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)
This Is the Picture
Peter Gabriel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Excellent birds
Watch them fly, there they go
Falling snow
Excellent snow
Here it comes. watch it fall
Long words
I can hear them now
This is the picture, this is the picture
This is the picture, this is the picture
I'm sitting by the window
Watching the snow fall
I'm looking out
And I'm moving, turning in time
Catching up. moving in
Jump up! I can land on my feet. look out!
This is the picture, this is the picture
This is the picture, this is the picture
Looking out. watching out
When I see the future I close my eyes
I can see it now
I see pictures of people, rising up
Pictures of people, falling down
I see pictures of people
They're standing on their heads, they're ready
They're looking out, look out!
They're watching out, watch out!
They're looking out, look out!
They're watching out, watch out!
I see pictures of people
I see pictures of people
The lyrics to Peter Gabriel's song "This Is the Picture" offer a surreal and evocative description of urban and natural landscapes. The song begins with a fantastical image of birds in flight, before shifting to a more grounded view of falling snow. The repeated use of the word "excellent" suggests a sense of wonder and awe at the natural world. However, the song also includes more abstract ideas, such as "long words" that the singer can hear but not see.
As the song continues, Gabriel's lyrics become more introspective. He describes sitting by a window and watching the snow fall, while also experiencing a sense of movement and turning in time. The chorus of "this is the picture" suggests that the images he sees are both concrete and symbolic, representing his own perception of the world around him. The final verse is more ethereal, with Gabriel envisioning "pictures of people" rising up and falling down, or standing on their heads and looking out at the world in new ways. Through all of these images, "This Is the Picture" offers a poetic meditation on perception, movement, and the beauty of the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
Flying birds
Observing the freedom of birds in flight
Excellent birds
Emphasizing the beauty and magnificence of the birds
Watch them fly, there they go
Seeing the birds soar in the sky, reveling in the sight
Falling snow
Describing a peaceful snowfall from the sky
Excellent snow
Marveling at the purity and mystique of snow
Here it comes. watch it fall
Anticipating the majestic sight of snowflakes falling to the ground
Long words
Acknowledgment of the weight and significance of language
Excellent words
Appreciation for the beauty and power of spoken or written words
I can hear them now
Listening to the sound of words and understanding their meaning
This is the picture, this is the picture
Affirming the clarity of the present moment
I'm sitting by the window
Positioning oneself to observe the outside world
Watching the snow fall
Observing the tranquil snowfall outside the window
I'm looking out
Focusing attention on the outside scape
And I'm moving, turning in time
Swaying to the rhythm of the music or the environment
Catching up. moving in
Trying to keep up with the unfolding events or progression
Jump up! I can land on my feet. look out!
Embodying the flexibility and readiness to adapt to changes
Looking out. watching out
Being vigilant and observant of the surroundings
When I see the future I close my eyes
Imagining the possibilities of the unknown with a hopeful or fearful attitude
I can see it now
Visualizing a possible future in the moment
Pictures of people, rising up
Imagining individuals or groups empowering themselves and taking a stand
Pictures of people, falling down
Recognizing the inevitability of failure and struggle
They're standing on their heads, they're ready
Describing the eccentric, unorthodox behavior of those who are prepared to take a risk
They're looking out, look out!
Exhortation to be aware of possible danger or opportunity
They're watching out, watch out!
Encouragement to be vigilant and careful when taking action or making a decision
They're looking out, look out!
Advice to always be prepared and aware of surroundings
They're watching out, watch out!
Suggesting the importance of being alert and cautious in the face of uncertainty
I see pictures of people
Imagining different scenarios, potential outcomes, or individuals in the mind's eye
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: PETER GABRIEL, LAURIE ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@redrightgoth
Flying birds
Excellent birds
Watch them fly, there they go
Falling snow
Excellent snow
Here it comes. watch it fall
Long words
Excellent words
I can hear them now
This is the picture, this is the picture
This is the picture, this is the picture
I'm sitting by the window
Watching the snow fall
I'm looking out
And I'm moving, turning in time
Catching up. moving in
Jump up! I can land on my feet. look out!
This is the picture, this is the picture
This is the picture, this is the picture
Looking out. watching out
When I see the future I close my eyes
I can see it now
I see pictures of people, rising up
Pictures of people, falling down
I see pictures of people
They're standing on their heads, they're ready
They're looking out, look out!
They're watching out, watch out!
They're looking out, look out!
They're watching out, watch out!
I see pictures of people
I see pictures of people
@mrk-ism
Freaking brilliant. We need more music like this.
@josephparent2628
No we dont
@jenniferdixon7633
It’s out there now. Just look for it. Late night TV has artists on that are sometimes like this.
@mrk-ism
@Joseph Parent lol
@mrk-ism
@Jennifer Dixon spoken word artists really?
@geoffreyjonathanwilson5826
In my opinion two musical geniuses together.
I think Laurie had a fantasy going on in her mind as an artist/musician.
@johnsone9396
This song migrates to the bones-hypnotic, meditative, haunting. Amazing!
@dennyd4848
I love this song, always have, but never once knew that there was a video for this one! 😳🤘
@briano.5746
Thank you Peter Gabriel, you have been in my head since I was a teenager. My favorite (non guitar playing) musician/artist of all time!
✌👽👍🧠🎶🎵🌌
@neilwright5063
I love all three versions of this song.