The official video for 'This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)' featuring vocals from co-writer Laurie Anderson.

The song features on the first of Peter’s studio albums to have a proper title, ‘So’ was a watershed release in his career. Its marriage of the artistic and the commercial made for an indisputable success, with the album quickly sitting atop the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Aside from some intriguing collaborations – with Laurie Anderson on This Is The Picture, Kate Bush on Don’t Give Up and Youssou N’Dour on In Your Eyes – it was the unity of singer, band and producer that made So such a crucial record in the Gabriel canon.

I remember listening to this cassette (you can see this exact cassette in the picture above) for years to fall asleep to, Peter Gabriel's music was comforting yet defiant, but also gentle and harmonious enough to carry me through wild days. He was also my first Man Crush.

Let’s dig a little deeper

This record changed my life. For me, this fifth solo album by Peter Gabriel was a refuge of security and also a key to a new world. 🔑

The tape on the top right-hand side of the picture is what I wanted for my birthday sometime in the second half of the 80s. It was one of the first pieces in my music collection. I think I fell in love with the cover (Peter Saville!) while looking through the records of my parents' friends. What an expression and grace came over from this artwork. That was of direct interest to me. We listened to the record and the music spoke to me. And then I watched the videos of ‘Sledgehammer’ and ‘Don't Give Up’ on TV and I was enchanted. 🔨

Throughout my life I've probably never listened to an album so often. There were always phases when I heard this album up and down. It gave me strength, drive, inspiration and just a good feeling. While other children listened to fairy tales and radio plays to fall asleep, this cassette ran in my children's room. 🛌 That tape made me feel and gave me support in hard times. And it was a door opener for me to pop music and to the works of many artists and bands, which became and still are important for me. As a child, these were primarily Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and Genesis. Later I discovered artists like Laurie Anderson, Stewart Copeland, Daniel Lanois, Manu Katché or Otis Redding through this record.

The album has never left me and always inspired me anew. Melodies, sounds and text snippets of ‘Mercy Street"‘ ‘This Is The Picture (Excellent Birds)’, or the drumbeat of ‘Red Rain"‘ come to my mind again and again. They are deep inside me and I am very happy about it. I still think it is one of the best pop albums ever recorded and produced. Timeless grandiosity.

I know that this record is very precious to many people. I want to hear your stories. What are your favourite songs? And which stories or feelings do you associate with this album? 🖤

Just an epic playlist curated by Sailing For Peace

Peter Gabriel ‘This is the Picture (Excellent Birds)’ is part of the ‘Fresh Track Of The Day’ playlist on Spotify. Feel free to follow anytime.