Willow Farm

Willow Farm

"Supper's Ready" is a song by English progressive rock band Genesis, recorded for their 1972 studio album Foxtrot. At 23 minutes in length, it is the band's longest recorded song and almost takes up the entire second side of the vinyl. Frontman Peter Gabriel wrote the lyrics, which mainly describe a personal journey of scenes from the Book of Revelation and good versus evil, with several real life experiences providing further inspiration. The song took form in the summer of 1972, when Genesis dedicated time to write new songs after touring Nursery Cryme. After the opening acoustic sections were arranged, it was considered a companion piece to "The Musical Box" until Gabriel pitched the tune "Willow Farm", which took the song into a different direction. Genesis extended the piece further, culminating in the final two sections, "Apocalypse in 9/8" and "As Sure as Eggs is Eggs", which the band felt was some of their strongest recorded material. "Supper's Ready" became a centrepiece of Genesis live shows from 1972 to 1974, and a showcase for Gabriel's on-stage storytelling and costumes to act out the various parts. Following Gabriel's departure from the band, Genesis performed the song live in 1976, 1977, and 1982 with Phil Collins on lead vocals. In recent years guitarist Steve Hackett has performed it regularly on his solo tours.

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