The Battle of Epping Forest
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| “The Battle of Epping Forest” | |||||
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| Song by Genesis | |||||
| Album | Selling England by the Pound | ||||
| Released | 12 October 1973 | ||||
| Recorded | August 1973 | ||||
| Genre | Progressive rock, progressive folk | ||||
| Length | 11:49 | ||||
| Label | Charisma (UK), Atlantic (US) | ||||
| Writer | Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Mike Rutherford | ||||
| Producer | Genesis & John Burns | ||||
| Selling England by the Pound track listing | |||||
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The Battle of Epping Forest is a song by English rock band Genesis, appearing on their 1973 album Selling England by the Pound .
Inspired, according to the liner notes, by a news story about two rival gangs' territorial battles, the lyrics play out as such, featuring characters such as "Mick the Prick" and "Bob the Knob" as they battle for turf. The song is particularly characteristic for singer Peter Gabriel's changing of voices for different characters as well as the frequent changes in tempo.
The song was performed live during the tour to support Selling England, featuring Gabriel moving around the stage telling the story, and even "flying" (he was attached to a harness) early on before this was dropped for safety reasons. [1]
The band's feelings about the song are mixed. In Hugh Fielder's The Book of Genesis, the band members seem to agree that, although the track was intended to be the album's focal point, it falls short on account of having too many lyrics that don't always fit the music and an altogether too-busy arrangement. The song was dropped from the band's setlist after the Selling England tour, whereas other songs from the album -- such as "I Know What I Like," "Firth of Fifth" and "The Cinema Show" -- remained in the setlist for many years afterward.
[edit] Personnel
- Peter Gabriel: Vocals, Flute, Tamborine
- Steve Hackett: Electric and Acoustic Guitars
- Mike Rutherford: Bass and Acoustic Guitar
- Tony Banks: ARP Pro-Soloist, Mellotron, Hammond Organ, RMI Electric Piano
- Phil Collins: Drums
