"Home by the Sea" by Genesis

   “Creeping up the blind side...shinning up the wall.. stealing through the dark of night.”

   Welcome back to Kyle's Radio Dial, friends! The blog that unearths forgotten musical memories from the recesses of your mind, one at a time. 

   It’s getting cooler outside, the leaves are turning colors, and pumpkin spice everything is EVERWHERE! Soon, black cats, skeletons, ghosts, and witches will be decorating homes and businesses across the country. Stores have already begun stocking jumbo bags of candy, and costumes have appeared on displays so the kiddos and grown ups alike can masquerade as their favorite horror or fantasy personalities! (and jeez, after the horrible year that continues to be 2020, we all can use some Halloween escapism right now! AMIRIGHT?)

  So, in honor of the spooky season, the Dial is reaching back to 1983 to bring you a spectral cut by one of the most charismatic and beloved pop rock acts of the MTV era. A song, that while it was not a major hit on radio, has remained one of the group’s most popular tracks in concert performances. So prepare yourself for an intrusion INTO the other world, as Genesis spins their tale of the “Home By the Sea”.

   At this time in their band’s evolution, Genesis had long since pared down to the now iconic trio of Phil Collins on drums and vocals, Mike Rutherford providing bass and guitar, and Tony Banks on keyboards. The departure of early members Peter Gabriel in 1975 and Steve Hackett in ‘77, reshaped their style from progressive art rock, to a much more commercial pop influenced sound as the ‘80s began.

   Appearing on their self titled 1983 LP, (the one with “Perfection” game pieces on the album cover), Genesis’ tune is actually a suite consisting of two sections: the namesake “Home by the Sea” and “Second Home by the Sea”. The first section essentially follows the standard pop song structure of verses, bridges, and choruses, while the second portion begins at a little after the five minute mark, and is entirely instrumental, recalling elements of their ‘70s prog rock days. The tune culminates in a brief vocal reprise that drives the anguish of the characters in the song home.

   So what's the deal with this tune? Why is this my selection for Halloween 2020?

   Well, you see, Tony Banks' lyrics tell the tale of a burglar who breaks into a haunted waterfront home, and is subsequently confronted by the spirits that reside there. Before the criminal can flee, the ghosts capture him, and force him to be their audience as they recount stories of their lives. For the rest of his life. His ultimate fate is left up to the listener to decide.

   This raises some questions… Is this an abandoned, derelict home that the burglar should have dismissed entirely before even attempting to break in? Or did the house appear lived in and in good shape from the outside, and thus, perfectly normal?

   Also, we know the house is haunted, but is it possible that it also has folks living there as well? Perhaps the homeowners went out for the night, leaving the burglar to think their valuables were easy pickings, only for him to encounter the specters.

   And if the house is occupied, do the homeowners have a symbiotic relationship with the spirits? Perhaps the ghosts agree to keep the house safe, in exchange for “story time” with the homeowners every now and again.

   I imagine some of the spirits’ stories would be rather interesting. Perhaps one of the spirits was a wild west outlaw, or a turn of the century railroad conductor. Maybe one of them was a politician from the early days of the country, an actress from the era of silent films, or a celebrated artist revered by the elite of their day.

   Personally, it sounds to me like the ghosts are simply lonely, and just want to experience a little of their own humanity once more. Besides, who doesn’t enjoy telling stories about their own lives?

   However, the ghosts DO capture the crook, and inform him that he’ll stay there for the rest of his life… which is undoubtedly ominous and terrifying, even if they are just lonely. Maybe they should be less aggressive, and just ask for an hour of the burglar’s time, then send him on his way? I’m sure I’m over thinking this… but hey, it’s what I do.

   Musically, this is ranks among Genesis’ best work. That opening with the distorted keyboard and powerful drum crash lets you know that this will not be a happy go-lucky pop song. Phil’s delivery of the lines “Help us someone, let us out of here”, and “let us relive our lives in what we tell you” makes you sympathetic to the loneliness of the spirits. And that instrumental... especially around the 9:10 mark – those synth and guitar flourishes seem to be created by the specters as they swirl in and out of the physical realm in front of our hapless criminal. Awesome.

   Incredibly, “Home by the Sea” did not chart at all on the Billboard Hot 100, though it did manage to reach #24 on the US Mainstream Rock chart. Even weirder is that it didn’t chart in the UK – Genesis’ native homeland! In fact, the only place the tune charted highly was in New Zealand where it hit #4… yeah, that’s random. Kudos to the Kiwis for showing excellent musical taste!

   So, this Halloween season, in between the decorating, watching scary movies, and picking out costumes, be sure to set aside some time for Phil, Mike, and Tony’s story of a brazen intruder who gets much more than he bargained for. And as always, stay tuned to the Dial for more overlooked and underplayed tunes of the past!

   Happy Halloween!

http://www.genesis-music.com/