Sometimes Talk . . . Isn’t Cheap

Longtime TAH readers know of my interest in popular music – and my penchant for running my yap about it.  On that score, all I have to say is:  “OK – ya got me.”  (smile)

In general, I prefer popular music that is literate and has a message.  Don’t get me wrong – a simpler but excellent song, well executed, can also grab and hold my attention; Deep Purple’s Smoke on the Water and AC/DC’s You Shook Me All Night Long are two examples.  There are many others.

Still – I tend to gravitate towards popular music that’s a bit more complex, both musically and lyrically.  In general, I like a song with a message that makes me think a bit.

And yeah, you’re correct:  this is the beginning of another of those damned “walkabouts”.  I’m about to  wander off into the bush and wax obtuse yet again.  (smile)

. . .

Peter Gabriel is an artist I’ve grown to admire more as I’ve grown older.  As a younger man, I wasn’t all that big a fan of his immediate post-Genesis work (and I wasn’t particularly a fan of Genesis while he was a member).  Other than Solsbury Hiill, Games Without Frontiers, and Shock the Monkey, I probably wouldn’t immediately recognize even the titles of more than 3 or 4 other songs from his first four solo efforts.  I also don’t agree with the majority of Gabriel’s political views.

Gabriel’s not a particularly prolific artist, either.  During his 35+ year solo career, he’s only released a handful of albums of original work – maybe 12 or so if you include the few motion picture scores he’s written.  And his voice, while recognizable, isn’t exactly that of a world-class tenor.

Still:  when he’s “on”, the man can flat-out write, perform, and sing.  His work is literate, complex, mixes multiple influences, and is exquisitely crafted.  Audio-wise, it’s also superbly recorded and engineered.

Two of Gabriel’s works – 1986’s So and 1992’s Us – IMO are among the best works I think I’ve ever heard.  There’s so much on those two discs that is simply . . . excellent.  I won’t attempt to describe or catalog the “goodness” there; I just don’t think I can do so adequately.

Of the two, So was more immediately listenable, as well as more commercially successful.  And it indeed contains some truly fine music.

But of the two, I’ve found that Us is the one that seems to get better with time.  And it IMO contains music that is among the best that Gabriel’s ever done.

Both works were well-known in their day.  And yet, the two tracks from that pair that I find perhaps most moving may be ones you’ve never heard.

The first of those is a tune called Come Talk to Me.  It wasn’t released as a single (it was only released as a promo), and it never received particularly much airplay.

I liked it well before I ever knew its history.  And the tune’s history simply . . . fits.

. . .

In the late 1980s, Gabriel’s personal life was, bluntly, a mess.  He’d separated from and divorced his wife of many years, Jill Moore, in 1987.  He’d begun living with another woman – actress Rosanna Arquette – not long afterwards.  The changes and stresses associated with all of this had landed him in therapy.

Nothing unusual there, especially in the music business – or in everyday life, for that matter.  Sometimes relationships simply don’t last.  Life isn’t always simple, easy, or fun.

As is often the case, there were children involved.  Gabriel and his ex-wife Jill had two daughters.

At the time the daughters were not small children.  Both were in their teens – the youngest, only barely.  And she wasn’t yet a teen when her parents first split.

Let’s just say that Gabriel’s daughters weren’t exactly thrilled with their dad during those years.   Reputedly the older of the two let him know that – quite pointedly at times.  The younger one, not so much.  She was just young enough that the changes reportedly really affected her.

I can’t blame the daughters for being angry and hurt.  In their shoes, I sure as hell would have been.

Regardless,Gabriel didn’t want to sever the relationship between himself and his daughters – and he worked at maintaining some connection.  For that, I’ll give him credit.

It was during  this period that Gabriel wrote and/or recorded most of what would be released on Us.

The influence of his life on that work is apparent.  Us has an underlying theme that’s obvious as hell:  relationships.  Gabriel stated that much explicitly on the liner notes.

Come Talk to Me was the first track from Us.  On the surface, it’s a fairly generic appeal from one party in a strained relationship to the other to talk things out.  The specific context isn’t explicitly stated, but the lyrics imply the relationship to be a romantic one.  The vocalist seems to be getting the “silent treatment” from the other party.

In any case, the exact context is immaterial.  The tune simply works on that generic level – as an appeal to talk out existing relationship problems.

That, however, is only part of the story.  Like much well-crafted music, the song’s underlying inspiration and intent is different – and not immediately apparent.

In reality, the song was Gabriel’s attempt to reconnect – through his music – with his daughters.  In particular, in that song he was reaching out to one of his daughters; accounts differ as to which.

The result was IMO exceptional.

I won’t attempt to describe the tune, or its lyrics, in any detail.  It speaks for itself more eloquently than I can speak about it.  If you’re interested, the original version is here; a video version from the film documenting the tour to promote Us – “Secret World”  – is here.  Both are longish (around 7 minutes, give or take a bit); if you listen to either, I’d suggest using a good pair of headphones.

The latter, while a bit theatrical, perhaps captures the song’s essence and underlying theme a bit better; maybe that’s just me.  But I think you’ll find either worth the time.

. . .

For what it’s worth:  Gabriel’s attempt to reach out to his daughters apparently was successful.   Gabriel’s younger daughter Melanie has been a backup singer for her father’s band since 2002.  His older daughter Anna-Marie and he also seem to have reconciled; she directed the films documenting Gabriel’s tours in 2002 and 2004.  And he’s reputedly on cordial terms today with his ex-wife Jill as well.

His relationship with Rosanna Arquette, however, ended some time in the early 1990s.  I guess that particular tower must not have been built to last, either.

. . .

I can’t say I’ve ever found myself in Gabriel’s precise situation.  And for that, I’m very grateful.

But I think everyone on earth has had problems in a relationship with someone close at one time or another.  I know I certainly have.

So I think we all know what it’s like to want someone close to come talk things out and clear the air.  And in some cases, we know what it’s like to wonder if they ever will.

Those latter cases can be hard to take.  Frankly, I don’t know what’s worse – not knowing if they’ll ever come talk, or realizing they never will.  But either is incredibly painful for all concerned.

Talking things out is preferable to letting such a situation drag on indefinitely.  And that, I think, may be the whole point Gabriel was trying to make.

. . .

OK, that’s the end of today’s walkabout.  Thanks for listening.

But this time, I’ll like to add a bit of unsolicited advice.  Take it or not as you like.

Like most of Gabriel’s work, Come Talk to Me has a message.   And in this case, the message is clear, and for Gabriel is unusually apolitical:  if you have problems with a friend or loved one, talk things out.

I think that’s sound advice.  If you’re in that situation today . . . perhaps you should listen to the man.

Tomorrow comes with no guarantees.

Category: Pointless blather, Who knows