Genesis : Mama

Peter Gabriel left Genesis in 1975, leaving Phil Collins to captain the ship. As time went by, even with Phil embarking on a solo career in 1981 (not to mention Mike + the Mechanics stepping out in '85), he still managed to keep the band together, selling albums and getting them into the charts. They released their self-titled album in '83, right as MTV was really catching on.

"Mama" is an example of a style which I think Phil borrowed heavily from Peter's 1980 "melting face" album*. You can see Phil's first experiment with it in the intro to the classic "In the Air Tonight" in 1981. He followed it up by producing Frida's "I Know There's Something Going On" and then his own "I Don't Care Anymore" in 1982.  All of these songs are propelled by an incessant, heavy, electronic groove and layered with brooding moody synths, building slowly to a crescendo as the song progresses. The lyrical content is generally dark as well, further adding to the atmosphere.

"Mama" is no exception.  It starts slow and heavy, slowly building up as the band adds layers of sound to the beat, including Phil's own drumming, and his vocals become more and more ragged and insistent. The lyrics are all about 'pain', 'heat' and 'steam', which lend to the general creepiness, as do the weird little laughs and moans Phil drops in.  Of course, the fact that throughout the entire song the singer is begging someone named 'Mama' not to leave him, only further ups the Norman Bates feel.  Apparently, the song's about a young man's fixation with a prostitute.  News to me, but it's still plenty creepy without knowing that.

"Mama" can be found on Genesis' 1983 self-titled release.  This album has the distinction of being one of the first physical CDs I ever owned, along with Hot Rocks by The Rolling Stones and Abbey Road by The Beatles.  My dad bought them for me, along with a little CD boombox, as a going-off-to-college gift, except he liked Abbey Road so much, he kept it for himself.  It's okay, don't worry, I've since bought my own copy.

*Trivia: He made the melting face by taking a Polaroid snapshot of himself and smooshing the goop around inside it with an eraser before it developed. Try it at home kids!

[You can listen to Genesis' "Mama" by navigating to the post "Song097" and clicking or right-clicking on the title or the link.]

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