Peter Gabriel’s voice leaps out from the shadows on a piece that seems to mourn the passing of some mythical England as the country enters into the commercialised, strife torn world of the uncertain Seventies. Little did Gabriel and Genesis know what lay in store in the Eighties. However, the line ‘Selling England By The Pound,’ seemed to touch a political nerve, even if the lyrics now seem dated, with fleeting references to Wimpy hamburgers and Green Shield trading stamps. The band plays at tremendous speed, urged on by Collins’ dazzling drums. Steve Hackett introduces some amazing guitar effects. It’s all much tighter, brighter and better organised, and ‘Knight’ concludes with an ethereal section that ebbs and flows in a sound wash of pristine beauty.
Strange whining noises like a helicopter taking off herald Gabriel’s quaintly matter-of-fact spoken introduction: “It’s one o’clock and time for lunch…” This is the band’s first straight ahead pop rock song, with a stomping steady beat and hook lines galore. A kind of African tuned drum produces a distinctive note behind the chanted chorus, where Gabriel and Collins combine. Even though this is a great pop song and a deserved hit which helped transform the band’s fortunes, there is nothing ordinary about its conception.
The lyrics are rich in imagery and full of comic surprises. What were average pop fans to make of the line: “Me – I’m just a lawn mower. You can telI me by the way I walk.” They loved it and Genesis fans were mostly delighted to see them gain public recognition.
Lyrics
DANCING WITH THE MOONLIT KNIGHT
“Can you tell me where my country lies?”
said the unifaun to his true love’s eyes.
“It lies with me!” cried the Queen of Maybe
– for her merchandise, he traded in his prize.
“Paper late!” cried a voice in the crowd.
“Old man dies!” The note he left was signed ‘Old Father Thames’
– it seems he’s drowned;
selling england by the pound.
Citizens of Hope & Glory,
Time goes by – it’s ‘the time of your life’
Easy now, sit you down.
Chewing through your Wimpey dreams,
they eat without a sound;
digesting england by the pound.
Young man says ‘you are what you eat’ – eat well.
Old man says ‘you are what you wear’ – wear well.
You know what you are, you don’t give a damn;
bursting your belt that is your homemade sham.
The Captain leads his dance right on through the night
– join the dance…
Follow on! Till the Grail sun sets in the mould.
Follow on! Till the gold is cold.
Dancing out with the moonlit knight,
Knights of the Green Shield stamp and shout.
There’s a fat old lady outside the saloon;
laying out the credit cards she plays Fortune.
The deck is uneven right from the start;
all of their hands are playing apart.
The Captain leads his dance right on through the night
– join the dance…
Follow on! A Round Table-talking down we go.
You’re the show!
Off we go with. – You play the hobbyhorse,
I’ll play the fool.
We’ll tease the bull
ringing round & loud, loud & round.
Follow on! With a twist of the world we go.
Follow on! Till the gold is cold.
Dancing out with the moonlit knight,
Knights of the Green Shield stamp and shout.
I KNOW WHAT I LIKE (IN YOUR WARDROBE)
It’s one o’clock and time for lunch,
When the sun beats down and I lie on the bench,
I can always hear them talk.
There’s always been Ethel:
“Jacob, wake up! You’ve got to tidy your room now.”
And then Mister Lewis:
“Isn’t it time that he was out on his own?”
Over the garden wall, two little lovebirds – cuckoo to you!
Keep them mowing blades sharp…
I know what I like, and I like what I know;
getting better in your wardrobe, stepping one beyond your show.
Sunday night, Mr Farmer called, said:
“Listen son, you’re wasting your time; there’s a future for you
in the fire escape trade. Come up to town!”
But I remebered a voice from the past;
“Gambling only plays when you’re winning”
– I had to thank old Miss Mort for schooling a failure.
Keep them mowing blades sharp…
I know what I like, and I like what I know;
getting better in your wardrobe, stepping one beyond your show.
When the sun beats down and I lie on the bench,
I can always hear them talk.
Me, I’m just a lawnmower – you can tell me by the way I