The members of the Genesis band worked on the Abacab album in Surrey, UK. In the estate bought specifically for this purpose, they set up a studio, calling it “The Farm” (The Farm). The title track was composed by Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford in the living room of the house.
What does the cryptic title of the song mean? To whom is it dedicated? Why is the album named after this track? Let’s try to figure it out.
History and meaning of Abacab – Genesis
Resefort explained that during the recording of the composition, they tried different options for the structure of the work. Individual parts of the musicians marked with letters:
- A – couplet,
- B – chorus
- C – loss.
One of the early versions of the song went like this: verse, chorus, verse, break, verse, and more chorus. In letter designation, it looks like ABACAB. In the final version, the order was changed, but the original name was decided to remain.
The meaning of the song Abacab – Genesis
The authors did not explain what Abacab is about. Fans have put forward numerous versions of the interpretation of the main idea of the track, trying to connect individual phrases with the personal life of the authors, but their versions seem far-fetched.
Perhaps the authors themselves do not know what the song Abacab is about. In 2007, while rehearsing for a tour, they dropped the song from the program. Phil Collins explained the solution:
In the middle of the first verse, I said, “Actually, I don’t want to sing this. I don’t know what she’s talking about.”
Rolling stone
Tony Banks explained why Abacab became the album’s title track:
It was on that record that we tried to move away from the traditional Genesis, which was pretty flowery and whimsical, and towards something much more austere and abstract. That’s why we chose an abstract painting for the cover and an abstract title, Abacab, so that it doesn’t evoke any particular emotion at all. We kind of started from scratch. I think it fits the title of both the song and the album well.
songfacts.com
Recording and release
The single Abacab was released on August 14, 1981 by Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group. In the “hot hundred” Billboard, he climbed to twenty-sixth place. The track peaked at number nine on the UK charts.
Genesis played the song live on the Abacab (1981), Three Sides Live (1982), Mama Tour (1983/84) and Invisible Touch (1986/1987) tours.
Abacab – Genesis
A simple video was shot for the track, in which the musicians perform the song on an empty stage. Watch the video clip of Abacab by the rock band Genesis.
Abacab – Genesis Lyrics
Look up on the wall, there on the floor
Under the pillow, behind the door.
There’s a crack in the mirror.
Somewhere there’s a hole in a window pane.
Do you think I’m to blame?
Tell me, do you think I’m to blame?
chorus:
(When we do it) you’re never there.
(When you show it) just stop and stare.
(Abacab) he’s in anywhere.
(abacab)
If you’re wrappin’ up the world
‘Cause you’ve taken someone else’s girl,
When they turn on the pillow
even when they answer the telephone,
Don’t you think that by now?
Tell me, don’t you think that by now?
Chorus
Do you want it? You got it. Now you know.
Do you want it? You got it. Now you know.
It’s an illusion. It’s a game
Or reflection of someone else’s name.
When you wake up in the morning
Wake and find you’re covered in cellophane,
Well, there’s a hole in there somewhere.
Yeah, there’s a hole in there somewhere.
Baby, there’s a hole in there somewhere.
Now there’s a hole in there somewhere.
Chorus
Abacab – Genesis Lyrics
Check on the wall, there on the floor
Under the pillow, behind the door.
The mirror cracked.
There is a hole in the glass somewhere.
Do you think I should be blamed?
Tell me, do you think I should be blamed?
Chorus:
(When we do) you’re never there.
(When you show it) just stop and look.
(Abacab) he’s everywhere
(Abacab)
If you close the whole world
Taking someone’s girl
When they fluff up the pillow
Even when they answer the phone
Haven’t you thought about it yet?
Tell me, haven’t you thought about it yet?
Chorus
Do you want this? You get it. Now you know.
Do you want this? You get it. Now you know.
This is an illusion. It’s a game
Or a reflection of someone’s name.
When you wake up in the morning
Wake up and realize that wrapped in cellophane.
Somewhere there is a hole.
Yes, there is a hole somewhere.
Baby, there’s a hole somewhere.
Now there’s a hole somewhere.
Chorus
Quote about the song Abacab
There were three pieces of music in Abacab, and we labeled them “section a”, “section b”, and “section c”. At different times, they were in a different order … At some stage, the word Abacab was formed. In the final version, everything is completely different, but like Accaabbaac.
Mike Rutherford
