No Son of Mine
Encyclopedia
"No Son of Mine" is the first single by the British
rock group Genesis
from their 1991 album We Can't Dance
, which reached #6 in the UK
and #12 in the U.S
. It made #8 on the Dutch Top 40.
has said that the lyrics are deliberately vague as to whether the narrator or his mother is the victim of the abuse.
The video for this song is particularly melancholic, illustrating the scene in sepia tone. The video essentially depicts what is discussed in the song, which is a conversation between a son and his father. During the last chorus snow flakes begin appearing flying wildly around the house, eventually at the end the scene pulls out to reveal the entire confrontation scenes take place in a snowglobe that the son is holding.
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". A similar sound is heard in former Genesis member Peter Gabriel
's song "I Grieve."
The radio edit fades out the song's extended outro about a minute in advance and also cuts out part of the second chorus. The music video, however, uses the unedited album version.
The single included the 8th track from We Can't Dance, "Living Forever", as the B-side.
, Calling All Stations
(with Ray Wilson
on vocals)
, and Turn It On Again
tours. The song was used as the opening number of the Calling All Stations tour until the last two dates, when "Land of Confusion
" and "Calling All Stations
" opened the shows respectively.
A live version appears on their albums The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts, and Live Over Europe 2007
. As well as on their DVD's The Way We Walk - Live in Concert
and When in Rome 2007
.
Former one-time lead singer Ray Wilson (who had replaced Phil Collins) continued to cover the song on his solo live album after his departure from Genesis. However the song is played acoustically, while he lets the audience sing the chorus.
7" single
Cassette
12" maxi
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock group 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...
from their 1991 album 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...
, which reached #6 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and #12 in the U.S
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It made #8 on the Dutch Top 40.
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 rebuked by his father. In interviews, Phil CollinsPhil Collins
Philip 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....
has said that the lyrics are deliberately vague as to whether the narrator or his mother is the victim of the abuse.
The video for this song is particularly melancholic, illustrating the scene in sepia tone. The video essentially depicts what is discussed in the song, which is a conversation between a son and his father. During the last chorus snow flakes begin appearing flying wildly around the house, eventually at the end the scene pulls out to reveal the entire confrontation scenes take place in a snowglobe that the son is holding.
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
Sampler (musical instrument)
A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
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". A similar sound is heard in former Genesis member 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...
's song "I Grieve."
The radio edit fades out the song's extended outro about a minute in advance and also cuts out part of the second chorus. The music video, however, uses the unedited album version.
The single included the 8th track from We Can't Dance, "Living Forever", as the B-side.
Live performances
The song was played live during the The Way We WalkThe Way We Walk
The Way We Walk refers to one of three works by the rock band Genesis:*The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts, a 1992 live album containing Genesis' shorter, commercial hits...
, 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. The song was used as the opening number of the Calling All Stations tour until the last two dates, when "Land of Confusion
Land of Confusion
"Land of Confusion" is a rock song written by the band Genesis for their 1986 album Invisible Touch. The song was the third track on the album and was the fourth track from the album to become a single, which reached #4 in the US and #14 in the UK in early 1987. It made #8 in the Netherlands...
" and "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...
" opened the shows respectively.
A live version appears on their albums The Way We Walk, Volume One: The Shorts, and Live Over Europe 2007
Live 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 their DVD's 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...
.
Former one-time lead singer Ray Wilson (who had replaced Phil Collins) continued to cover the song on his solo live album after his departure from Genesis. However the song is played acoustically, while he lets the audience sing the chorus.
Track listings
CD maxi- "No Son of Mine" — 6:42
- "Living Forever" — 5:40
- "Invisible Touch" (live) — 5:00
7" single
- "No Son of Mine" — 6:36
- "Living Forever" (5:38)
Cassette
- "No Son of Mine" — 6:36
- "Living Forever" — 5:38
12" maxi
- "No Son of Mine" — 6:42
- "Living Forever" — 5:40
- "Invisible Touch" (live) — 5:00
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....
- 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 ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, lead 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...
, backing vocals - 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...
s, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals
Peak positions
| Chart (1991/92) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart | 29 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
8 |
| French SNEP Singles Chart | 13 |
| German Singles Chart | 3 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 5 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 13 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 8 |
| UK Singles Chart | 6 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 12 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 8 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 3 |
End of year charts
| End of year chart (1991) | Position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Top 40 | 93 |
| End of year chart (1992) | Position |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 68 |