Dusk
Genesis (Peter Gabriel Years) Lyrics
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Touching all that's real
And once it stroke the love's body
Now it claws the past
The scent of a flower,
The colors of the morning,
Friends to believe in,
See how the rain drives away, another day
If a leaf has fallen
Does the tree lie broken?
And if we draw some water
Does the well run dry?
The sigh of a mother,
The screaming of lovers,
Like two angry tigers,
They tear at each other
See how for him lifetime's fears disappear
Once a Jesus suffered,
Heaven could not see him.
And now my ship is sinking,
The captain stands alone.
A pawn on the chessboard,
A false move by God will now destroy me,
But wait, on the horizon,
A new dawn seems to be rising,
Never to recall this passerby, born to die.
In "Dusk" by Genesis, lead singer Peter Gabriel uses poetic language to convey the passage of time and the transience of life. The opening lines describe his hand moving and touching what is real, which could represent the act of creation or simply the sensation of being alive. However, the subsequent line "And once it stroke the love's body / Now it claws the past" suggests a shift towards regret or nostalgia. Gabriel may be alluding to a lost love or some other moment in his past that he can never regain.
The second verse also explores the passage of time, this time through imagery of nature. Gabriel questions whether a fallen leaf means the tree is broken or if drawing water will deplete a well. These natural phenomena serve as a metaphor for human relationships and the ways in which they inevitably change over time. The final lines of the verse allude to conflict between two people, comparing them to angry tigers tearing at each other. In this context, tears serve as a symbol of forgiveness and moving on from past hurts.
The final verse of the song shifts in tone, referencing Jesus and the idea of a sacrifice for the greater good. Gabriel's ship is sinking and the captain is standing alone - this may represent a personal crisis or a feeling of being adrift in the world. He compares himself to a pawn on a chessboard, subject to the whims of a higher power. However, the song ends on a note of hope, with Gabriel seeing a new dawn on the horizon that will allow him to escape his current situation and move towards a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
See my hand is moving
I'm taking action, making moves.
Touching all that's real
Interacting with the tangible world.
And once it stroke the love's body
Reaching out to a past love.
Now it claws the past
Holding onto past memories and regrets.
The scent of a flower,
Taking in the beauty of nature's aromas.
The colors of the morning,
Marveling at the vibrant colors of sunrise.
Friends to believe in,
Finding solace in trusted companions.
Tears soon forgotten,
Moving on from emotional pain.
See how the rain drives away, another day
Life moves on, new challenges approach.
If a leaf has fallen
If something has changed and is beyond our control.
Does the tree lie broken?
Does this signify permanent damage?
And if we draw some water
If we take from a resource.
Does the well run dry?
Will we eventually use up the resource?
The sigh of a mother,
A gesture of empathy for a parent's worries.
The screaming of lovers,
Acknowledgment of emotional turmoil.
Like two angry tigers,
Comparing conflict to wild beasts.
They tear at each other
The strife of two entities trying to pull apart.
See how for him lifetime's fears disappear
An understanding of someone's specific worries lessening over time.
Once a Jesus suffered,
Religious allusion to a higher power going through hardship.
Heaven could not see him.
The pain was an individual experience that couldn't be recognized by a higher power.
And now my ship is sinking,
Personal analogy for feeling one's life in collapse.
The captain stands alone.
Feeling like a lone survivor of the disaster.
A pawn on the chessboard,
Feeling powerless, as if a mere game piece to a larger force.
A false move by God will now destroy me,
The fear that a religious belief could lead to destruction.
But wait, on the horizon,
The hope of a better future.
A new dawn seems to be rising,
The anticipation for a brighter tomorrow.
Never to recall this passerby, born to die.
The insignificance of one's temporary existence in the grand scheme of things.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., CARLIN AMERICA INC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: TONY BANKS, PETER BRIAN GABRIEL, ANTHONY EDWIN PHILLIPS, MIKE RUTHERFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@indy_go_blue6048
"Dusk"
See my hand is moving
Touching all that's real
And once it stroked love's body
Now it claws the past
The scent of a flower
The colours of the morning
Friends to believe in
Tears soon forgotten
See how the rain drives away, another day
If a leaf has fallen
Does the tree lie broken?
And if we draw some water
Does the well run dry?
The sigh of a mother
The screaming of lovers
Like two angry tigers
They tear at each other
See how for him lifetime's fears disappear
Once Jesus suffered
Heaven could not see him
And now my ship is sinking
The captain stands alone
A pawn on a chessboard
A false move by God will now destroy me
But wait, on the horizon
A new dawn seems to be rising
Never to recall this passerby, born to die
@FrancoSablic
See my hand is moving
Touching all that's real
And once it stroked love's body
Now it claws the past
The scent of a flower
The colors of the morning
Friends to believe in
Tears soon forgotten
See how the rain drives away another day
If a leaf has fallen
Does the tree lie broken?
And if we draw some water
Does the well run dry?
The sigh of a mother
The screaming of lovers
Like two angry tigers
They tear at each other
See how for them lifetime's fears disappear
Once had Jesus suffered
Heaven could not see him
And now my ship is sinking
The captain stands alone
A pawn on a chessboard
A false move by God will now destroy me
But wait, on the horizon
A new dawn seems to be rising
Never to recall this passerby, born to die
@Brytons_Thoughts
Truly, one of the most underrated tracks in their whole discography.
This whole album deserves more love, in my view.
@soundchaser1097
This LP as all the love from me💜
@paulnolan4971
Dusk...just as beautiful as Stagnation AND White Mountain...my Trespass top 3 :) not neccessarily in that order , But hell yes Trespass what a friggin debut man ! SOUND established lol
@paulnolan4971
AND they were kids man wtf
@andreabelanova5177
yes, what a fantastic album...😍
@caesarsmith4711
100%agree, their finest album
@mad.magirus
One of the best pieces of Genesis' early recordings. Peter's voice is so fantastic.
@caesarsmith4711
So much more enjoyable than that of Collins that kind of changed them into a pop band.
@lamestudiosinc418
@caesar smith Genesis' pop work is very good though.
@briane5706
Haunting and beautiful. Anthony Phillips influence on 12-string is so powerful.