100 Great Songs to Publish a Book to, #52 Genesis, Stagnation

The stand-out track from the band’s second album, 1970’s Trespass, Stagnation is often overlooked in favour of the heavy rocker The Knife.  In addition, the structure of Stagnation is not dissimilar to Supper’s Ready, the one track which defines early Genesis.  I regard Stagnation as Supper’s Ready’s baby brother, condemned to be forever outshone by its more muscular sibling.

Stagnation starts out as a gentle, acoustic track, builds to an agreeable climax of real anger, and ends with a positive resolution.  It is an ideal song for those tricky days when you really, really wanna drink to wash out the filth that is deep in your guts.  So, friends, let us drink, let us smile, let us go.

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