Track Listing

1. Red Rain
2. Sledgehammer
3. Don't Give Up
4. That Voice Again
5. In Your Eyes
6. Mercy Street
7. Big Time
8. We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)
9. This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1691 in Music
• Released on: 2002-12-02
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Amazon.co.uk Review
So is generally regarded as a peak in Gabriel's recording career, notable both for its solid set of songs and lush yet musically sound production. For Gabriel, who'd put his music in theatrical contexts ever since his days with Genesis, the modern sound of So (co-produced with Daniel Lanois) was itself a dramatic conceit that effectively played off the more organic roots of many of its songs. The album's big hit was "Sledgehammer", the English rocker's somewhat stilted take on the Stax/Volt style of rhythm and blues. Gabriel was much more powerful on his own art- rock songs, such as "Red Rain", which evoked nuclear ruin with its cascading rush of guitars and synthesizers. "Don't Give Up" is perhaps Gabriel's best ballad, with Kate Bush's heavenly second vocal enough to give anybody encouragement. But the song that best exploited So's blend of technology and soul is "In Your Eyes", a beguiling rhythmic tapestry in which Gabriel duets with Youssou N'dour. -- John Milward

CD Description
SO consolidated Gabriel's reputation as an original and exciting composer, capable of projecting sophisticated lyrics on accessible melodies. 'Sledgehammer' was a massive hit (number one in the USA), as was 'Don't Give Up', with Kate Bush's vocals adding extra pathos. 'This Is The Picture' clearly shows the slightly surreal influence of co-writer Laurie Anderson, and the whole is given flight by Daniel Lanois' impeccable production. The towering achievement, however, is 'Mercy Street', a sparely orchestrated and perfectly constructedtribute to the late poet Anne Sexton.

Customer Reviews

Peter Gabriel's Zenith....
Work on this album began in 1984 and at the same time Gabriel had just got back with his wife Jill, his landlord at the time was pressing him to move out of their home "Ashcombe House" this is where the first incarnation of the Real World Studio had been housed (90% of So was recorded there) at the same time he was trying to establish the new complex at Box in Wiltshire and if that wasn't keeping him busy enough he also accepted film director Alan Parker's invitation to record a soundtrack for his film "Birdy"
Deadlines to finish his album where ignored because he took 3 months to complete the soundtrack so by the end of the year with the soundtrack complete he re-started the recording of his own album, the positive outcome from the soundtrack work was that his co-producer Daniel Lanois joined him for the recording of his own album.

Before a single lyric was written there was the process of constructing the percussion tracks, Gabriel's is quoted as saying that "as a failed drummer, I focus heavily on the grooves" and as if to prove the point he recorded different versions of several tracks with 3 of the world's top drummers, Gabriel band regular Jerry Marrotta, Stewart Copeland from The Police and Afro-Frenchman Manu Katche he then chose which one he liked best very time consuming.

Gabriel had started to put some important musical milestones behind him, for the song "Sledgehammer" he flew to New York to record Wayne Jackson the trumpeter he'd seen backing Otis Redding in 1967 at the Ram jam club in Brixton, the experience had made him want to be a soul singer.
For the chorus for the track "In your Eyes", he called in the Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour who was to play such a key role in the music of Peter Gabriel for years to come.
Then in a stoke of genius he gave Kate Bush the chance to deliver one of the most memorable vocal performances of her life, for when Kate duetted on the song "Don't Give Up" the lyrics are on the edge of cornball cliché, but the way Kate sang them they came across as believable.
Gabriel had written the song in response to a famous photograph from the American Depression called "This Proud Land" which reflected his feelings about unemployment in Britain.

"So" was released on May 19th 1986, at the same time the single "SledgeHammer" was riding high in the charts, it got to number 4 in the UK charts and was an American number 1.
The big selling tool was the accompanying video which cost £120,000 pounds to make and took 100 hours to film using "claymation" within the year the album "So" had sold 5 million copies worldwide.

The album opens with "Red Rain" which has the sound of Hi-hat with Levin adding the punch of the track with his stick bass filling the gap between the drums and Gabriel pounding the piano, which gives the opening cry of "Red rain is coming down Red rain is pouring down Pouring all over me".

"Sledgehammer" which is Gabriel's homage to the sound of "Stax" and "Motown", the song has a quiet fairlight intro, this is then followed by Jackson's trumpet sound which along with the constant stick bass sound of Levin is the backbone of the track which all the other parts are hung on.

As the sound of Stick bass comes into earshot with a little run on the keyboard Gabriel begins, "Don't give up" which with its accompanying video which has Gabriel and Bush locked in an embrace for the length of the song with the camera panning round, what makes the track work is the arrangement of the song which has at it's heart wonderful vocal performances of the singers who make you believe the lyrics, truly a hairs standing up on the back of the neck song.

The mood is broken with the groove drenched "That Voice Again" which is another song where simple keyboard riffs are played against several rhythm tracks, hi-hats and the signature stick bass sound of Levin.

"Mercy Street" begins with a quiet keyboard sound that is then given substance by the sound of bass that along with the sound of a triangle, this simple groove gives the lyrics the perfect foil, "Looking down on Empty streets all she can see are the dreams made solid" Joni Mitchell's ex plays the bass on the track, Larry Klein plays fretless bass which gives it a slightly different sound to the previous tracks and as quietly it began the song ends with a bass note that fades into the distance.

The following track begins just simply with Gabriel exclaiming "Hi There" crash the sound of snare drum and more of Klein's funky bass sound to herald the start of "Big time" which is the closest to a simple pop song on the album with it's chorus of "Big Time".

The next track is "We do what we are told" is a song build around that one line in the chorus.

The penultimate song, which is another experiment built around a single line just like the previous track. "This is the Pictures (excellent birds) it has Gabriel duetting with performance artist Laurie Anderson.

To close the album is the excellent "In your Eyes" which is a welcome return to form and just like the better tracks here is a song built around rhythm tracks interlaced with catchy keyboard licks with a superb chorus " In your eyes I see the doorways of a thousand churches In your eyes the resolution, in your eyes, all the fruitless searches Oh I see the light and the heat oh I want to be that complete".
This version of "So" was re-mastered by Tony Cousins who did a similar renovation to Gabriel's entire solo back catalogue in 2002.

This is Gabriel's most complete album.

A Class Album in Every Respect
What strikes me most about this album is the authority and command that Peter's delivery of his material exudes. Lyrics, music, vocals, playing, and arrangements all work together to move heart, mind, and body. The work of a master musician who has achieved considerable maturity. Track after track hits the spot with haunting melodies and memorable vocal lines all wrapped up in a highly distinctive sound showing increasing influence from world music, but still largely achieved with conventional rock instrumentation. Peter's duet with Kate Bush on "Don't Give Up" brings tears to the eyes whereas "Red Rain", "Sledgehammer", and "In Your Eyes" have a powerful masculinity. A class album in every respect.

It doesn't get any better than this!
An astonishing album right from the go. The opener Red Rain is , I suggest the finest song Gabriel has recorded.
Sledgehammer is so well known now that it has perhaps become too familiar. Nonetheless, a clever and groundbreaking song. (not to mention the video).
The joy of 'don't give up' is there for all to see.The voice of the angelic Kate Bush only serves to heighten the intensity of the song. I defy anyone to not be moved by it.
It's followed by the amazing 'that voice again'. The quality of the musicianship is breathtaking.
Followed by 'mercy street', almost as good as red rain. Type 'Anne Sexton' in to a search engine, ( the poet who's work the song was based on) and prepare to be blown away.
'Big time'is a well known single, and a great song.
' This is the picture', (not on the original release) is a superb colaboration with 'avant garde genius' Laurie Anderson. An anthemic track.
'We do what we're told ' is a strange and etheral comment on society.
And finally, the big singalong track, 'In your eyes', a great live favourite.
Altogether an extrordinary album. A must have for any one.