Intruder (song)

"Intruder" is a song written and performed by English musician Peter Gabriel. The song is notable for being the first to use the "gated drum" sound created by Hugh Padgham and Phil Collins, which later was used in some notable international hits including "A View to a Kill" by Duran Duran, "Some Like It Hot" by The Power Station, "In the Air Tonight" by Collins and "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen.

Background

It is the first track off his third eponymous album with the description of a break-in told through the eyes of the burglar, or "Intruder". The phrase "I like...." is repeated throughout the song, indicating that the burglar was not pressured into his actions, but instead intrudes homes simply for the thrill of committing a crime.

Like the rest of the album, this song features the "gated drum" sound created by Hugh Padgham and Phil Collins and contains no cymbals. In fact, the song was built upon a simple drum pattern that Gabriel asked Collins to play while he wrote the words and the music. In accordance with Gabriel's penchant for unusual instrumentation, it features a xylophone solo about halfway through the song. Also, twice a grating sound can be heard, probably made by scraping a guitar pick up and down the lower (bass) strings of an acoustic guitar.

The song was often performed live by Gabriel in the early '80s, and is included on his first live album, Plays Live. In 1992, the band Primus recorded a cover of the song and included it as the opening track to their Miscellaneous Debris EP.

Personnel

• Peter Gabriel - piano, lead and backing vocals
• Phil Collins - drums, drum pattern
• Morris Pert - xylophone
• Larry Fast - synthesizers
• David Rhodes - guitar, backing vocals

References