No Son of Mine

Last updated

"No Son of Mine"
No son of mine.jpg
Single by Genesis
from the album We Can't Dance
B-side "Living Forever"
Released21 October 1991 (1991-10-21) [1]
Studio The Farm (Surrey, England)
Length
  • 4:41 (radio edit)
  • 6:41 (album version)
  • 5:44 (new edit – 1999)
Label
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s) Phil Collins
Producer(s)
Genesis singles chronology
"Throwing It All Away"
(1987)		"No Son of Mine"
(1991)		"I Can't Dance"
(1991)

"No Son of Mine" is a song by British rock group Genesis, released in October 1991 by Atlantic and Virgin as the lead single from their 14th album, We Can't Dance (1991). The song, written by Phil Collins and composed by him with Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, reached No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (the band's first not to enter the top 10 since 1984's "Taking It All Too Hard"). It was also a top-10 hit in several European countries and peaked atop Canada's RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart for five weeks.

Contents

Lyrics and music

The song's lyrics tell the story of a boy who runs away from his abusive home, and—after some reconsideration—attempts to return, only to be rejected by his father. In interviews, Phil Collins has said that the lyrics are deliberately vague as to whether the narrator or his mother is the victim of the abuse.

The song has a distinctive sound heard during the intro and before the second verse. Referred to by the band as "elephantus", the sound was created by Tony Banks recording Mike Rutherford's guitar with a sampler and then playing three notes on the bottom register of the keyboard, greatly lowering the pitch. The working title of "No Son of Mine" was "Elephantus". [2] The sound is also featured in the opening of the "I Can't Dance" single B-side "On the Shoreline". A similar sound is heard in former Genesis member Peter Gabriel's song "I Grieve", which was released a few years later, on the soundtrack to City of Angels.

The single included the eighth track from We Can't Dance, "Living Forever", as the B-side. The radio edit fades out the song's extended outro a minute in advance and deletes part of the second chorus. The music video makes use of the complete album version.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "No Son of Mine" is melancholic, illustrating the scene in sepia tone. The video depicts what is discussed in the song, which is a conversation between a son and his father. During the last chorus, snowflakes begin appearing flying around the house; eventually, at the end, the scene pulls out to reveal that the scenes of confrontation have taken place in a snow globe that the son is holding. It was done by FYI (director Jim Yukich and producer Paul Flattery).

Live performances

A live version appears on the albums The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts , and Live Over Europe 2007 , as well as on their DVDs The Way We Walk - Live in Concert and When in Rome 2007 .

Track listings

  1. "No Son of Mine"
  2. "Living Forever"
  1. "No Son of Mine"
  2. "Living Forever"
  3. "Invisible Touch" (live)

Personnel

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crying (Roy Orbison song)</span> 1961 song by Roy Orbison

"Crying" is a song written by Roy Orbison and Joe Melson for Orbison's third studio album of the same name (1962). Released in 1961, it was a number 2 hit in the US for Orbison and was covered in 1978 by Don McLean, whose version went to number 1 in the UK in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Best Things in Life Are Free</span> 1992 single by Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson

"The Best Things in Life Are Free" is a duet between American singers Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson, recorded for the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis produced soundtrack to the 1992 American film Mo' Money, starring Damon Wayans. The song was composed by Jam, Lewis, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch. The song was released as the soundtrack's lead single on May 12, 1992, by Perspective Records and A&M Records. Additionally, the song was remixed by David Morales, Frankie Knuckles, and CJ Mackintosh. The duet became a major hit in several countries, peaking at number two in Australia and the United Kingdom, number six in Ireland and New Zealand, number eight in Canada and Germany, and number 10 in the United States. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caribbean Blue</span> 1991 single by Enya

"Caribbean Blue" is a song by Irish musician Enya, included as the second track on her third studio album, Shepherd Moons (1991). It follows a waltz time signature, and mentions the Anemoi : Boreas, Afer Ventus (Africus), Eurus, and Zephyrus. The song was released as a single on 7 October 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Return to Innocence</span> 1993 single by Enigma

"Return to Innocence" is a song by German musical group Enigma, released on 4 January 1994 by Virgin as the lead single from the group's second album, The Cross of Changes (1993). It reached number one in over 10 countries, peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, and entered the top five in several other countries. "Return to Innocence" was the project's biggest hit in the United States, reaching number two on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Julien Temple directed its accompanying music video, which received heavy rotation on European music channels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opposites Attract</span> 1989 single by Paula Abdul and the Wild Pair

"Opposites Attract" is a song by American singer Paula Abdul from her debut album, Forever Your Girl (1988). It was written and produced by Oliver Leiber. Vocals on the song, in addition to Abdul, were provided by Bruce DeShazer and Marv Gunn, also known as the Wild Pair. "Opposites Attract" was the sixth and final single from the album in November 1989 and achieved success in many countries, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, where it was a number-one hit. Lyrically, the song is about a couple who love each other despite being different in almost every way possible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calling Elvis</span> 1991 single by Dire Straits

"Calling Elvis" is a song written by Mark Knopfler and performed by British rock band Dire Straits. It first appeared on the final studio album by the band, On Every Street (1991). It was released in August 1991 by Vertigo and Warner Bros. as the first single from that album, peaking at number 21 in the United Kingdom, and reaching the top 10 in numerous other countries. It was included on the 2005 compilation The Best of Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler: Private Investigations. A live version of the song also appears on the 1993 live album On the Night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel of Mine</span> 1997 single by Eternal

"Angel of Mine" is a song by British R&B girl group Eternal from their first compilation album, Greatest Hits (1997). It was written by Rhett Lawrence and Travon Potts, produced by Lawrence, and released on 29 September 1997. The song became Eternal's 12th and final top-10 hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number four. "Angel of Mine" was the ensemble's final single as a three-piece, as after its release, Kéllé Bryan left the group. In June 2019, "Angel of Mine" was ranked at number 91 on the Official Charts Company's "Top 100 Girl Band Singles of the Last 25 Years".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesus He Knows Me</span> 1992 single by Genesis

"Jesus He Knows Me" is a song by English rock band Genesis from their 14th studio album, We Can't Dance (1991), released in July 1992 as the album's fourth single. The song is a satire of televangelism, released in a period when several televangelists such as Jimmy Swaggart, Robert Tilton and Jim Bakker were under investigation for promising financial success to their listeners, provided they sent money to them. The song reached No. 10 in Canada, No. 20 in the United Kingdom and No. 23 in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disappear (INXS song)</span> 1990 single by INXS

"Disappear" is a song by Australian rock band INXS, the second single taken from their seventh studio album, X (1990). The song was written by Jon Farriss, Michael Hutchence and Garry Gary Beers while they were living together in Hong Kong in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Dance</span> 1991 single by Genesis

"I Can't Dance" is the fourth track from English rock band Genesis's fourteenth studio album, We Can't Dance (1991), and was released in December 1991 as the second single from the album. Lyrics were composed by drummer Phil Collins; music was written collectively by the band. The song peaked at number seven on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, and also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals in 1993. In Europe, the song reached number one in Belgium and the Netherlands, while peaking within the top five in Austria, Germany, and Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rush Rush (Paula Abdul song)</span> 1991 single by Paula Abdul

"Rush Rush" is a song by American recording artist Paula Abdul, taken from her second studio album, Spellbound (1991). It was released on April 24, 1991, by Virgin Records as the lead single from the album. Written by Peter Lord and produced by Peter Lord and V. Jeffrey Smith, the song achieved success in the United States, where it topped the Billboard Hot 100, and became a worldwide hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hold on My Heart</span> 1992 single by Genesis

"Hold on My Heart" is a song by English rock band Genesis from their 14th studio album, We Can't Dance (1991). The ballad was released as the album's third single on 6 April 1992. The song reached number one on the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, the RPM Adult Contemporary chart, and the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, as well as number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the band's home country, the song peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Promise of a New Day</span> 1991 single by Paula Abdul

"The Promise of a New Day" is the opening track and second single from American artist Paula Abdul's second studio album, Spellbound (1991). The song was written by Paula Abdul, Peter Lord and V. Jeffrey Smith. It became Abdul's sixth and final number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hazard (song)</span> 1992 single by Richard Marx

"Hazard" is a song written, produced, and performed by American singer-songwriter Richard Marx. The song is about a woman named Mary who mysteriously disappears and a social pariah who is accused of orchestrating Mary's disappearance, despite claiming to be innocent. The song's music video follows this plot. "Hazard" was released as the second single from Marx's third studio album, Rush Street (1991), on January 28, 1992, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Love Is for Real</span> 1995 single by Paula Abdul

"My Love Is for Real" is a song by American singer and songwriter Paula Abdul with backing vocals from Israeli singer Ofra Haza. It was released on May 30, 1995 by Virgin and Captive, as the first single from Abdul's third studio album, Head over Heels (1995). Intended as Abdul's comeback single, "My Love Is for Real" reached number one in Hungary and the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, but it stalled outside the top 20 in the United States, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and failed to make a major impact in Europe. The song's music video was directed by Michael Haussman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It Ain't Over 'til It's Over</span> 1991 single by Lenny Kravitz

"It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" is a song written, produced, and performed by American musician Lenny Kravitz for his second studio album, Mama Said (1991). Released as the album's second single in June 1991 by Virgin, the song is a mid-tempo ballad musically inspired by Motown, Philly soul, and Earth, Wind & Fire. The horn line at the end is performed by the Phenix Horns from Earth, Wind & Fire. "That song just came out one day, and I knew it had a classic vibe. And I still love that song very much today," Kravitz said in an interview for VivaMusic.com in 2000. The line is based on a Yogiism, or quotation from Yogi Berra: "It ain't over 'til it's over."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Can't Stop This Thing We Started</span> 1991 single by Bryan Adams

"Can't Stop This Thing We Started" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. The song was written by Adams and Robert John "Mutt" Lange, and was released in September 1991 by A&M Records as the second single from Adams' sixth studio album, Waking Up the Neighbours (1991). The song peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 while topping the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart for three non-consecutive weeks. The track received two nominations at the Grammy Awards of 1992 for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance, Solo, winning neither. It served as the 2009 British Columbia Liberal Party campaign theme song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saltwater (Julian Lennon song)</span> 1991 single by Julian Lennon

"Saltwater" is a song by English singer-songwriter Julian Lennon. It was written by Lennon, Mark Spiro, and Leslie Spiro. Originally released on Lennon's fourth album, Help Yourself (1991), the single was released in August 1991 by Virgin Records. It peaked at number six in the United Kingdom in October 1991 and topped the Australian ARIA Singles Chart for four weeks in March 1992. "Saltwater" was the 14th-highest-selling single of 1992 in Australia, where it is certified platinum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Wonder Why (Curtis Stigers song)</span> 1991 single by Curtis Stigers

"I Wonder Why" is a song by American singer and songwriter Curtis Stigers, released as the first single from his eponymous debut album on August 12, 1991, in the United States. The song reached number four on the Danish and Irish singles charts, number five on the UK Singles Chart, and number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also reached the top 10 in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep Coming Back (song)</span> 1991 single by Richard Marx

"Keep Coming Back" is a song by American singer-songwriter Richard Marx. It appears on his third solo album, Rush Street, and was both written and produced by Marx. The lyrics to the song detail a man's unrequited love for a woman. Working with musicians such as Luther Vandross and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes, Marx sought to explore different musical territory with this single, stating that "I wanted to write an old-fashioned R&B song."

References

  1. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 19 October 1991. p. 19. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. ↑ Collins, Phil; Banks, Tony; Rutherford, Mike; Gabriel, Peter; Hackett, Steve (2007). Genesis: Chapter & Verse. Macmillan. p. 331. ISBN   978-0-312-37956-8.
  3. ↑ No Son of Mine (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Genesis. Virgin Records. 1991. GENS 6, 114 719.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ No Son of Mine (UK cassette single sleeve). Genesis. Virgin Records. 1991. GENSC 6, 412 183.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ↑ No Son of Mine (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Genesis. Virgin Records. 1991. GENS 612.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ↑ No Son of Mine (UK CD single liner notes). Genesis. Virgin Records. 1991. GENDG 6, 664 719.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  9. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1696." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  11. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2045." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 8, no. 49. 7 December 1991. p. 31. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  13. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 47. 23 November 1991. p. 29. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  14. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   951-31-2503-3.
  15. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  16. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  17. ↑ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 7. 15 February 1992. p. 26. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  18. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – No Son of Mine". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  19. ↑ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 46. 16 November 1991. p. 29. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  20. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 47, 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  21. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  22. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  23. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine". VG-lista. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  24. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  25. ↑ "Genesis – No Son of Mine". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  26. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  27. ↑ "Genesis Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  28. ↑ "Genesis Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  29. ↑ "Genesis Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  30. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2014). Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996 . Sheridan Books, Inc. ISBN   978-0-89820-209-0.
  31. ↑
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  32. ↑ "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM . Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  33. ↑ "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  34. ↑ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1991". Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  35. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1992" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 56, no. 25. 19 December 1992. p. 8. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  36. ↑ "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  37. ↑ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  38. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 – 1992". Archived from the original on 8 July 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  39. ↑ "1992 The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 52. 26 December 1992. p. YE-38. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.