Invisible Touch (song)
Encyclopedia
"Invisible Touch" is the title track of the 1986 Genesis
album of the same name
. It is the most successful single in the band's lengthy history and was their first and only #1 single in the United States
. It went to number four in Canada, but only reached number 15 in the United Kingdom.
Its B-side is the second part of "Domino", titled "The Last Domino". the album includes Domino part 1 and 2 together.
Ironically, "Invisible Touch" was bumped out of the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100
by "Sledgehammer
", performed by Genesis' former lead singer, Peter Gabriel
.
, as well as on the DVD's Genesis Live at Wembley Stadium
, The Way We Walk - Live in Concert
and When in Rome 2007
.
"Invisible Touch" was performed during the Invisible Touch, We Can't Dance
, Calling All Stations
(with Ray Wilson
on vocals) and Turn It On Again
tours. On later tours, the song segued from "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight", albeit transposed to a lower key to accommodate Collins' deepening voice.
During the 2007 reunion tour, the song was the finale featuring fireworks going off as the song ended.
by Genesis
, released on limited edition 7" and CD near the end of their 1991-1992 world tour in support of We Can't Dance
. Both formats were numbered and came with a booklet; the CD was housed in a box and the vinyl edition in a gatefold sleeve.
The A-side
was recorded during the We Can't Dance Tour, and is the same version found on the accompanying live album The Shorts. The B-sides "Abacab" and "The Brazilian" were culled from the Wembley Stadium venue from the 1987 Invisible Touch Tour
.
The 7" featured an edited version of "Abacab", while the CD included complete versions of both songs.
Like the albums The Shorts and The Longs
, and the home video The Way We Walk - In Concert
, the title of the record was prefixed by "Genesis Live", with "(Live)" appearing as a suffix on the back sleeve and on the disc itself.
During live performances of "Invisible Touch", Collins substituted the line "And though she will mess up your life" with "And though she will fuck up your life". Consequently, the swear word was bleeped out on the single.
Unlike the original recording of the song, this live version was a Top 10 hit in the UK, reaching number seven. In one of the interview sections on the Way We Walk - Live in Concert
DVD
, Collins jokes about re-releasing the song until it finally becomes a hit.
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
album of the same name
Invisible Touch
Invisible Touch is the 13th studio album by the band Genesis, released in 1986. It reached No.1 in the UK where it remained in the charts for 96 weeks, making it by far the most commercially successful album of their career, eventually selling over 15 million copies worldwide...
. It is the most successful single in the band's lengthy history and was their first and only #1 single in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It went to number four in Canada, but only reached number 15 in the United Kingdom.
Its B-side is the second part of "Domino", titled "The Last Domino". the album includes Domino part 1 and 2 together.
History
"Invisible Touch" came about during a jam for the second parts of another album tracks "Domino/The Last Domino," Mike apparently playing a riff while Phil improvises the line "She seems to have an invisible touch". It was recorded at the Farm surrey during 1984, 1985 and 1986.Ironically, "Invisible Touch" was bumped out of the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
by "Sledgehammer
Sledgehammer (song)
"Sledgehammer" is a song by British musician Peter Gabriel from his 1986 album So. It hit number one in Canada on 21 July 1986 where it spent four weeks; number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States on 26 July 1986; and number four in the UK singles chart, thanks in part to a...
", performed by Genesis' former lead singer, Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
.
Live versions
A live version of "Invisible Touch" appears on the albums The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts, and Live over Europe 2007Live Over Europe 2007
Live over Europe 2007 is the sixth live album by British band Genesis recorded during the Turn It on Again: The Tour of 2007. It was released in North America by Atlantic Records on 20 November 2007, and in Europe on by Virgin Records on 26 November 2007.-Disc 1:# "Duke's Intro" – Manchester –...
, as well as on the DVD's Genesis Live at Wembley Stadium
Genesis Live at Wembley Stadium
Live at Wembley Stadium is a 2003 DVD featuring concert footage from a sold out Genesis concert at the titular London venue on 4 July 1987. It was first released in 1988 as The Invisible Touch Tour....
, The Way We Walk - Live in Concert
The Way We Walk - Live in Concert
Genesis – The Way We Walk – Live in Concert is a 2001 double DVD9 featuring live performances from the We Can't Dance tour by Genesis. The footage was filmed on 8 November 1992 at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, and first released on VHS in March 1993 as Genesis Live – The Way We Walk – In...
and When in Rome 2007
When in Rome 2007
When In Rome 2007 is a live DVD by Genesis recorded at Circo Massimo, Rome, Italy, on 14 July 2007, during the successful Turn It On Again Tour. The concert was directed by David Mallet. The collection was released on 26 May 2008 in most of the world and 10 June 2008 in North America...
.
"Invisible Touch" was performed during the Invisible Touch, We Can't Dance
We Can't Dance
Rolling Stone chiefly commented on the album's lyrics. They criticized "Tell Me Why" and "Way of the World" for being soulless and impersonal social commentaries, but regarded most of songs as outstanding, and summarized "Although We Can't Dance doesn't quite achieve the vulnerable grace of Duke or...
, Calling All Stations
Calling All Stations
Calling All Stations, is the 15th studio album by rock band Genesis. It was recorded following Phil Collins's departure from the band in 1996, and was released in 1997...
(with Ray Wilson
Ray Wilson (musician)
Ray Wilson is a Scottish musician, best known as vocalist in the post-grunge band Stiltskin, and in Genesis between 1996 and 1998.Wilson started off in a band called Guaranteed Pure in the early 1990s...
on vocals) and Turn It On Again
Turn It on Again: The Tour
Turn It On Again: The Tour was a 2007 concert tour of Europe and North America by progressive rock band Genesis. The tour was notable for the return of drummer and vocalist Phil Collins, who left the group in 1996.-History:...
tours. On later tours, the song segued from "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight", albeit transposed to a lower key to accommodate Collins' deepening voice.
During the 2007 reunion tour, the song was the finale featuring fireworks going off as the song ended.
Personnel
- Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
: Vocals, DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and Linn LM-1Linn LM-1The LM-1 Drum Computer, manufactured by Linn Electronics Inc., was the first drum machine to use digital samples of acoustic drums. Conceived and designed by Roger Linn, it was also one of the first programmable drum machines...
. - Tony BanksTony Banks (musician)This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
: KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. - Mike RutherfordMike RutherfordMichael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
: GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
.
Live single
Genesis Live - Invisible Touch was a singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
, released on limited edition 7" and CD near the end of their 1991-1992 world tour in support of We Can't Dance
We Can't Dance
Rolling Stone chiefly commented on the album's lyrics. They criticized "Tell Me Why" and "Way of the World" for being soulless and impersonal social commentaries, but regarded most of songs as outstanding, and summarized "Although We Can't Dance doesn't quite achieve the vulnerable grace of Duke or...
. Both formats were numbered and came with a booklet; the CD was housed in a box and the vinyl edition in a gatefold sleeve.
The A-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
was recorded during the We Can't Dance Tour, and is the same version found on the accompanying live album The Shorts. The B-sides "Abacab" and "The Brazilian" were culled from the Wembley Stadium venue from the 1987 Invisible Touch Tour
Genesis Live at Wembley Stadium
Live at Wembley Stadium is a 2003 DVD featuring concert footage from a sold out Genesis concert at the titular London venue on 4 July 1987. It was first released in 1988 as The Invisible Touch Tour....
.
The 7" featured an edited version of "Abacab", while the CD included complete versions of both songs.
Like the albums The Shorts and The Longs
Live/The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs
The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs is the fifth live album by British band Genesis and was released in 1993, having been recorded during their 1992 tour for We Can't Dance. The album's title refers to a lyric in two songs, "I Can't Dance" on the previous volume and "I Know What I Like" on this...
, and the home video The Way We Walk - In Concert
The Way We Walk - Live in Concert
Genesis – The Way We Walk – Live in Concert is a 2001 double DVD9 featuring live performances from the We Can't Dance tour by Genesis. The footage was filmed on 8 November 1992 at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, and first released on VHS in March 1993 as Genesis Live – The Way We Walk – In...
, the title of the record was prefixed by "Genesis Live", with "(Live)" appearing as a suffix on the back sleeve and on the disc itself.
During live performances of "Invisible Touch", Collins substituted the line "And though she will mess up your life" with "And though she will fuck up your life". Consequently, the swear word was bleeped out on the single.
Unlike the original recording of the song, this live version was a Top 10 hit in the UK, reaching number seven. In one of the interview sections on the Way We Walk - Live in Concert
The Way We Walk - Live in Concert
Genesis – The Way We Walk – Live in Concert is a 2001 double DVD9 featuring live performances from the We Can't Dance tour by Genesis. The footage was filmed on 8 November 1992 at Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London, and first released on VHS in March 1993 as Genesis Live – The Way We Walk – In...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, Collins jokes about re-releasing the song until it finally becomes a hit.
Personnel
- Phil CollinsPhil CollinsPhilip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
: Vocals - Tony BanksTony Banks (musician)This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
: KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Mike RutherfordMike RutherfordMichael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
: GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Daryl StuermerDaryl StuermerDaryl Mark Stuermer is an American musician who plays guitar and bass for Genesis during live shows, and lead guitar for Phil Collins during most of his solo tours and albums.-Biography:...
: Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Chester ThompsonChester ThompsonChester Cortez Thompson is an American drummer and session musician.-Biography:Thompson made his name as a session drummer, going on to play in Frank Zappa's touring band and with Weather Report...
: Drum KitDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....