Patricia
Genesis Lyrics


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Pick me up
Put me down
Push me in
Turn me round
Switch me on
Let me go
I have a mind of my own
In hiding
Far from the city of night
And the factories of truth
I stand upon the mountain
A million miles from my home
And the faces of fear
I have freedom to think

In hiding
I may take off my clothes
That I wear on my face
I float upon a river
A million miles from the plains
That are piercing the clouds
I am lost in the beauty
In hiding

Pick me up
Put me down
Push me in
Turn me round
Switch me on
Let me go
I have a mind of my own

In hiding
I lie silent at last
I am free from my past
I walk among the tall trees
This is beauty I know
I am in love with it all
I have the freedom to love
In hiding

Pick me up
Put me down
Push me in
Turn me round
Switch me on
Let me go
I have a mind of my own

In hiding
I may take off my clothes
That I wear on my face
I float upon a river
A million miles from the plains
That are piercing the clouds




I am lost in the beauty
In hiding

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Genesis's song "Patricia" seem to be about the desire for escape and freedom from societal pressure and expectations. The repeated phrases "Pick me up, put me down, push me in, turn me round, switch me on, let me go" suggest a sense of being controlled by external forces, while the lines "I have a mind of my own" and "I have freedom to think" emphasize the singer's need to break free and think independently.


The verses describe the singer's hiding place, which is a metaphorical location far away from the city of night and the factories of truth. This suggests a desire to escape from the confines and expectations of society and the pursuit of knowledge and truth. The lines "I may take off my clothes / That I wear on my face" emphasize the desire to shed societal expectations and masks.


The chorus repeats throughout the song and serves as a reminder of the singer's autonomy and agency. The second verse ends with the lines "I am lost in the beauty / In hiding," suggesting that the singer has found solace and freedom in their hiding place. Overall, "Patricia" seems to be a song about the desire for escape and individuality, perhaps as a response to societal pressure or conformity.


Line by Line Meaning

Pick me up
I need guidance and direction from someone else.


Put me down
I am comfortable being vulnerable and surrendering control to others.


Push me in
I am open to new experiences and perspectives.


Turn me round
I am willing to change my point of view and perspective.


Switch me on
I am open to learning and growing in my understanding of the world.


Let me go
I am not bound by limitations set by others and I am free to explore my own path.


I have a mind of my own
I am an independent thinker and can make my own decisions.


In hiding
I am taking time to reflect and detach myself from societal norms and expectations.


Far from the city of night
I am distancing myself from the darkness and negativity of the urban environment.


And the factories of truth
I am separating myself from the production of manufactured beliefs and lies.


I stand upon the mountain
I am gaining a new viewpoint and perspective from a higher elevation.


A million miles from my home
I am far from my familiar environment and experiencing new settings and surroundings.


And the faces of fear
I am distancing myself from sources of intimidation and anxiety.


I have freedom to think
I have the liberty to explore new ideas and thoughts.


I may take off my clothes
I can remove my own facade and reveal my true identity.


That I wear on my face
I am not bound by societal expectations of appearance or behavior.


I float upon a river
I am letting the natural flow of life guide me.


A million miles from the plains
I am far from the monotony and predictability of daily life.


That are piercing the clouds
I am not affected by mundane, everyday concerns.


I am lost in the beauty
I am fully immersed in the beauty of nature and my environment.


I lie silent at last
I am at peace and free from anxiety.


I am free from my past
I am not trapped by past regrets, mistakes or traumas.


I walk among the tall trees
I am surrounded by nature and the majesty of towering trees.


This is beauty I know
I am familiar with and recognizing the aesthetic value of my surroundings.


I am in love with it all
I am completely enamored with and deeply appreciative of my environment.


I have the freedom to love
I am free to love without constraints imposed by others or societal standards.




Writer(s): Tony Banks, Genesis Copyright: Marquis Songs Usa

Contributed by Nora L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Rozangela Schonheit

Como eu amo essa música...

laerton leite de faria

Coisa linda, não canso  de ouvir!!

laerton leite de faria

Genesis deviam, naquela época, fechar seus shows com essa belissima canção. 

Dozo

One of the oldest Genesis demos. In Hiding is one of my favorite tracks off their debut. I wonder if this had another early set of lyrics; I can almost hear Peter singing "Patricia..." where he sings "In hiding..." in the final version.
Also, I am wondering whether this was written for a certain person. Does anyone have any info who Patricia was?

Wolfgang van Hagar

it was written about Patricia Arquette

VaxxxDeaths💉💀

All the good bands came from the 60s

Bubba Mike

Patricia was Anthony Phillips’ first girlfriend

ICOGB Productions

Nick Soma she was a stripper later sung about by Chris De Burgh.
I think.

Kwadwo Holloway

Before the formation of Genesis in January 1967, Anthony Phillips and Mike Rutherford played in a group called Anon (with Richard Macphail, bassist Rivers Jobe and drummer Rob Tyrrell) which was dedicated to covering Beatles, Rolling Stones and R&B tracks of the era (much like John Mayall at the time), they were five-piece until Macphail and Jobe left Charterhouse in July 1966 (bassist Rivers Jobe went on to become a member of Savoy Brown). Peter, Chris and Tony were in a group called Garden Wall.

MeloLand

Wonderful piece.

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