In the Cage (song)

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“In the Cage”

Song by Genesis

Album

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

Released

29 November 1974

Recorded

August-October 1974

Genre

Progressive Rock

Length

8:13

Label

Charisma/Virgin (UK)
Atco (original US)
Atlantic (remastered CD)(U.S.)

Writer

Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, and Phil Collins.

Producer

John Burns and Genesis

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway track listing

"Cuckoo Cocoon"
(4)

“In the Cage”
(5)

"The Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging"
(6)

"In the Cage" is a song by progressive rock band Genesis on their 1974 double-album and rock opera The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Despite not being released on any of Genesis's compilation albums, the song is one of their most popular songs from their earlier works, especially at concerts. The song is tied as the longest on the album at just over eight minutes, (along with side four's "The Colony of Slippermen"). The song has multiple musical themes that repeat throughout the piece. One interpretation of the lyrical portion of this song is that the rock opera's main character, Rael, has just woken up in a cave and that stalactites and stalagmites are gradually forming a cage around his body (see external links). It is stated that he then sees, his brother John in the cage, (or likely hallucinates him), and cries out for help. John ignores him.

Musically, the song is notable for its prominent synthesizer solo, performed by keyboardist Tony Banks on an ARP Pro Soloist.

The song's opening line ("I've got sunshine...") is famously taken from The Temptations song My Girl

It is featured on the set list of the Turn It On Again Tour. When played live, the song nearly always is performed as part of a medley of earlier Genesis pieces that highlight keyboard solos by Tony Banks, including "The Cinema Show", "The Colony of Slippermen", "Apocalypse in 9/8", and more.