Creo que en este caso, a pesar de que puede haber ciertas dudas respecto a cuál obra de Génesis es mejor, no se puede negar que esta banda inglesa es una de las más representativas intérpretes del rock progresivo. Y entre las canciones más notables, más significativas, está esa creación épica de más de 20 minutos, que permite al escucha pasearse por diversos ambientes, estados de ánimo e historias fantásticas. Seguramente "Fifth of Firth" o "Cinema Show" por nombrar sólo un par pueden ser consideradas también como piezas a figurar entre las doce de esta lista. Más aún, de la canción "The Musical Box" ("La caja de música") se ha dicho que debe ser considerada la más representativa canción de este género, por su estructura y su relevancia. De verdad es una obra bellísima. Pero "Supper´s Ready" ("La cena está lista") es por su monumentalidad mucho más trascendente.
Génesis como grupo editó entre 1968 y 1997 quince álbumes de estudio, pero son los que corresponden a la década de 1970 los verdaderamente progresivos. De su cuarto disco, "Foxtrot" de 1972, es esta canción (la última de las seis que tiene) que dura como ninguna otra del grupo, y que está dividida en siete partes. Representa entonces un pico en la carrera de estos cinco músicos que conformaron el momento clave de la agrupación. No es el único hito, también lo es el álbum "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", pero por sus características, éste es más una obra de conjunto que una pieza sola.
Por supuesto, así como "Supper´s Ready" ha recibido muchísimas loas, también ha sido criticada por su extensión, por su excesiva complejidad y por su letra rebuscada, pero ciertamente esos elementos son las que la hacen diferente. Los textos escritos por Peter Gabriel describen una historia surrealista que cuesta entender, pero que arman una métrica especial con las melodías y ritmos que estructuran cada segmento. Esta canción cuando era interpretada en vivo (en la época de Gabriel) significaba un clímax, puesto que el cantante se disfrazaba y actuaba los contenidos de los versos. Vale la pena escuchar entonces esta tremenda suite.
MÚSICOS:
Tony Banks / órgano, mellotron, piano, piano eléctrico, guitarra acústica de 12 cuerdas, voces
Phil Collins / batería, percusión, coros y voz principal
Peter Gabriel / voz líder, flauta, pandereta, tambor, oboe, coros
Steve Hackett / guitarra eléctrica, guitarras acústicas de 6 y de 12 cuerdas
Mike Rutherford / bajo, pedales, guitarra acústica de 12 cuerdas, violoncelo, voces
Sitio:
http://www.genesis-music.com/
El disco en progarchives:
http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=2
"Supper´s Ready". Genesis. (Letra y música: Banks, Collins, Gabriel, Hackett, Rutherford)
LETRA:
[I. Lovers' Leap]
Walking across the sitting-room, I turn the television off.
Sitting beside you, I look into your eyes.
As the sound of motor cars fades in the night time,
I swear I saw your face change... it didn't seem quite right.
...And it's "hello babe, with your guardian eyes so blue.
Hey my baby - don't you know our love is true."
Coming closer with our eyes, a distance falls around our bodies.
Out in the garden, the moon seems very bright,
Six saintly shrouded men move across the lawn slowly.
The seventh walks in front... with a cross held high in hand.
...And it's "hey babe, your Supper's waiting for you.
Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true."
I've been so far from here,
Far from your warm arms.
It's good to feel you again,
It's been a long long time. Hasn't it?
[II. The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Man]
I know a farmer who looks after the farm.
With water clear, he cares for all his harvest.
I know a fireman who looks after the fire.
You - can't you see he's fooled you all.
Yes - he's here again, can't you see he's fooled you all.
Share his peace,
Sign the lease.
He's a supersonic scientist,
He's the guaranteed eternal sanctuary man.
Look, look into my mouth he cries,
And all the children lost down many paths,
I bet my life you'll walk inside
Hand in hand,
Gland in gland
With a spoonful of miracle,
He's the guaranteed eternal sanctuary man.
We will rock you, rock you little snake,
We will keep you snug and warm.
[III. Ikhnaton and Itsacon and their Band of Merry Men]
Wearing feelings on our faces while our faces took a rest,
We walked across the fields to see the children of the West,
But we saw a host of dark skinned warriors
Standing still below the ground -
Waiting for battle!
The fight's begun, they've been released.
Killing foe for peace... bang, bang, bang. Bang, bang, bang...
And they're giving me a wonderful potion,
'Cause I cannot contain my emotion.
And even though I'm feeling good,
Something tells me I'd better activate my prayer capsule.
Today's a day to celebrate, the foe have met their fate.
The order for rejoicing and dancing has come from our warlord.
[IV. How Dare I Be so Beautiful?]
Wandering through the chaos the battle has left,
We climb up a mountain of human flesh,
To a plateau of green grass, and green trees full of life.
A young figure sits still by a pool,
He's been stamped "Human Bacon" by some butchery tool.
(He is you)
Social Security took care of this lad.
We watch in reverence, as Narcissus is turned to a flower.
...A flower?
[V. Willow Farm]
If you go down to Willow Farm,
To look for butterflies, flutterbyes, gutterflies
Open your eyes, it's full of surprise, everyone lies,
Like the fox on the rocks,
And the musical box.
Oh, there's Mum & Dad, and good and bad,
And everyone's happy to be here.
There's Winston Churchill dressed in drag,
He used to be a British flag, plastic bag, what a drag.
The frog was a prince, the prince was a brick, the brick was an egg,
the egg was a bird.
(Fly away you sweet little thing, they're hard on your tail)
Hadn't you heard?
(They're going to change you into a human being!)
Yes, we're happy as fish and gorgeous as geese,
and wonderfully clean in the morning.
We've got everything, we're growing everything,
We've got some in,
We've got some out,
We've got some wild things floating about!
Everyone, we're changing everyone,
You name them all, we've had them here,
And the real stars are still to appear!
ALL CHANGE!
Feel your body melt;
Mum to mud to mad to dad,
Dad diddley office, Dad diddley office,
You're all full of ball.
Dad to dam to dum to mum,
Mum diddley washing, Mum diddley washing,
You're all full of ball.
Let me hear your lies, we're living this up to the eyes.
Ooee-ooee-ooee-oowaa
Na-na-na
Momma I want you now!
And as you listen to my voice
To look for hidden doors, tidy floors, more applause.
You've been here all the time,
Like it or not, like what you got,
You're under the soil (the soil, the soil),
Yes, deep in the soil (the soil, the soil, the soil, the soil!).
So we'll end with a whistle and end with a bang
and all of us fit in our places.
[VI. Apocalypse in 9/8 (Co-starring the Delicious Talents of Gabble Ratchet)]
With the guards of Magog, swarming around;
The Pied Piper takes his children underground.
Dragons coming out of the sea,
Shimmering silver head of wisdom looking at me.
He brings down the fire from the skies,
You can tell he's doing well by the look in human eyes.
Better not compromise.
It won't be easy.
666 is no longer alone,
He's getting out the marrow in your back bone,
And the seven trumpets blowing sweet rock and roll,
Gonna blow right down inside your soul.
Pythagoras with the looking glass reflects the full moon,
In blood, he's writing the lyrics of a brand new tune.
And it's "hey babe, with your guardian eyes so blue,
Hey my baby, don't you know our love is true."
I've been so far from here,
Far from your loving arms,
Now I'm back again - and babe it's gonna work out fine.
[VII. As Sure as Eggs is Eggs (Aching Men's Feet)]
Can't you feel our souls ignite?
Shedding ever changing colours, in the darkness of the fading night,
Like the river joins the ocean, as the germ in a seed grows
We have finally been freed to get back home!
There's an angel standing in the sun, and he's crying with a loud voice,
"This is the Supper of the mighty one",
Lord of Lords,
King of Kings,
Has returned to lead his children home,
To take them to the new Jerusalem!
