As most of their rock peers struggled to hang on to the highest reaches of the pop charts through the 1980s, Genesis not only made it through, but also kept it rolling into the early ’90s. “I Can’t Dance” earned them their last Top-10 spot in the U.S. and UK in 1991.
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What’s striking about “I Can’t Dance” is just how uncharacteristic it was in terms of the band’s typical musical approach. Here’s how this musically stark, lyrically snarky track came to life.
One Last “Dance”
It’s somewhat ironic to think of Genesis as chart survivors, considering that they were for a good chunk of their career about the last band you’d expect to court mass appeal. Throughout the ’70s, the band created multipart song suites with byzantine lyrics concocted by frontman Peter Gabriel. Not exactly catnip for pop radio, although it won them plenty of loyal fans.
When Gabriel left and the band dwindled down to the trio of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks, a change in approach took place. Gradually, they weeded out some of the more overt prog-rock influences in favor of streamlined songs that slotted in well next to the Journeys and Foreigners of the world.
It didn’t hurt that Collins became a solo star in his own right, building up the anticipation for each new Genesis release. Collins was coming off a worldwide chart-topping album in 1989 with …But Seriously when the band convened for what would turn out to be their last studio album (We Can’t Dance) with him as frontman.
People who heard “I Can’t Dance” were likely somewhat stunned. Genesis had never shied away from taking a humorous slant in a song, so that wasn’t the unusual part. Instead, it was the riff-rocking approach that upset the apple cart a bit.
The band purposely kept the sound of the song as spare as possible once they decided they liked the groove conjured by Rutherford’s guitar part. No winding keyboard solos or multiple modulations. Just that chunky thump and Collins singing in a sly approximation of the vocals of Roland Gift of Fine Young Cannibals, who were a hot commodity at the time.
Sadly, “I Can’t Dance” turned out to be one of the reasons this version of Genesis would never again record another studio album. Collins felt that the band’s fans failed to get the lyrical intent, which was a swipe at the style-over-substance ethos of the culture at the time. That was one of the reasons he cited for deciding to stick with his solo career from that point forward.
What is “I Can’t Dance” About?
Collins’ lyrics were partly inspired by blue jeans commercials, ads he considered somewhat vapid. Hence, the line in the chorus: I’m just standing here selling everything. The narrator is so focused on throwing out cool vibes he’s willing to risk danger in the service of it: Gators getting close, hasn’t got me yet.
This guy wants to be one of the beautiful and charmed, but he doesn’t have the looks or the game to match the attitude: Mmm, she’s got a body under that shirt / But all she wants to do is rub my face in the dirt. Luckily, the atmosphere cloaks his awkwardness: Thick smoke, see her smiling through /I never thought so much could happen just shootin’ pool.
As they often did, the band made sure “I Can’t Dance” came with a spoofy video that allowed Collins to do some mugging. Even though the music wasn’t as ornate, many elements of the Genesis attack plan were still in place as they charmed the charts this one last time.
Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images
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