In 1986, I was 14 years old and in the 9th grade.  Peter Gabriel had just released his album, So.  I remember being somewhat mystified by the stark black and white album cover and the photo of Gabriel's pensive face.  I didn't know that 27 years later, I'd count that album as one of my favorites from my youth.  So is one of those masterpieces that ends up being hard to retire.  Even as a 40 year old woman, I still find a lot to love about Gabriel's masterpiece from 1986.

The CD 

So consists of nine songs with guest vocals by Kate Bush, Laurie Anderson, and Youssou N'dour.  The liner notes include printed lyrics and a full personnel listing.  So runs for 46 minutes.

The songs 

Quiet percussion, rumbling keyboards, and guitars begin the epic ballad "Red Rain".   I will admit when I first bought this album on cassette, it took awhile for me to appreciate this song, with its 80s era programming and dreamy lyrics.  I think it was because back then, I was a teenager who anticipated the big hits from this album. Now that I'm older, I appreciate the complexity of this song and the excitement it garners for the songs that follow.

"Sledgehammer" was probably this album's first big hit.  I remember loving the absurdly creative video that accompanied this song, which came complete with dancing chickens.  This song has sort of a bluesy quality and Gabriel shows off his fun side, not to mention the intricacies of his voice, which hit some very high, pure notes on this track.  The lyrics are witty and timeless.  It's still awesome today.  The backup singers lend an exotic air.

The lovely duet "Don't Give Up" features Kate Bush, who offers a comforting side to Gabriel's despondent lyrics about a man who has been beaten down by life.  The melody suggests someplace exotic-- maybe Africa?  Africa was big in the 1980s.  But really, these lyrics could apply to anyone who feels hopeless and ready to give up on life.  Bush lends an ethereal touch with her whispery soft vocals on the chorus.  I love this song for so many reasons.  It comforted me at a time in my life when I felt hopeless and unsure of myself.  I could listen to this over and over again.  Gabriel adds a touch of gospel at the bridge, pushing this song into the sublime.

"That Voice Again" sounds very 1980s to me, with its very synthesized intro and crashing electric guitars.  I would probably skip this song in favor of other songs, though it maintains a creative and exotic vibe.

The epic love song, "In Your Eyes" is next.  This song never gets old. I defy any guy who can sing this song well not to melt their girlfriend or wife with this... Actually, all they'd have to do is play it on a boombox, right?  If you were around in the 1980s, you know what I'm referring to.  If you weren't, too bad.  You missed a hell of a hit song in its heyday.  "In Your Eyes" is simply gorgeous and wild, with its almost primal beat and otherwordly melody. Youssou N'dour offers an almost animal descant at the end... Love it!

"Mercy Street" is another favorite song of mine.  It's a thoughtful, quiet, serious song, again making full use of 80s era electronic wizardry in a way that is tasteful and not at all dated.  The lyrics are thought provoking; the melody is serious and somber.  It's a good song to think to.

"Big Time" is another taste of Gabriel's zany side.  This song also had a wacky video that showed off Gabriel's music with absurd visuals.  I don't think I like it quite as much as I do "Sledgehammer", but it's pretty close to being just as awesome.  The lyrics capture the me decade 80s beautifully.  How innocent we were back then, eh?

Next is "We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)", another thoughtful, surreal song with exotic rhythms and lyrics that suggest people who are enslaved.  Remembering that this album came out in the 1980s, I'm guessing Gabriel was making political statements with this song with its sparse, cryptic lyrics.  I think he captured the robotic nature of people who go through the motions without thought with this song's chilling melody, ending it with a warrior cry.

Finally, Laurie Anderson joins Gabriel on the last song, "This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)".  This song has always seemed a little funky to me... and very weird, with yet more cryptic lyrics, a heavy bass line, and exacting percussion.  The words are surreal and spoken more than they're song.  Again, it makes very good thinking music, with a beat that is as steady and rhythmic as cardiac.  I always feel somewhat pensive after listening to this track, which means that if I listen to So from start to finish, I end this album in thought.  That's not a bad way to come away from a musical selection.

Overall 

I've purchased other albums by Peter Gabriel since So.  I think it remains one of my favorites by him... and in fact, one of my favorites from the 1980s.  Yes, parts of it do sound very 80s, but in a way that sounds cooly retro instead of hopelessly mired in the past.  Peter Gabriel has class and style and he put out a masterpiece when he made So.  

For more information: www.petergabriel.com 

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Listening