In 1977, Peter Gabriel released his debut solo single “Solsbury Hill”. The moving song – with its catchy guitar riff, upbeat tempo, and autobiographical lyrics – marked the beginning of Peter Gabriel’s decades-long solo career. In this article, we will explore the story, meaning, and legacy behind “Solsbury Hill”!
The Story Behind the Song
Before Peter Gabriel embarked on a solo career, he was the frontman of the progressive rock group Genesis. He established the band in 1967 and quickly became a cult figure for his unique voice, theatrical stage presence, and imaginative lyrics.
But in 1975 Gabriel shocked the progressive rock scene by leaving Genesis. His departure was a bold – and seemingly illogical – move, but one that allowed Gabriel to take control of his career and artistic vision. Gabriel felt creatively suppressed by Genesis and desired to explore his own musical ideas.
I felt I was becoming a sort of stereotype, sort of ‘rock star,’ or falling into wanting that ego gratification,” Gabriel said in the documentary Genesis: A History. “I didn’t like myself, I didn’t like the situation, and I didn’t feel free.”
During this transitional phase, Peter Gabriel took a walk up Solsbury Hill, a small hill in Somerset, England, where he had a self-described ‘spiritual awakening’. This awakening was characterized by themes of personal growth and self-discovery and served as the catalyst of “Solsbury Hill”.
The Meaning of Solsbury Hill
“Solsbury Hill” is a song about Peter Gabriel’s personal journey of self-discovery, with themes of taking risks, uncertainty, following one’s intuition, and discovering one’s true home. The lyrics portray an individual who is at a crossroads in life and has the courage to take a leap of faith.
“It’s about being prepared to lose what you have for what you might get, or what you are for what you might be,” Peter Gabriel said about the song.
The opening lines of the song, where Gabriel climbs up on Solsbury Hill and sees a light, represent Gabriel leaving behind the familiar and venturing into the unknown. The view from the top of the hill symbolizes the opportunity to see things from a new perspective.
Atop Solsbury Hill Gabriel hears a voice that tells him to grab his things, for he has come to take him home. This voice represents a spiritual guide. Gabriel is initially hesitant to trust the information, which requires him to rely on his imagination. It represents the struggle between logic and intuition.
The chorus with the repetition of “my heart going ‘boom-boom-boom” portrays the all-encompassing excitement, fear, and uncertainty that Gabriel feels as he contemplates embarking on a new journey.
As the song progresses, Gabriel expresses his insecurity, uncertainty, and fear about what lies ahead. But he ultimately decides to give in and trust his instincts.
Read more: The 10 Best Peter Gabriel Songs of All Time
The final chorus represents Gabriel’s acceptance of the spiritual guide, his willingness to let go of the familiar past, and to embark on a new journey. As a result, the song ends with Gabriel finding freedom.
Different Interpretations
Some people believe Solsbury Hill has a religious meaning. This is mainly caused by the spiritual storyline and lyrics such as “turning water into wine”. This has never been confirmed or denied. However, it is much more likely to believe that Solsbury Hill is a song about Gabriel’s personal experiences as a musician rather than anything else.
The Song’s Legacy
“Solsbury Hill” was released as a single in 1977 and had commercial success, reaching number 68 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 13 on the UK Singles chart. The song’s success helped Peter Gabriel to establish his solo career and paved the way for later hits such as “In Your Eyes” and “Sledgehammer”.
“Solsbury Hill” is from a personal, cultural, and commercial perspective a cornerstone masterpiece in Peter Gabriel’s rich repertoire.
Interested in more stories behind Peter Gabriel songs? Click here
Bob Dylan said “My songs mean whatever you want them to. So do not ask me to define them.”
When he performs this song live they all march around as if to the beat of their own drummer.
You needn’t look for connections to the Ultimate Question
in this lyric
Maybe it’s just about his career and his LIFE
I’m a keyboard player. You might see this as an intellectual wank, but I don’t care: I’ve seen the intensity & depth in this great man’s eyes, and how – even now – he can rock a barn like the O2 & shrink it to the biggest small camp fire possible (2023). So, I believe the ‘eagle’ that flies out ‘from the night’ is what PG sees as a spirit guide, to whom he has ‘no choice’ but to listen. The spirit guide also calls him ‘Son’. PG is clearly given a choice: to believe & follow, or disbelieve & walk away or stand still (this is the ‘boom, boom, boom’ anxiety). PG was rumoured to have been speaking to cabbages at the time his friends might think he was ‘a nut’ – I’m not sure about that one, but he does suggest he’s just living, stuck ‘in a rut’ & getting by day to day, without much joy, resigned to ‘keep in silence’. I’m not sure if the lyric considers which ‘connection’ or ‘connections’ he should cut, but I’d guess the list might include Genesis, record company, producers and engineers, manager/s, agent/s, fawning stars & some fans. I don’t believe the ‘turning water into wine’ is a religious reference per se: I think that he is just trying to imagine how some people might react to his telling of this spiritual experience – & those people might well ‘shut’ doors on him: many of us have seen such responses when any kind of non-Earthly experience is described, & I suspect we are all somewhat the poorer for it (total nutters notwithstanding; although….meh). PG has explained the ‘scenery’ and the ‘machinery’ on the record (I don’t mean the LP) – what is sometimes missed is that he felt himself actually being tempted by the dark vacuity of prog rock stardom & KNEW this was not right for him (more fortunate than many, sadly) – for example, when he describes ‘illusion’ spinning her ‘net’ and ‘liberty’ executing a ‘pirouette’ (a whirling around) leaving him not ‘where I wanna be’ because he knows he is not free whilst he allows these kinetic distractions to exist. My opinion is that ‘home’ is the place to which he can CHOOSE to go, away from these ‘things’ – & he DOES choose. I also think his reference to keeping ‘my things’ might include intellectual property, contractual arrangements, professional relationships, some royalties, relationships with other Genesis members & musicians, died-in-the-wool prog rock fans & even some audio equipment, investments & theatre/show memorabilia. The ’empty silhouettes’ image is fascinating & enigmatic for me: are these some sort of shamen who are in a trance (‘who close their eyes’) so that they can envision on a different plane (‘but still can see’)? Or are they fans (silhoutted by stage lights) who close their eyes and listen intently? Or bandmates/music industry gonks blinking/closing their eyes as they play/lie? Perhaps there’s a clue is in ‘No one taught them etiquette, I will show another me’ (some say ‘I was shown another me’): that might point either towards brutally honest spirit guides just saying it how it is, however hard a truth, or the music industry gonks. Not sure, but ‘I will show another me/ I was shown another me’ is just about the strongest statement of artistic intent we might ever hear (flash forward to Sledgehammer, which measures part of PG’s journey & some of his music industry/audience observations). It seems to me that not needing ‘a replacement’ is dichotomous: PG does not need to ‘replace’ Genesis with any damn thing, but to walk the World & bring some of the Globe’s most talented musicians & outstanding music to all of us which he has done, & continues to do); his ‘replacement’ (Phil Collins) brilliantly emulated an established sound on Trick of the Tail, but Collins – who had also, clearly, felt constricted by Genesis – eventually went on to respectable originals, crooning, & covers (not to my taste, but I try always to remain solid with fellow musicians). Well, I have my views – welcome yours.
WTF. Totally lost interest about sentence 3😬
Well I followed what Chris Moore was saying, it wasn’t THAT off-the-wall, and I appreciated the effort he made to put his interpretation across. Slamming the door with WTF is just a shallow self-reflection rather than an intelligent response.
Listening to the song again recently I was struck by the lyric ‘I was feeling part of the scenery, I walked right out of the machinery’ in the context of his position in Genesis where the singer frequently gets sidelined for long periods of time (that era Genesis anyway) and Genesis becoming a large outfit with lots of equipment.
And also the line ‘today I don’t need a replacement, I’ll tell them what the smile on my face meant’.
You’ve come to take me home. Death is going home
We are so frightened of the concept of passing from this world to the next we spend money and time holding in to this reality. While passing over represents a freedom not a fatality pack your things I’ve come to take you home A higher power reaching down to free you of all burdens
or going home is just going home, or back to one’s roots or true self.
and dying is maybe just bloody dying
The line doesn’t have to confront to the Ultimate Question. Relax. Let it be about
his career and personal LIFE.
Yes! Chills! That is exactly what I’m hearing today! You are so right!
You have touched my soul Gather your things I’ve come to take you home. That is death going homr
I was 12 years old when I heard this song for the first time. My parents were just divorced and I lived with my mom and little sisters in a new village, far away from everything I knew. I didn’t understand the English language, but the song touched my heart and I cried my eyes out. Now it is 50 years later and when I hear this song and what it tells me, it feels amazing that I have walked the path of intuition, listening more and more to my guides 🙂 As if the little girl understood perfectly well what was said.
The take l heard was different more Raw & spiritually Bold. I love his solo stuff , especially “ Here Comes the Flood” l understand it’s about the 1st World War , but for me . It was a really rough time when l lost all l thought l had . This song made me Cry & begin to really look at myself .
Thankyou PG 🙏
Jose MO d D’Abreu
I always thought the song was a distant cousin so to speak from the Genesis song “In Hiding”\
I like your blog
Have a great day!
the eagle “flow out of the night” is totally ignored. Gabriel’s personal experience as a musician explanation says no more than the usual, meaning something different to everyone, but it is his transcendental experience of eternity, of what lies ahead of space and time for all of us. It speaks in a language that needs no words. He expressed it as well he could to satisfy the ego, and we caught a glimpse of eternity and said yes in the only way we could to eternity, with support and sales. The wind cries Mary.