LAND OF CONFUSION
Tony Banks - Phil Collins - Mike Rutherford
The third single from the album, INVISIBLE TOUCH. Chart: #4. Time - 4:45.
Flip Side: "Feeding The Fire".
Recorded at The Farm, England, March-September 1991.
Produced by Genesis and Nick Davis. Engineered by Nick Davis and Mark Robinson.
Directed at leaders about what a mess we are making of the world. The United States and USSR were bitter enemies and there was always the possibility of nuclear war. Ironically, when it was written, Mikhail Gorbachev had just taken over as leader of the Soviet Union and U.S.-Soviet relations were beginning to thaw. The song did have one of the most memorable videos, during the early video age of MTV, featuring caricature puppets of the band. - Larry -
Phil Collins - lead vocals, drums |
Mike Rutherford
"It just says that we live in a beautiful world and we're making a mess of it. When Phil came to sing it, I was actually in bed with the flu and he came over to my house because they'd done all the vocals bar this one and he sat on my bed like a secretary, Miss Moneypenney taking a letter! I was kind of delerious state with a very high temperature and I dictated it to him and I remember thinking 'I think I told him the right thing', 'Was it all rubbish or was it any good?' "
Phil Collins
"A political song about the mess we have landed in."
Mike Rutherford - 2017:Songfacts
"I've always shied away from doing what I call a preachy song, a protest song, but it seemed to work. Maybe because the music was quite angry it made it work."
YOU TUBE STUDIO TRACK OFFICIAL VIDEO YOU TUBE LYRIC VIDEO YOU TUBE LIVE 1986 I must've dreamed a thousand dreams Been haunted by a million screams I can hear the marching feet They're moving into the street. Now did you read the news today They say the danger's gone away But I can see the fire's still alight Burning into the night. Too many men Too many people Making too many problems And not much love to go round Can't you see This is a land of confusion. This is the world we live in And these are the hands we're given Use them and let's start trying To make it a place worth living in. Superman where are you now Everything's gone wrong somehow The men of steel, men of power Are losing control by the hour. This is the time This is the place So we look for the future But there's not much love to go round Tell me why, this is a land of confusion. This is the world we live in And these are the hands we're given Use them and let's start trying To make it a place worth living in. I remember long ago - When the sun was shining The stars were bright All through the night And the sound of your laughter As I held you tight So long ago - I won't be coming home tonight My generation will put it right We're not just making promises That we know, we'll never keep. Too many men Too many people Making too many problems And not much love to go round Can't you see This is a land of confusion. This is the world we live in And these are the hands we're given Use them and let's start trying To make it a place worth fighting for. This is the world we live in And these are the names we're given Stand up and let's start showing Just where our lives are going to.