Follow You, Follow Me

"Follow You, Follow Me" is a 1978 single by Genesis. Originally released as the last track from their 1978 album …And Then There Were Three…, the single was Genesis's first American Top 40 and UK Top 10 hit. The song was also a harbinger of the more radio friendly direction Genesis would take over the next decade.

The music was written by Tony Banks, Phil Collins, and Mike Rutherford, with lyrics by Rutherford.

Background

Genesis continued to play progressive rock up until and including 1980's Duke. The slower, overtly sentimental love-themed "Follow You, Follow Me" was a departure from their previous work, and indeed the rest of the album. Although previous albums contained love ballads, such as Selling England by the Pound's "More Fool Me", "Follow You, Follow Me" was the first worldwide pop success by the group and gained the band play on adult contemporary and pop music stations. The band all agreed that their music was attracting mainly male audiences, almost 95% in fact. This song was written specifically to redress the balance.

Music Video

The Music video for the song was a mimed live performance of the band. Featured on their DVD The Video Show.

Live Performances

The song was played live during the …And Then There Were Three…, Duke, Three Sides Live Encore tour , Mama, Invisible Touch (1986 set only), The Way We Walk, Calling All Stations (with Ray Wilson on vocals), and Turn it On Again Tours .

For the The Way We Walk, this song was played as part of a medley of old Genesis songs called the Old Meldy. Because of this the song wasn't always played in its entirety during the The Way We Walk Tour.

During the Turn it On Again Tour, Phil Collins performed on the Drums as well as the vocals, while animated line art of a selection of the band's album art played in the background video screens.

Cover versions And Other Appearances

• Former Genesis singer Ray Wilson performs the Song Acoustically on his solo Live Album.
• It was also covered by American band Red House Painters for the first edition of Badman's Shanti Project Collection
• This song was also featured in Cold Case season 1 episode 12 'Glued'.

References