The 10 Best Peter Gabriel Songs of All Time

Peter Gabriel gained recognition as the eccentric frontman of the band Genesis. After leaving the band in 1975, he rose to fame as a solo musician with his debut single “Solsbury Hill”. Gabriel is considered a musical pioneer because of his usage of experimental sounds and influence on world music. His 1986 release “So”, with hits such as “Sledgehammer” and “In Your Eyes”, made him a star. To celebrate Peter Gabriel’s rich repertoire, I’ve hand-picked his 10 very best songs. Let’s dive into this list!

10. Come Talk To Me (Secret World Live)

It’s somewhat controversial to include live songs in top 10 lists, but I couldn’t resist this one. “Come Talk to Me” is the opening track on the Secret Word Live DVD. Vocally accompanied by Paula Cole, Gabriel delivers an absolutely spectacular performance.

The live version is vastly better than the album version, which appears on Gabriel’s 1992 release “Us”.

9. Sledgehammer

On number 9, Peter Gabriel’s biggest hit “Sledgehammer”. The song, filled with phallic symbols, was musically influenced by Otis Redding and lyrically inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche. The track is accompanied by a ground-breaking music video, which magnified the song’s popularity.

“Sledgehammer” is Gabriel’s only US number 1 hit. Peculiarly enough, the song dethroned Genesis’ “Invisible Touch”, the only US number 1 hit for Gabriel’s former band.

8. San Jacinto

“San Jacinto” appears on Peter Gabriel’s fourth studio album, often referred to as “Security”. The song is inspired by a Native American ritual an Apache told Gabriel about. “San Jacinto” also delves into the cultural differences between Native Americans and modern-day America. The song is a worthy number 8 on this list.

7. Here Comes the Flood

“Here Comes the Flood” is the epic ending of Peter Gabriel’s solo debut album. The album version is bombastic whereas the live version features just Gabriel on the piano.

In Armanda Gallo’s book “Peter Gabriel”, Gabriel said the song was inspired by an “apocalyptic dream in which the psychic barriers which normally prevent us from seeing into each others’ thoughts had been completely eroded producing a mental flood”.

6. Red Rain

“Red Rain” is the extraordinary opening track of Peter Gabriel’s best-selling 1986 release “So”. Gabriel doesn’t shy away from the fact “Red Rain” is one of his favorite tracks on “So”. Fans wholeheartedly agree with him, because the song grew out to be an absolute fan favorite.

5. Mercy Street

“Mercy Street” marks the darkest moment of “So”. The song is based on the tragic life of Anne Sexton, who wrote poetry as a form of therapy. Gabriel accidentally discovered Sexton’s work in a New York bookstore. He was inspired by the fact Sexton exclusively wrote for herself, rather than for others. Gabriel titled the song after a play Sexton wrote called “Mercy Street”, and a poem with a similar name titled “45 Mercy Street”.

4. Don’t Give Up

Peter Gabriel initially invited Dolly Parton to sing on his heart-breaking ballad “Don’t Give Up”. When Parton declined, Gabriel decided to invite his friend Kate Bush. Gabriel later admitted he was glad Parton declined the track, for Bush gave the song a “gratifying sensitive treatment”.

The song tells the story of a man and woman in a relationship during economic difficulties. The man is unemployed and feels hopeless, while the woman encourages him with words of hope.

Read more: The Story Behind “Don’t Give Up” by Peter Gabriel (featuring Kate Bush)

3. Biko

Peter Gabriel wrote “Biko” for anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, who was tragically killed by police officers in 1977. The song starts and ends with excerpts of South-African anti-apartheid music. It also uses the Xhosa phrase “Yila Moja”, which means “Come Spirit”.

“Biko” is an essential piece in Peter Gabriel’s rich repertoire. It was his first political anthem and broadened his interest in world music. The song is also a staple in Gabriel’s live shows, where it’s often the concert closer.

2. In Your Eyes

“In Your Eyes” is arguably the ultimate Peter Gabriel track. The African-inspired love ballad appears on Gabriel’s 1986 album release “So”. The track features Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour, who sings at the end of the song in his native Wolof. According to Gabriel, the inspiration behind the song is “this African idea of having an ambiguous love song that can be human love, man to woman, or man to God.”

Part of the song’s popularity is owed to an iconic scene in the romantic teen drama “Say Anything”.

Read more: The Story Behind “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel

1. Solsbury Hill

For number one I picked THE quintessential Peter Gabriel song. You could argue that without “Solsbury Hill”, we wouldn’t have the musician Peter Gabriel we know today.

He wrote the song after his departure from Genesis, where Gabriel felt he was “getting to be part of the machinery”. Gabriel once said “Solsbury Hill” is about “being prepared to lose what you have for what you might get, or what you are for what you might be”.

Gabriel’s risk paid off, for “Solsbury Hill” launched him into success as a solo musician. The song is a worthy number 1 on this list.

[adinserter block=”17″]

Read more: The Story Behind “Solsbury Hill” by Peter Gabriel

That wraps up this list of the best Peter Gabriel songs! Did I mention your favorite song? Did I blatantly miss a song? Please let me know in the comments down below!