Gabriel has been a champion of world music for much of his career. He co-founded the WOMAD festival in 1982. He has continued to focus on producing and promoting world music through his Real World Records label. He has also pioneered digital distribution methods for music, co-founding OD2, one of the first online music download services. Gabriel has also been involved in numerous humanitarian efforts. In 1980, he released the anti-apartheid single "Biko". He has participated in several human-rights benefit concerts, including Amnesty International's Human Rights Now! tour in 1988, and co-founded the Witness human rights organisation in 1992. Gabriel developed The Elders with Richard Branson, which was launched by Nelson Mandela in 2007.
Gabriel has won three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 1987, six Grammy Awards, thirteen MTV Video Music Awards, the first Pioneer Award at the BT Digital Music Awards, the Q magazine Lifetime Achievement, the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the Polar Music Prize. He was made a BMI Icon at the 57th annual BMI London Awards for his "influence on generations of music makers". In recognition of his many years of human rights activism, he received the Man of Peace award from the Nobel Peace Prize laureates in 2006, and Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2008. AllMusic has described Gabriel as "one of rock's most ambitious, innovative musicians, as well as one of its most political". He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010, followed by his induction as a solo artist in 2014. In March 2015, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of South Australia in recognition of his achievements in music.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gabriel
Studio albums
Peter Gabriel (1977; known as Peter Gabriel 1 and Car)
Peter Gabriel (1978; known as Peter Gabriel 2 and Scratch)
Peter Gabriel (1980; known as Peter Gabriel 3 and Melt)
Peter Gabriel (1982; known as Peter Gabriel 4 and Security)
So (1986)
Us (1992)
Up (2002)
Scratch My Back (2010)
New Blood (2011)
Perspective
Peter Gabriel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need perspective 'cause I'm not that tall
I need perspective heard the trumpet call
Don't trust my eyes want to know where things fall
I need perspective party time for the newly wed
I need perspective colors ran as the images bled
I need perspective like confetti on the flower bed
Oh Gaia, if that's your name
Treat you like dirt, but I don't wanna blame
Oh Gaia, the wind heats the fire and blows the ash away
I need perspective sitting in a long long hall
I need perspective staring at the white white wall
I need perspective waiting for the phone to call
Don't trust my eyes there's one thing I've got to tell you all
I need perspective to see through red red skies
I need perspective to carry merchandise
I need perspective I don't trust my eyes
Don't trust my eyes and I don't like surprise
Oh Gaia, if that's your name
Treat you like dirt, but I don't wanna blame
Oh Gaia, the wind heats the fire and blows the ash away
I used to be industrial giant
Sitting in a garden full of chemical plant
Trying very hard to get you off my mind
Acting like any man
Taking you for everything I can
Just the same, the same as all my kind
So blind (I need perspective)
I need perspective
I need perspective
I need perspective
I need perspective
I need perspective
I need perspective
I need perspective
I need perspective
I need perspective
The lyrics of Peter Gabriel's "Perspective" depict the internal struggle of a person who is trying to gain a broader understanding of the world while simultaneously acknowledging their limited perspective. The repetition of the phrase "I need perspective" underscores the singer's desperation to see beyond their present circumstances. The first stanza talks about perspective in terms of physical height and the inability of the singer's eyes to see the entire picture. The second stanza uses vivid imagery to illustrate how the singer's perspective has been distorted by external factors that have affected them emotionally. The third stanza invokes the name "Gaia," the Greek goddess of the Earth, to suggest that the singer is seeking a deeper understanding of the natural world and their place within it.
The final stanza references the singer's past life as an "industrial giant" whose perspective was limited by their desire for wealth and power. The repetition of the phrase "I need perspective" throughout the song suggests that the singer has undergone a profound transformation and is now seeking a more holistic understanding of the world.
Overall, "Perspective" can be interpreted to be a reflection of the human condition, highlighting our limited understanding of the world and our constant quest for greater knowledge and self-awareness.
Line by Line Meaning
I need perspective 'cause I'm facing the wall
I'm stuck and need a fresh outlook on this situation
I need perspective 'cause I'm not that tall
I can't see everything that's happening, so I need a bigger view
I need perspective heard the trumpet call
Something significant has happened, and I need to reevaluate my understanding of things
Don't trust my eyes want to know where things fall
I'm seeing things, but I don't know if they're truly accurate, so I need to figure out the actual situation
I need perspective party time for the newly wed
There is a celebration, but I need to have a better understanding of what's truly happening
I need perspective colors ran as the images bled
Things are becoming chaotic, and I need to reevaluate my understanding of the situation
I need perspective like confetti on the flower bed
I need a fresh outlook, like confetti being thrown in the air
Don't trust my eyes priest crying he's got fire in his head
I'm seeing something unusual, and I need to question whether or not it's accurate
Oh Gaia, if that's your name
Addressing the earth as if it were a person
Treat you like dirt, but I don't wanna blame
Although we may not always treat the earth well, I don't want to blame it for our actions
Oh Gaia, the wind heats the fire and blows the ash away
Natural processes help to clean up the mess we create
I need perspective sitting in a long long hall
I'm in a situation of waiting or monotony, and I need a fresh viewpoint
I need perspective staring at the white white wall
I'm feeling trapped and unable to move forward or find a way out
I need perspective waiting for the phone to call
I'm anticipating something to happen, but I need a different outlook while I wait
Don't trust my eyes there's one thing I've got to tell you all
I'm seeing something, but I need to convey a message that things may not be as they seem
I need perspective to see through red red skies
There are obstacles or dangerous situations, and I need to see the situation from a different perspective in order to navigate it
I need perspective to carry merchandise
I need to figure out the most efficient and effective way to transport goods
I need perspective I don't trust my eyes
I need to find a different way to perceive things because I might not be seeing things accurately
Don't trust my eyes and I don't like surprise
I don't like situations that sneak up on me, and I need to be prepared with a different perspective
I used to be industrial giant
I was successful in a previous life or stage of my career
Sitting in a garden full of chemical plant
My success came at a cost to the environment
Trying very hard to get you off my mind
I'm trying to move on from the past and the ways things used to be
Acting like any man
I'm behaving in a typical way, like I think I should
Taking you for everything I can
I'm trying to get everything I can out of the situation
Just the same, the same as all my kind
I'm typical and similar to others in my situation
So blind (I need perspective)
I was unaware of the negative consequences of my actions, and I need a new perspective to see the situation clearly
I need perspective
Throughout the song, the singer is continually expressing their need for a new outlook in various situations
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Peter Gabriel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind