The band's onetime stated aim was to "expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of becoming very unpopular," although this stance was to alter significantly with time. While never achieving the commercial heights of progressive rock contemporaries such as Jethro Tull, Genesis, Yes or Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Gentle Giant was considered to be one of the most experimental bands in the genre (as well as one of the most experimental rock bands of the 1970s).
Gentle Giant's music was considered complex even by progressive rock standards, drawing on a broad swathe of music including folk, soul, jazz, and classical music. Unlike many of their progressive rock contemporaries, their "classical" influences ranged beyond the Romantic and incorporated mediaeval, baroque, and modernist chamber music elements. The band also had a taste for broad themes for their lyrics, drawing inspiration not only from personal events but from philosophy and the works of both François Rabelais and R. D. Laing.
Band members:
Members of classic lineup listed in bold.
Derek Shulman - lead vocals, saxophone, recorder, keyboards, bass, drums, percussion, "Shulberry" (3-string custom electric ukulele) (1970-1980)
Ray Shulman - bass, trumpet, violin, vocals, viola, drums, percussion, recorder, guitar (1970-1980)
Kerry Minnear - keyboards, lead vocals (on recordings only), cello, vibraphone, xylophone, recorder, guitar, bass, drums (1970-1980)
Gary Green - guitar, mandolin, vocals, recorder, bass, drums, xylophone (1970-1980)
John Weathers - drums, percussion, vibraphone, xylophone, vocals, guitar (1972-1980)
Phil Shulman - lead vocals, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, recorder, percussion (1970–72)
Martin Smith - drums, percussion (1970–1971)
Malcolm Mortimore - drums, percussion (1971–1972)
Studio
Gentle Giant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Left to depart -
Finding the pleasure and the pain in his art.
Lost in the hush -
No need to rush -
Time waits for him, him who creates with the brush.
Colour the brush.
His dreams are there -
Searching for answers he will look everywhere.
Thinks he has won -
A place in the sun
Free from the worries and the ways of everyone.
Colour the brush.
Peel the paint
Look underneath
You'll see the same, the same old savage beast.
Strip the coats
The coats of time
And find mad eyes and see those sharpened teeth.
Nothing's been learned -
No nothing at all.
Don't be fooled, get up before you fall.
Carnal grave
Crawling smooth
Open flesh and you must let him in.
Glass reflects
What you are
It shows the face, the evil face of sin.
Nothing's been learned -
No nothing at all.
Don't be fooled, get up before you fall.
Nothing's been learned -
No nothing at all.
Don't be fooled, get up before you fall.
The lyrics of Gentle Giant's "Peel the Paint" present a thought-provoking commentary on the nature of art, the pursuit of fame, and the human condition. The song seems to allude to an artist who is "free from the start" and "finding pleasure and pain in his art," implying that he is both skilled and passionate about his craft. The artist is lost in his work, taking his time to create something meaningful with his brush, and seemingly unconcerned with the constraints of time or other people's opinions. However, the lyrics also suggest that the artist may be chasing an elusive dream, "searching for answers he will look everywhere" and thinking he has "won a place in the sun" by becoming successful.
The chorus of the song, "Peel the paint, look underneath, you'll see the same, the same old savage beast," seems to suggest that behind the artist's polished exterior lies an unsavory truth. The song seems to be encouraging the listener to see past the surface and "strip the coats of time" to understand the darker side of human nature that lies beneath. The lyrics also touch on themes of mortality and temptation, with references to a "carnal grave" and the "evil face of sin."
Overall, "Peel the Paint" is a deeply introspective song that invites the listener to reflect on the nature of art, fame, and the human condition. The lyrics are poetic and thought-provoking, and the song's intricate instrumentation and harmonies add to its overall impact.
Line by Line Meaning
Free from the start -
Beginning his artistic pursuit without external burdens.
Left to depart -
Given the choice to leave art or continue.
Finding the pleasure and the pain in his art.
Acknowledging the duality of enjoying and suffering through his work.
Lost in the hush -
Lost in quiet focus on his art.
No need to rush -
Doing his art without feeling pressured to finish quickly.
Time waits for him, him who creates with the brush.
Time is flexible and understanding of his creative process.
Colour the brush.
Create your artwork without holding back.
High in the air -
Feeling lifted and confident about his art.
His dreams are there -
His aspirations for his art are tangible.
Searching for answers he will look everywhere.
Actively seeking knowledge and inspiration from various sources.
Thinks he has won -
Believing that he has succeeded or achieved his goals.
A place in the sun
A prominent and well-deserved position in his field.
Free from the worries and the ways of everyone.
Able to focus on his art without distraction or outside influence.
Peel the paint
Examine something beyond its surface.
Look underneath
Delve deeper for the true nature of something.
You'll see the same, the same old savage beast.
The essence of something does not fundamentally change.
Strip the coats
Remove layers of veneer or façade.
The coats of time
The superficial changes that happen over time.
And find mad eyes and see those sharpened teeth.
The true nature of something may be disturbing or shocking.
Nothing's been learned -
No real growth or progress made.
No nothing at all.
Absolutely no advancement.
Don't be fooled, get up before you fall.
Don't be deceived by false progress and continue working hard.
Carnal grave
A body or place of sexual indulgence and decay.
Crawling smooth
Moving in a calculated and seductive manner.
Open flesh and you must let him in.
Opening oneself up to temptation and sensual pleasures.
Glass reflects
A shiny, clear surface that mirrors reality.
What you are
Revealing one's true nature.
It shows the face, the evil face of sin.
It exposes the wicked aspect of one's being.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DEREK VICTOR SHULMAN, KERRY CHURCHILL MINNEAR, PHILIP ARTHUR SHULMAN, RAY SHULMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jimpospisil9415
I found your reasons for your rankings very interesting. We all approach music in such a different way, and what resonates with one may leave another cold. I discovered Gentle Giant in 73, and they quickly became my favorite program band. My choices:
1. Octopus
2. Freehand
3. In A Glass House
4. The Power And The Glory
5. Three Friends
6. Acquiring The Taste
7. Interview
8. Gentle Giant
9. The Missing Piece
10. Civilian
11. Giant For A Day
@KurodaKyousuke
11. Giant for a Day
10. The Missing Piece
9. Interview
8. In a Glass House
7. Civilian
6. Gentle Giant
5. The Power & the Glory
4. Aquiring the Taste
3. Three Friends
2. Free Hand
1. Octopus 🐙
Such a solid band. While I'd say the Missing Piece and Giant for a Day are maybe at the worst bland, they still have some great songs on them. As for the rest of the catalogue, it's incredibly good and embodies some of the best of prog. I have to give some love to Civilian which I think is supremely underrated. Yes, they went for a more commercial sound but I think what they did with that new sound was really unique and interesting (and unequivocally Giant!). I also really love the whole dark, dystopian concept behind it.
@simonboyers4917
An interesting ranking of those old records. Here's my opinion on the order:
1. Free Hand (1975) 5
2. The Power & the Glory (1974) 5
3. In a Glass House (1973) 5
4. Octopus (1972) 5
5. Interview (1976) 4
6. Three Friends (1972) 4
7. The Missing Piece (1977) 4
8. Acquiring The Taste (1971) 3.5
9. Gentle Giant (1970) 3
10. Civilian (1980) 2.5
11. Giant for a Day! (1978) 2
@rael2099
I'd switch Octopus for Free Hand, and the debut for In a Glass House. Solid list though, hardly debatable.
1. Acquiring the Taste
2. Free Hand
3. Power & the Glory
4. Three Friends
5. In a Glass House
6. Octopus
7. Gentle Giant
8. Interview
9. Civilian
10. Giant for a Day
11. The Missing Piece
@Yarin4ever
One of my favourite bands! My list is:
1. Acquiring the Taste
2. Octopus
3. Interview
4. In a Glass House
5. Three Friends
6. Gentle Giant
7. Free Hand
8. The Power and the Glory
9. Civilian
10. The Missing Piece
11. Giant for a Day
@tonyyeatropoulos6829
Greetings Barry!! I thoroughly enjoyed your Gentle Giant ranking, especially your commentary and analysis of each. GG have long been one of my favorite bands of all-time, and ranking them (for me anyway) was a difficult task, to say the least. I am including my ranking below, however, depending on what day I'm asked to do so, the results could be vastly different.
1 Octopus
2 Free Hand
3 The Power and the Glory
4 Three Friends
5 In A Glass House
6 Acquiring The Taste
7 The Missing Piece
8 Interview
9 Civilian
10 Gentle Giant
11 Giant For A Day
Thanks so very much for creating this GG video, and a fantastic job, well done!!
@matthewlong3817
GG never had a consensus masterpiece like Close to the Edge or Dark Side of the Moon; rather they produced a solid 8 album run of almost-masterpieces which are mostly indistinguishable in terms of the quality of the music. So any ranking can only reflect one’s personal tastes. I rank Interview higher than most because it’s the one album where they seemed to capture their harder-edged live approach in the studio. And I think if you consider GG to be Prog’s prog, then In a Glass House has to be #1. My ranking:
1. In a Glass House
2. The Power and the Glory
3. Octopus
4. Interview
5. Three Friends
6. Gentle Giant
7. Free Hand
8. Acquiring the Taste
9. The Missing Piece
10. Civilian
11. Giant for a Day
@bookhouseboy280
My top choices:
5. In a Glass House - 4
4. Acquiring the Taste - 4
3. Octopus - 4
2. Free Hand - 4.5
1. The Power and the Glory - 5
Playing the Fool: One of the better live albums of its time, this capturing the Giant's energy and playfulness ... their complex studio arrangements are well reproduced throughout. - The Rough Guide to Rock
Most underrated:
The Missing Piece - 3.5: A collection of concise and relatively populist songs, though retaining the band's cleverness and sensitivity. - The Rough Guide to Rock
@peterfitton4529
1. Acquiring The Taste - 5.0 stars
2. Free Hand - 5.0
3. In A Glass House - 4.5
4. Power & The Glory - 4.5
5. Octopus - 4.0
6. Interview - 3.5
7. Three Friends 3.0
8. Gentle Giant - 2.5
9. Missing Piece 2.5
10. Civilian 1.5
11. Giant For A Day 1.5
@MrGlandeux
1 - Acquiring the Taste
2 - Three friends
3 - Gentle Giant
4 - In a Glass House
5 - Octopus
6 - Free Hand
7 - In'terview
8 - The power and the Glory
9 - Giant for a Day
10 - The missing Piece
11 - Civilian
There a couple of song on for a day that nobodies seems to like, but for me they are fun if anything. Missing piece feel like dying to me.
And Civilian is that band I always new I neve really want to hear. It's like to me they are trying to be something else, they should have at this point.
@nx01craig
Excellent ranking video! Here's my ranking and my point system...
1. Interview - 4.7857
2. Free Hand - 4.7857
3. In A Glass House - 4.6666
4. Octopus - 4.0625
5. Three Friends - 3.75
6. The Power & The Glory - 3.625
7. Gentle Giant - 2.8571
8. Acquiring The Taste - 2.75
9. Civilian - 2.1875
10. The Missing Piece - 2.1111
11. Giant For A Day - 1.45
@room34
I agree Civilian doesn't sound as much like Gentle Giant, but I think it's a much stronger album than Giant for a Day. OK, here's my ranking:
11. Giant for a Day
10. The Missing Piece
9. Civilian
8. Interview
7. Acquiring the Taste
6. Three Friends
5. Gentle Giant
4. In a Glass House
3. Free Hand
2. The Power and the Glory
1. Octopus
@Inchbonnie154
I understand why, in general, live albums tend not to be included in these kind of lists but in this case Playing the Fool is so stupendous I really feel it should be somewhere in this line up, and high at that
@backrowbrighton
Yes, a pity that set could not be included. It is a great live album.
@tonyyeatropoulos6829
Yes, one of my favorite live albums of all-time!!!
@Baz63
an erudite and descriptive synopsis of each album as one expects from this high quality channel. My rankings concur with yours Barry and a criminally underrated band deserved so much better in terms of commercial popularity. I acquired two DVD s of this band in concert and still remain amazed at the different instruments each member played during the performance culminating in all 5 playing percussive instruments as their finale. RIP Ray Shulman.
@grahamnunn8998
I would have to say that even their "worst" albums have some fascinating moments. Malcolm left the band due to back problems but just for the record, still a fabulous player and regular with Herbie Flowers. Slighly biased, I have known Malcolm for over 20 years. We teach at the same school though he is on leave at the moment
@jimpospisil9415
I found your reasons for your rankings very interesting. We all approach music in such a different way, and what resonates with one may leave another cold. I discovered Gentle Giant in 73, and they quickly became my favorite program band. My choices:
1. Octopus
2. Freehand
3. In A Glass House
4. The Power And The Glory
5. Three Friends
6. Acquiring The Taste
7. Interview
8. Gentle Giant
9. The Missing Piece
10. Civilian
11. Giant For A Day
@KurodaKyousuke
11. Giant for a Day
10. The Missing Piece
9. Interview
8. In a Glass House
7. Civilian
6. Gentle Giant
5. The Power & the Glory
4. Aquiring the Taste
3. Three Friends
2. Free Hand
1. Octopus 🐙
Such a solid band. While I'd say the Missing Piece and Giant for a Day are maybe at the worst bland, they still have some great songs on them. As for the rest of the catalogue, it's incredibly good and embodies some of the best of prog. I have to give some love to Civilian which I think is supremely underrated. Yes, they went for a more commercial sound but I think what they did with that new sound was really unique and interesting (and unequivocally Giant!). I also really love the whole dark, dystopian concept behind it.
@davidsimon2096
GG are one of the few bands who never produced a truly wretched LP. Even Giant for a Day has a certain charm. I personally love The Missing Piece which has a perfect balance of accessibility and innovation and it has a place in my heart because it was literally the first GG album I ever heard. The one album I struggle with a bit is Interview which is so dense and overtly complex as to be nearly unlistenable in places- yeah I know COMPLEXITY was their MO but even so....As far as which is their absolute best LP, for me it is always a toss up between Free Hand and Octopus.
@alfietomkins7829
It has to be Power and the glory and Free hand for me, they both contain most if not all of my favorite Gentle Giant songs, I mean , Proclamation, what a song that is and He's last Voyage from Free Hand is absolutely beautiful, great informative content as always, thank you Barry
@211arangeoftones
Octopus, Free Hand and The Power and the Glory are flawless. I thoroughly enjoy The Missing Piece for some reason! Excellent work sir