Peter Gabriel - Solsbury Hill Lyrics

Peter Gabriel
Miscellaneous
Solsbury Hill
Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing, time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night
He was something to observe
Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing stretching every nerve
Had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
[I] just had to trust imagination
My heart going boom boom boom
"Son," he said "Grab your things,
I've come to take you home."

To keepin' silence I resigned
My friends would think I was a nut
Turning water into wine
Open doors would soon be shut
So I went from day to day
Tho' my life was in a rut
"Till I thought of what I'd say
Which connection I should cut
I was feeling part of the scenery
I walked right out of the machinery
My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" he said "Grab your things
I've come to take you home."


When illusion spin her net
I'm never where I want to be
And liberty she pirouette
When I think that I am free
Watched by empty silhouettes
Who close their eyes but still can see
No on taught them etiquette
I will show another me
Today I don't need a replacement
I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" I said "You can keep my things,
they've come to take me home."

• Anonymous

  This song is about PG's departure from Genesis. He reveals this in "feeling part of the scenery" and when he "resigned" people telling him he was nuts. And in the end he doesn't need all the things that illusion can see, those people who "see with their eyes closed." And finally he doesn't need all that stuff to be home...he is already there.

• Anonymous

  I think the song is about life & death about going thru the motions of & in this temporary place, but when it's time to go, you can't take the things w/ you, just be ready when it's time to go home.

• Anonymous

  I think this song means about someone in a mental place.