Complete List Of Peter Gabriel Songs From A to Z

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From a Victorian manor in the English countryside emerged a creative force whose career would be defined by a profound duality: the theatrical showman and the introspective artist, the technological pioneer and the humanitarian activist, the chart-topping pop star and the champion of global music. Peter Brian Gabriel’s journey from the pastoral confines of Chobham, Surrey, is not merely a story of musical success, but a chronicle of relentless innovation, artistic integrity, and an unwavering commitment to a world beyond the stage.

Born into a family that valued both the arts, through his musical mother, and engineering, through his father, Gabriel was imbued from an early age with a unique synthesis of structural thinking and expressive passion. This foundational polarity would become the central engine of his work, allowing him to construct elaborate conceptual worlds, pioneer new technologies, and build lasting institutions with the same fervor he brought to writing a deeply personal lyric or delivering a transfixing performance.

The genesis of this career began not in a gritty club but within the privileged and intellectually fertile environment of the Charterhouse School. It was here in 1965 that Gabriel, the drummer and vocalist for early school bands like the Milords, joined forces with fellow students Tony Banks, Anthony Phillips, and Mike Rutherford. Bonding over a shared ambition for songwriting, they formed a band that, under the guidance of Charterhouse alumnus and producer Jonathan King, would be christened Genesis. Their first single, 1968’s “The Silent Sun,” was a calculated pastiche of the commercially successful Bee Gees, an early indicator of a strategic awareness that coexisted with their more esoteric ambitions.

After the commercial failure of their debut album, From Genesis to Revelation, Gabriel briefly returned to his studies, but the pull of a full-time musical career proved irresistible. By 1970, he was contributing flute to Cat Stevens’ album Mona Bone Jakon and expanding his own instrumental repertoire within Genesis to include accordion and various percussion instruments, infusing the band’s burgeoning progressive rock sound with his personal love for soul music. This scholastic, project-based origin set Genesis apart, fostering a cerebral, complex approach to rock music that would lay the groundwork for a movement.

With the 1970s lineup of Genesis solidified by the arrival of guitarist Steve Hackett and drummer Phil Collins, Gabriel’s confidence as a frontman blossomed into a revolutionary form of musical theatre. Initially born from a practical problem—his discomfort at standing static during the band’s lengthy instrumental passages—he began improvising surreal and intricate stories to introduce their songs. This narrative flourish soon escalated into a full-blown visual spectacle. The turning point came in September 1972, when, on a whim, Gabriel donned his wife’s red dress and a fox’s head for a performance of “The Musical Box.” ‘

The stunt landed the band on the front page of Melody Maker, instantly elevating their profile and demonstrating the immense power of a visual statement. This was a lesson Gabriel never forgot. By the tour for the acclaimed 1973 album Selling England by the Pound, his stagecraft had evolved into an elaborate production featuring an astonishing array of costumes and characters—fluorescent makeup, bat wings, flower masks, and old man masks—each designed to bring the lyrical content of songs like “Supper’s Ready” to life. He had solved the frontman’s dilemma by transforming the rock concert into a vibrant, immersive theatrical experience, a functional innovation that became an artistic revolution.

The apex of this theatricality, the sprawling 1974 concept album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, also marked the end of his tenure with Genesis. Insisting on writing the entirety of the album’s complex narrative about a Puerto Rican youth named Rael, Gabriel shifted the band’s dynamic from a collaborative collective to a vehicle for his singular authorial vision. This creative friction, compounded by the personal stress surrounding the difficult birth of his first daughter, created an untenable situation. Feeling that the band was unsympathetic to his family crisis, Gabriel announced his departure during the subsequent tour, issuing a press statement titled “Out, Angels Out” that cited disillusionment with the music business.

The schism proved creatively symbiotic; it freed Genesis to pursue a more streamlined and massively successful pop direction with Phil Collins on vocals, and it liberated Gabriel to embark on a solo career defined by uncompromising experimentation. He began by releasing four self-titled albums, distinguished only by their cover art, a deliberate anti-branding statement. The first, in 1977, yielded “Solsbury Hill,” a joyous and autobiographical anthem of liberation that became his first solo hit. His artistic breakthrough came with his third album in 1980, a record on which he famously banned cymbals, forcing a percussive innovation that, with engineer Hugh Padgham, resulted in the explosive “gated reverb” drum sound. This album, featuring the anti-apartheid anthem “Biko” and the hit “Games Without Frontiers,” was initially rejected by his US label as uncommercial, a testament to the challenging, boundary-pushing nature of his new direction.

If his early solo work was an artistic rebellion, his fifth studio album, 1986’s So, was the triumphant conquest of the global mainstream on his own terms. Co-produced with Daniel Lanois, the album was a masterclass in fusing artistic depth with pop sensibility. It became his best-selling release, reaching number one in the UK and number two in the US, and spawning a cascade of iconic singles. These included the soulful plea “Don’t Give Up,” a poignant duet with Kate Bush; the rhythmically complex “Big Time”; and the enduring anthem “In Your Eyes,” later immortalized in the film Say Anything. The album’s lead single, “Sledgehammer,” a joyous horn-driven soul pastiche, not only became his first and only US number one hit but did so by knocking his former band Genesis’s “Invisible Touch” from the top spot—a moment of profound symbolic irony.

The song’s success was inextricably linked to its revolutionary music video. A collaboration with director Stephen R. Johnson and animators from Aardman Animations and the Brothers Quay, the video was a breathtaking work of stop-motion, claymation, and pixilation. It won a record nine MTV Video Music Awards in 1987, establishing a new benchmark for the music video as a parallel art form and proving Gabriel’s innate understanding that, in the 1980s, music was a profoundly visual medium.

Following the colossal success of So, Gabriel deliberately pivoted away from the pop spotlight, channeling his creative energy into new and more personal territories. He turned to film scoring, composing the evocative, world-music-infused soundtrack for Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ, released as the album Passion in 1989, which earned him his first Grammy Award. A decade later, he would score the Australian film Rabbit-Proof Fence, released as Long Walk Home, earning a Golden Globe nomination.

His next major studio album of songs, 1992’s Us, was a starkly introspective and somber affair, documenting the painful collapse of his first marriage and his journey through psychotherapy in tracks like the raw “Digging in the Dirt.” For this album, he again innovated, commissioning contemporary artists to create original works for each song, a precursor to the modern “visual album.” The long gaps between his major releases—a full decade passed between Us and 2002’s Up, and another two decades before 2023’s I/O—were not periods of inactivity. Rather, they were times of deliberate exploration, filled with work on multimedia projects, film scores, and his humanitarian efforts, demonstrating a career guided by artistic necessity and personal evolution rather than the relentless demands of the commercial album cycle.

Parallel to his musical evolution, Gabriel was building a legacy as a cultural entrepreneur and a crucial advocate for music from around the globe. His burgeoning interest in non-Western sounds, which had informed his own music since the early 1980s, led him to co-found the World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) festival in 1982. Recognizing that international artists lacked the infrastructure to reach Western audiences, he went further, establishing the state-of-the-art Real World Studios and the accompanying Real World Records label in Wiltshire. This was a monumental act of cultural facilitation, moving beyond mere musical appropriation to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that empowered global artists and fundamentally reshaped the listening habits of audiences worldwide.

His forward-thinking “engineer” mindset also made him a digital pioneer. He co-founded OD2, one of the first online music download services, long before the digital marketplace became standard. He delved into interactive multimedia with the award-winning CD-ROM EVE and contributed to the Myst video game series, consistently proving himself to be a prescient futurist, years ahead of the industry curve.

This drive to build structures for change found its most profound expression in his lifelong commitment to humanitarianism and political activism. A longtime supporter of Amnesty International, his anti-apartheid song “Biko” remains one of the most powerful political anthems ever written. Yet his activism went beyond lending his voice. He created practical, technology-driven solutions, most notably by launching the charity Witness in 1992, an organization that equips human rights activists with video cameras and training to document and expose abuses—a perfect synthesis of his interests.

His influence reached the highest levels of global diplomacy when he, along with Richard Branson and Nelson Mandela, developed The Elders, an independent group of global leaders dedicated to peace and conflict resolution. This work has earned him numerous prestigious honors, including the Man of Peace award from the Nobel Peace Laureates and Amnesty’s Ambassador of Conscience Award. Throughout his career, he has remained a consistent and outspoken advocate for causes ranging from proportional representation in the UK to a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, using his platform to champion justice and human rights with unwavering conviction.

The ultimate legacy of Peter Gabriel is one of remarkable integration. He is the rare figure who has achieved monumental success in multiple, seemingly disparate fields, all while remaining true to a core set of principles: innovation, structural integrity, and a deep-seated humanism. His dual inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame—first with Genesis and again as a solo artist in 2014—serve as the definitive validation of his two distinct and equally significant careers, confirming that his departure from the band was a creative mitosis that spawned two legendary bodies of work.

His music continues to permeate culture, with songs like “In Your Eyes” and his haunting cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes” finding new life in films and television for new generations. Described as an “art-rock innovator, soul-pop craftsman, and ‘world music’ ambassador,” he is ultimately a creative catalyst whose influence extends through his countless collaborations and the institutions he built. With the painstaking, decades-long creation and 2023 release of his album I/O, and work already underway on a follow-up, Gabriel’s journey continues, a testament to a life spent tirelessly constructing new worlds in sound, art, and global conscience.

Complete List Of Peter Gabriel Solo Songs From A to Z

Across the River – Music and Rhythm – 1982
Ain’t That Peculiar (Live) – The Bristol Recorder 2 – 1981
And Still – I/O – 2023
And Through the Wire – Peter Gabriel – 1980
Animal Magic – Peter Gabriel – 1978
Animal Nation – The Wild Thornberrys Movie – 2002
Après Moi – Scratch My Back – 2010
At Night – Birdy – 1985
The Barry Williams Show – Up – 2002
Be Still – Peace Together – 1993
Before Night Falls – Passion – 1989
Big Time – So – 1986
Biko – Peter Gabriel – 1980
Biko (Live) – The Secret Policeman’s Third Ball – 1987
Biko (Live) – Woodstock ’94 – 1994
Birdy’s Flight – Birdy – 1985
Blood of Eden – Us – 1992
The Book of Love – Scratch My Back – 2010
The Book of Love – Shall We Dance? – 2004
The Boy in the Bubble – Scratch My Back – 2010
Bread and Wine – Passion – 1989
Brimstone – Real World Notes E-CD #7 – 1998
Burn You Up, Burn You Down – Hit – 2003
Burn You Up, Burn You Down – Big Blue Ball – 2008
Close Up – Birdy – 1985
Cloudless – Long Walk Home – 2002
Come Talk to Me – Us – 1992
The Court – I/O – 2023
Courage – So 25th Anniversary Box Set – 2013
Crossing the Salt Pan – Long Walk Home – 2002
D.I.Y. – Peter Gabriel – 1978
Darkness – Up – 2002
Darkness – New Blood – 2011
A Different Drum – Passion – 1989
Different Stories, Different Lives – Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure – 2007
Digging in the Dirt – Us – 1992
Digging in the Dirt – New Blood – 2011
Disturbed – Passion – 1989
Don’t Give Up – So – 1986
Don’t Give Up – New Blood – 2011
Down the Dolce Vita – Peter Gabriel – 1977
Down to Earth – WALL-E – 2008
Downside-Up – OVO – 2000
Downside Up – New Blood – 2011
Dressing the Wound – Birdy – 1985
Drone – One World One Voice – 1990
The Drop – Up – 2002
Excuse Me – Peter Gabriel – 1977
Exposure – Peter Gabriel – 1978
The Family and the Fishing Net – Peter Gabriel – 1982
Family Snapshot – Peter Gabriel – 1980
Father, Son – OVO – 2000
Father, Son – New Blood – 2011
The Feeling Begins – Passion – 1989
Floating Dogs – Birdy – 1985
Flotsam and Jetsam – Peter Gabriel – 1978
Flume – Scratch My Back – 2010
Four Kinds of Horses – I/O – 2023
Fourteen Black Paintings – Us – 1992
Games Without Frontiers – Peter Gabriel – 1980
Gethsemane – Passion – 1989
Go Away Mr Evans – Long Walk Home – 2002
Gracie’s Recapture – Long Walk Home – 2002
Growing Up – Up – 2002
The Heat – Birdy – 1985
Here Comes the Flood – Peter Gabriel – 1977
Here It Is – Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen – 2022
Heroes – Scratch My Back – 2010
Home Sweet Home – Peter Gabriel – 1978
Humdrum – Peter Gabriel – 1977
Humdrum (Live) – The Bristol Recorder 2 – 1981
I Don’t Remember – Peter Gabriel – 1980
I Go Swimming (Live) – Hard to Hold – 1984
I Grieve – Up – 2002
I Grieve – City of Angels – 1998
I Have the Touch – Peter Gabriel – 1982
I Have the Touch (’96 Remix) – Phenomenon – 1996
I Think It’s Going to Rain Today – Scratch My Back – 2010
I/O – I/O – 2023
I’m Amazing – Non-album single – 2016
In Doubt – Passion – 1989
In the Sun – Diana, Princess of Wales: Tribute – 1997
In Your Eyes – So – 1986
In Your Eyes – New Blood – 2011
Indigo – Peter Gabriel – 1978
Intruder – Peter Gabriel – 1980
Intruder – New Blood – 2011
It Is Accomplished – Passion – 1989
Jigalong – Long Walk Home – 2002
Kiss of Life – Peter Gabriel – 1982
Kiss That Frog – Us – 1992
Lay Your Hands on Me – Peter Gabriel – 1982
Lazarus Raised – Passion – 1989
Lead a Normal Life – Peter Gabriel – 1980
Listening Wind – Scratch My Back – 2010
Live and Let Live – I/O – 2023
Love Can Heal – I/O – 2023
Love to Be Loved – Us – 1992
Lovetown – Philadelphia – 1994
Low Light – OVO – 2000
Make Tomorrow – OVO – 2000
The Man Who Loved the Earth/The Hand That Sold Shadows – OVO – 2000
Mercy Street – So – 1986
Mercy Street – New Blood – 2011
Mirrorball – Scratch My Back – 2010
Modern Love – Peter Gabriel – 1977
Moodoo’s Secret – Long Walk Home – 2002
More Than This – Up – 2002
Moribund the Burgermeister – Peter Gabriel – 1977
Mother of Violence – Peter Gabriel – 1978
My Body Is a Cage – Scratch My Back – 2010
My Head Sounds Like That – Up – 2002
The Nest That Sailed the Sky – OVO – 2000
The Nest That Sailed the Sky – New Blood – 2011
Ngankarrparni (Sky Blue – Reprise) – Long Walk Home – 2002
No More Apartheid – Sun City – 1985
No Self Control – Peter Gabriel – 1980
No Way Out – Up – 2002
Not One of Us – Peter Gabriel – 1980
Not One of Us (Live) – The Bristol Recorder 2 – 1981
Of These, Hope – Passion – 1989
Of These, Hope – Reprise – Passion – 1989
Olive Tree – I/O – 2023
On the Air – Peter Gabriel – 1978
On the Map – Long Walk Home – 2002
100 Days to Go – Real World Notes E-CD #9 – 2000
Only Us – Us – 1992
Open – Passion – 1989
Out Out – Gremlins – 1984
Panopticom – I/O – 2023
Party Man – Virtuosity – 1995
Passion – Passion – 1989
Perspective – Peter Gabriel – 1978
Philadelphia – Scratch My Back – 2010
Playing for Time – I/O – 2023
The Power of the Heart – Scratch My Back – 2010
Powerhouse at the Foot of the Mountain – Birdy – 1985
The Promise of Shadows – Passion – 1989
A Quiet Moment – New Blood – 2011
Quiet and Alone – Birdy – 1985
The Rabbit-Proof Fence – Long Walk Home – 2002
Red Rain – So – 1986
Red Rain – New Blood – 2011
The Return (Parts 1, 2 and 3) – Long Walk Home – 2002
Revenge – OVO – 2000
The Rhythm of the Heat – Peter Gabriel – 1982
The Rhythm of the Heat – New Blood – 2011
Road to Joy – I/O – 2023
Running to the Rain – Long Walk Home – 2002
Salala – Djin Djin – 2007
San Jacinto – Peter Gabriel – 1982
San Jacinto – New Blood – 2011
Sandstorm – Passion – 1989
Secret World – Us – 1992
A Sense of Home – Long Walk Home – 2002
Seven Zero – Real World CD-Extra #2 – 1996
Shakin’ the Tree – The Lion – 1989
Shaking the Tree – Shaking the Tree – 1990
Shaking the Tree ’97 (Jungle Version) – Jungle 2 Jungle – 1997
Shaking the Tree (02 Remix) – The Wild Thornberrys Movie – 2002
Shock the Monkey – Peter Gabriel – 1982
Signal to Noise – Up – 2002
Signal to Noise – New Blood – 2011
Signal to Noise – Gangs of New York – 2002
Sketch Pad with Trumpet and Voice – Birdy – 1985
Sky Blue – Up – 2002
Sledgehammer – So – 1986
Slow Marimbas – Birdy – 1985
Slow Water – Birdy – 1985
Slowburn – Peter Gabriel – 1977
So Much – I/O – 2023
Solsbury Hill – Peter Gabriel – 1977
Solsbury Hill – New Blood – 2011
Spiel ohne Grenzen – Ein deutsches Album – 1980
Start – Peter Gabriel – 1980
Steam – Us – 1992
Stealing the Children – Long Walk Home – 2002
Stigmata – Passion – 1989
The Story of OVO – OVO – 2000
Strawberry Fields Forever – All This and World War II – 1976
Street Spirit (Fade Out) – Scratch My Back – 2010
Summertime – The Glory of Gershwin – 1994
Suzanne – Tower of Song – 1995
Taboo – Natural Born Killers – 1994
That Voice Again – So – 1986
That’ll Do – Babe: Pig in the City – 1998
This Is Home – I/O – 2023
This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds) – So – 1986
The Time of the Turning – OVO – 2000
The Time of the Turning (Reprise)/The Weaver’s Reel – OVO – 2000
The Tower That Ate People – OVO – 2000
The Tower That Ate People (Remix) – Red Planet – 2000
The Tracker – Long Walk Home – 2002
The Tree That Went Up – OVO – 2000
Troubled – Passion – 1989
Under Lock and Key – Birdy – 1985
Unlocking the Door – Long Walk Home – 2002
The Veil – Non-album single – 2016
Waiting for the Big One – Peter Gabriel – 1977
Walk Through the Fire – Against All Odds – 1984
Wall of Breath – Passion – 1989
Wallflower – Peter Gabriel – 1982
Wallflower – New Blood – 2011
Washing of the Water – Us – 1992
We Do What We’re Told (Milgram’s 37) – So – 1986
When You’re Falling – Volume 3: Further in Time – 2001
While the Earth Sleeps – Strange Days – 1995
White Ashes – OVO – 2000
White Shadow – Peter Gabriel – 1978
Whole Thing – Big Blue Ball – 2007
With This Love – Passion – 1989
With This Love (Choir) – Passion – 1989
A Wonderful Day in a One-Way World – Peter Gabriel – 1978
Zaar – Passion – 1989