out".. Initially I felt they had borrowed a lot from SEBTP.. Side 3 is still my favorite.. but there are some choice cuts on the first two as well..

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Bails View Post
    I first heard "In the Cage" on Three Sides Live, as well. And I hated it. I bought the album because I loved "ABACAB," the track, and "No Reply at All." I was then pleasantly surprised to learn that Genesis was that band that did that "Turn it on Again" song that I loved. But what was up with this weird "In the Cage" crap? I think I even edited it out when I dubbed it to cassette.
    Very similar except I liked "In the Cage" the first time I heard it. I also got Three Sides Live for "ABACAB" which is much better live. "Turn It On Again" was my favorite Genesis song then and again the Three Sides Live version is better than the studio version, although apparently not everyone likes Collins theatrics on that song.

  18. #18
    Member Staun's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2steves View Post
    the Lamb is a big surreal dream about the coming of age----puberty---aggression---the end of childhood innocents---sexuality---the id ---the ego----all done with a heavy dose of humor and craziness---it's a masterpiece of prog.
    Hey mods, here's another person discussing politics again. Do something.
    The older I get, the better I was.

  19. #19
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    'In The Cage' is simply one of Genesis' finest achievements. I think my first exposure to it was via the Three Sides Live film, actually! I think it was played on every single Genesis tour from 1978-87, but not their 90s shows. It made a very welcome return in the 2007 tour.

    Over the years I have come to feel that The Lamb... might be their finest work with Gabriel. From a production perspective it's certainly their most adventurous work. Even the things people would call 'filler' like the instrumentals, make more sense when you look at the way it was staged in concert (via the DVD in the remixed version)- as a multi-media event with the slide show and Gabriel's showmanship.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by yamishogun View Post
    "Turn It On Again" was my favorite Genesis song then and again the Three Sides Live version is better than the studio version, although apparently not everyone likes Collins theatrics on that song.
    You mean the "Turn it on! Turn it off! Turn it on! Turn it off! Turn it on! Turn it! Turn it! Turn it!" thing? Yeah, that's kinda obnoxious, though it's not nearly as bad as the "There must be some, there must be some, there must be some" business in the Misunderstanding coda. Dude, knock off the farting around and just end the song already!!!!

  21. #21
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GuitarGeek View Post
    You mean the "Turn it on! Turn it off! Turn it on! Turn it off! Turn it on! Turn it! Turn it! Turn it!" thing? Yeah, that's kinda obnoxious, though it's not nearly as bad as the "There must be some, there must be some, there must be some" business in the Misunderstanding coda. Dude, knock off the farting around and just end the song already!!!!
    I never had a problem with the "Turn it on Again" stuff, but that ending to "Misunderstanding" is unbearable.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  22. #22
    I've never been a great fan of The Lamb, but In The Cage has always been one of my three favorite songs from that album. The other two are the title track and Carpet Crawlers.
    The pulsing intro became a favorite for artistic segue programming. I put together one called Burning Rope In The Cage. It's pretty straightforward. The two blend together nicely.
    The song has a great amount of intensity which kinda reminds me of In The Air Tonight.

  23. #23
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    to understand the story you have to do acid and spin around upside down hanging from your left leg spinning counter clock-wise

  24. #24
    Studmuffin Scott Bails's Avatar
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    Damn. I always do it clock-wise.

    Gonna try that this weekend.
    Music isn't about chops, or even about talent - it's about sound and the way that sound communicates to people. Mike Keneally

  25. #25
    Member moecurlythanu's Avatar
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    "The Lamb" as an idea was influenced by Jodorowsky's El Topo. It was intended to have a dream sequence-like quality. Does that mean it was intended to represent a dream? No. Does that mean that it wasn't? No. Personally, I think it's a story, intended to flow as written, without any deeper meaning, but intentionally jarring, weird and somewhat abstract.


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