by Mollie Thorsen
Peter Gabriel knew what he was doing when he created So. He knew the musicians he needed to back him up, he knew he wanted the album’s foundation to be rooted in African influence, he knew he wanted his lyrics to have a certain sense of consciousness about them, and I’d like to think he knew the way that this album could make a person feel more than alive on an idle Tuesday at 4 pm. Deemed by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time and (wait for it) … rightfully So! Gabriel’s choice of musicians obviously contributed to its status as a classic, and that came naturally with musicians such as Wayne Jackson (horns), who has worked with everyone from Elvis to Otis Redding.
Gabriel’s artistic compass pointed him to the West African country of Senegal where he used traditional Senegalese musician Youssou N’Dour, best known on the album for adding depth to in “In Your Eyes’’. Staying consistent, Gabriel also used the traditional bamboo flute (shakuhachi) for his other iconic single “Sledgehammer”. Both “’In Your Eyes” and “Sledgehammer” have remained classic songs that capture the true heart of the 80s. “Sledgehammer” has a soulful beat and sexual euphemisms throughout the entirety of the song which created a passionate sound that was daring (but much needed) at the time. Gabriel’s line “ This is the new stuff, we go dancing in’’ was indeed the case- and if you figure out how to keep still while listening to the song, please let me know.
“Sledgehammer” was hugely successful and, yes it got you up on your feet, but it’s the second biggest single on the album, ‘’In Your Eyes”, that solidified Gabriel as an authentic and honest artist. It has been compared to the Beatles’ “Something” as one of the greatest love songs of all time. No matter how bitter and melancholic of a person you are, if you are listening to “In Your Eyes” you quickly become a romantic. Renowned director Cameron Crowe felt so when choosing the song to help illustrate his iconic, classic scene in Say Anything when John Cusack, holding a boom box over his head outside of Ione Skye’s window, lets the song speak for him. Nothing will ever beat John Cusack playing “In Your Eyes” while wearing a quintessential 80s camel trench coat to win over the girl. But I digress. “In Your Eyes” was the perfect single to balance the bounciness that is embedded in “Sledgehammer” and really made So, not just a 1980’s pop album, but a revival of mainstream soul.
