Classical Composer Reacts to GENESIS: MAMA (Live) | The Daily Doug (Episode 787)

#genesis #mama #genesisreaction
In this edition of #thedailydoug, I'm listening to a live performance of Mama by the band Genesis. I've enjoyed all of my listens to Genesis...as they're truly a great and versatile band. Here, we're getting into some of their repertoire from the early 1980's, as their sound was evolving from progressive and art rock to a more pop rock sound. I loved this one, and I hope you do as well!
Reference Video: • Genesis - Mama (Live a...
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Thanks to our friend TIM WAURICK for providing the vocals on the Daily Doug Intro and extended Outro: / @timwaurickmusic
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[@popozz]

Genesis is a band with an excellent drummer on vocals, an excellent guitarist playing bass, and an excellent bassist playing guitar.

[@stevenseul361]

You forgot the glue that held everything together. One of the best writers and keys Tony Banks

[@OliverKupper79]

And the fablous Chester Thompson

[@trsidn]

@@OliverKupper79 I think Phil and Chester are mentally linked....

[@jrbergsten]

Collins said in interviews that he “stole” that laugh from some rap song. Likely easy to find. He also said he used it to scare the band’s kids.

[@johnchapman7015]

@@jrbergsten Grandmaster Flash - The Message 🙂

[@TheSomsom3]

Man were they good. I'm crying as I write this. They were incredibly good in concert. I'm just happy to have seen them in my lifetime. Thank you thank you thank you.

[@RonFitzpatrick-vb2gd]

I got to see them back in ‘87. They were amazing!

[@bradyhogan6366]

First concert was Genesis January 14 at the L.A. Forum. Amazing

[@brucefreedman3655]

Mine was Dec 13, 1986 at Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia.

[@trsidn]

@@RonFitzpatrick-vb2gd saw them in 78... spectacular

[@MrJambug]

@@trsidn My first Genesis gig was also 1978 at Knebworth, the primary outdoor/festival location before Glastonbury took centre stage. I was also at this very gig at Wembley. Saw them most recently at the O2 in 2022. It was sad to see Phil so debilitated but he was on good form and still had the audience in the palm of his hand.

[@LuisGarcia-ee2tr]

Killer song. The atmosphere created by Banks' wonderful keyboards is beautiful, captivating, addictive. Phil sings with a total delivery of energy.

[@ch8989-dk6jd]

Genesis is the greatest band over time.

[@anthonydebot45]

They sold out 4 shows at the Wembley Stadium, four days in a row. Insane. They were at the peak of their popularity back then, and Phil's vocals sounded incredible in those days. Genesis is my favourite band of all time, musically nothing can top their 70's era output in my mind, but their 80's shows were incredibly powerful, and well worth watching.

[@HazardGoat]

Genesis is my favorite band, and this might be Phil's finest vocal performance ever.

[@silchasruinedmytea7307]

my favorite as well; i also think this was the height of his vocal abilities for sure, particularly live. i think his best singing on record is on We Can't Dance, even if that''s in general towards the bottom of the popular album rankings. His voice is so powerful on that whole record.

[@miradoruk]

I had the privilage to be at this concert, it was on my birthday, I was 19 and it totally blew me away....

[@loopycyclist3028]

They broadcast the whole concert live on Radio One and I can remember having the stereo on in the house with the tape recorder running and my late father turning the volume up high. Watch the rest definitely it's epic.

[@m.gideonhoyle409]

I saw them in Austin, TX, on the Genesis tour... This was their opener then, as well. Phil sang his heart out.

[@TheKatonahKid]

And the light in his face was great too.

[@stephenworldwide]

I used to chill at a local bar and the dj would play this at one point every weekend night, never forget this song. He also played "Burnin for You" and "Cum on feel the Noise" quite often.

[@396Cap]

So good. Best band ever. Even better live. Thanks for the reaction.

[@franckbizouard3357]

Best live performance of this incredible and powerful song!

[@fredericknalaremah939]

Doug, in recognition of Genesis at their absolute best please review their most poignant live track and I believe their best ever live performance of 'Fading Lights' from their Knebworth concert in 1992. The remastered version by Jesica Clark shows the 3 remaining members, Phil, Tony and Mike displaying for all time their musical genius...Heartrending Genesis perfection!

[@markscott2231]

If I'm not mistaken they played here 3 nights to over 275,000 fans. Incredible how popular they were in the 80's!

[@spunk88888]

The album is my favorite Genesis album from the Phil Collins era. Brillant stuff. Mama is a very strong song.

[@JD.Knight]

One of my favourite Genesis tracks is Driving The Last Spike. Always overlooked, you should check it out Doug.

[@jean-philippeperetti8463]

Same here. So happy I'm not alone to love that song.

[@richard5974]

Great song!

[@salvadormontorogoethe7619]

And Fading Lights!!!

[@timothybrennan3600]

Yes!

[@richardhargrave6082]

Its just brilliant

[@PokyPops]

Queensryche - Operation Livecrime is a fantastic live album. It's their Operation Mindcrime concept album performed end to end live and still impresses me today.

[@kaguya6900]

Probably also mentioned by someone else in the comments, but just in case. It's self-titled because it's really the first album by the group which is totally composed by the group rather than having a few songs composed by individuals. No one had any songs or even pieces of songs coming into the studio. They came in, found a riff or drum beat in the studio, and wrote songs as a group around those unprepared riffs or drum beats by improvising in the studio. So it's self-titled because it was the band and the band alone that wrote all the songs.

[@breese4425]

Phil’s vocals are just so great on this!

[@S-Ltd1000]

I was at one of those Wembley shows. Was a great decade to live through for music.

[@Shnowflak]

This was taken from the 1987 invisible touch tour.

[@heytallman]

Mama is absolutely their best song of their 80's era

[@hughcdavies]

Oh yes Wembley 1987 is the pic and a great show it is.

[@minty_Joe]

Live Aid 1985 was held there, too.

[@derekclear3913]

I was there at the old Wembley Stadium, they did 4 shows between Wednesday and Saturday (first act ever to do 4 consecutive nights), i was at the Wednesday show.

[@davemcdave2169]

I had this on VHS video tape. It was the Dominoe Tour. 1985 or 86 I think. I broke the tape I played it so much. Learned drums, and how to appreciate music by watching, learning and mimicking these sounds. Amazing when I think about it. Interesting seeing your take in it. Love from Central Scotland sir.

[@renepauly3344]

This event was recorded at the Old Wembley Stadium!

[@MattSingh1]

*They played four consecutive sold-out nights at the 80,000-capacity Wembley Stadium. The four nights were a record at the time, and was only bettered by Michael Jackson five years later. Genesis was the biggest, most-successful musical act on the planet circa 1986/1987, as in addition to these record sell-nights, their 1986 album Invisible Touch produced five singles that all went top-five in the US charts. All of this of course happened at the time Phil was one of the biggest solo acts on the planet as well.*

[@TRaymit]

I was lucky enough to go to this concert (on a different night) and I can confirm it was absolutely amazing! That is the old Webley stadium - I think it held around 75,000 per night and I think they did 3 or 4 sold out nights. It was a great venue, although it took around 4 hours to get out of the car park after the show as it fed onto little local roads, so that was less fun!

[@karenglenn6707]

This is one of my absolute favourite songs of all time. I still have the record that my then boyfriend bought me for my 24th birthday in 1984. I have heard this wonderful song at random places in my life, in Bali, Indonesia, at a campground at Yallingup on the Western Australian coast, in cars sitting at lights in Melbourne, Australia . I will love this song beyond my death. It is brilliant!!

[@IntoTheWhite04]

Would love you to do more from this gig. Drum Duet/Los Endos is incredible. Domino is fantastic too.

[@quadrophenius5379]

and Turn It On Again

[@IntoTheWhite04]

@@quadrophenius5379 I don't like that medley very much tbh. Abacab I could add actually. Gutted they cut In The Cage medley from the recording

[@IntoTheWhite04]

Can I also recommend In The Cage medley from the 1984 tour

[@LastCallHall]

That concert is one of my top 10 concert films ever. Maybe even top 5. Definitely worth watching the rest. Abacab slightly sped up (next song on the set) is amazing.

[@rtwbikerider]

It’s probably in my top 10 concert DVDs also. And, we’re lucky to have it. Between recording it in 1987 with state of the art equipment, and putting it out in 2004, the required playback devices nearly all disappeared. I think that they had to go to Sony in Japan for a playback deck. Imagine if Yessongs could have been recorded in hi-def video and 5.1 surround sound.

[@IntoTheWhite04]

The best version of abacab live or on record. It's great

[@ArchitexMaze75]

i was at this gig one of the best nights of my life!

[@olivierpierre968]

The ambiguity surrounding the song's 2 potential themes adds to its depth and impact. One interpretation suggests that the lyrics express the perspective of a fetus pleading with its mother, conveying a desperate desire for life: "Please give me a chance, can't you feel my heart? Don't take away my last chance." This interpretation adds a poignant emotional layer, as it imagines the fetus begging for the opportunity to live. The other possible interpretation is that the song tells the story of a young teenager who has developed an intense fixation on a woman he perceives as a maternal figure. This woman, who is actually a prostitute he encountered by chance, does not reciprocate his feelings, leaving him confused and yearning for her affection. This scenario highlights themes of unrequited love, longing, and misunderstanding. The richness of the song lies in its ability to evoke such diverse and powerful emotions, whether it is about the unborn child's plea or the teenager's infatuation with the unattainable woman. The lyrics can resonate on multiple levels, making the song more compelling and open to personal interpretation. As Doug would say it Is a deceptive tune.

[@seankeogh6102]

I was there at Wembley. One of the best concerts of my life (I'm 60 this year and I've been to a few)

[@OwenVickersGuitar]

Incredible tune! That whole self titled album was amazing.

[@johnanderson290]

After Mama as their opener, they immediately broke right into Abacab, which is also phenomenal! Especially the long instrumental outro section! 🔥🎶 Hoping that you also react to that one Dr. Doug!✌️

[@shimwooley]

Oh ! What a band !!

[@derekclear3913]

On that DVD the last track 'Turn it on again' has a good Blues Brothers inspired medley.

[@TheKatonahKid]

Love the video! Genesis is my favorite of all time ahead of Tull, Yes and a couple of other prog bands. I never tire of them because they have gone through so many progressions with the Gabriel years, early Collins and then the later more popular music. And I think Bank's and Rutherford's great songwriting is the foundation of Genesis.

[@davenelson-yd2mv]

when i got this on VHS tape i was amazed by this whole concert. this tour played memorial day weekend in Cleveland Ohio and the band took the stage ith the temperature of 40 degrees

[@leleobhz]

The concept of completude that never comes just blowed my mind! Thank you so much!

[@wilsona7x18]

I bought this pirate DVD when I was a teen with 14 or 15 years old and was a lucid experience for me to expanded my range listening subgenres of Metal nowadays. Phil is the best Phil in the whole world :3

[@damianbancks7144]

One of my favs of theirs. I notice you have another of their albums in your background. Duke. One if my fav tracks on that one too. Turn it On Again has some great timing shifts in it.

[@bruno1982afonso]

This song is a masterclass on restraint and keeping the tension. The fact that you only get to hear the first cymbal hit after more then half the song is done, especially in a song where the drums play such a huge roll, always baffles me. It's also, if memory serves me right on his catalog, the song where Phil hits his hardest note ever in the studio version. Really raw and aggressive. Love it!

[@MrBlond777]

Wow 🤩 what a concert! The opening when they enter the stage with that insanely huge crowd! I saw Genesis on this tour in Kansas City! Thx for the great 👍 reaction!

[@cmonsterz]

I’ve always enjoyed how the music of Genesis breathes and they use an open structure magnificently!

[@raoulfranck3108]

I am so glad to have seen Phil Collins seen life. Great souvenir. And also a special souvenir because when police stopped me and gave me my first ‚reward‘ in ma.life as an autodriver st my age of 18 and MAMA was playibg in my carradio 😁.

[@darkogregec7503]

It is probably the first song I heard from Phil. Way back in the eighties.

[@rodneybaer4324]

2 more live versions that I love a lot are from 1991 and then, the more recent... and their final best is the Live Over Europe Tour from 2007.

[@pmnphxaz]

With the passing of Doug Ingle, you should release a Master Piece Friday/ Metal Monday of Iron Butterfly.

[@TheNosferatu666]

AWESOME Tune stil! Nearly 50 years later!

[@salvadormontorogoethe7619]

Phil is not in his best moment, but maybe you could get an interview with Tony Banks, I am pretty sure he could tell you loooaaadddsss about the chord progressions. Thank you again, Doug!!!!

[@CaptainTedStryker]

First concert at an arena for me was Genesis in 83 IIRC. Still remember moments from that show...the walkie-talkie bit in Illegal Alien, the amazing lightshow during the synth outro of Abacab, great live show! I'd also be up for watching the rest of this Wembley show...

[@slowmarchingband1]

The maniacal laugh was inspired by Grandmaster Flash. I was at one of these concerts, a week after seeing Peter Gabriel on the So tour. Quite a week..

[@Angelicus-p5p]

I became a new Genesis fan when I saw them perform this in January 1984 in Vancouver, my first big concert. Had never heard of them before.

[@alexthorpe6583]

One of my favorite songs, period, when I was 17 in 1988. But I never heard a live version until now. Interesting perspective on the musical blueballs. The album version ends on a fade-out, with Phil still yelling and ‘laughing’.

[@barriehull7076]

New Wembley Wikipedia: Built 2003-2007 Opened 9 March 2007; 17 years ago Construction cost £789 million (£1.51 billion today)

[@LiSa.N.J]

I seen them in concert in Philly back on May 29th 1987 at the old Veterans Stadium. Good times! Great band!!!

[@kivimik]

While Genesis started down the improvised composition road in Abacab partially (and I think a little bit in Duke), the self-titled album was where they exclusively created their music in the studio together, rather than bringing songs in. That was largely the impetus for calling the album Genesis.

[@discostoo]

How good was that eh? Wow. I'm lucky enough to be a Brit who's old enough to have seen Genesis a few times with my father. Thanks for deconstructing this track, you've encapsulated the feelings perfectly!

[@TB-303]

Chester Thompson, what a drummer.

[@jwsel]

The full concert is on KZbin. Just search for Genesis 1987 Wembley.

[@PeteChilcott]

Hi, Doug. You're right on that this read the old Wembley. I got to see this concert in '87 and they were excellent. If you have watched the film concert yet, I urge you to do so sad it was a great set. Home by the Sea segued into Second Home By the Sea was the highlight for me. To seen Phil working with Chester Thompson was just a joy.

[@billhawkins1236]

I remember extremely well my wife, myself and my sister in the second row at the Rosemont Horizon ($150.00 per ticket, seems cheap now) for this tour. And I remember distinctly the vari-light rig kind of changing shape and dropping down towards the stage in time with the drums. It was awesome! 😎👍👍

One of my favourite songs of that time.

[@richardhargrave6082]

I'm pretty sure I was at that gig, unless they wore the same clothes every show! I think there were about 83,000 of us squeezed in to The Old Wembley I saw them at Birmingham NEC as well, I think that was the Domino Tour, got the programmes in the loft, need to dig them out They were so good, Tony Banks is underrated, Chester Thompson is an awesome drummer. Then as it gets darker you can really see the Vari-lites!

[@stevecampbell3115]

Was at that concert, Paul Young supporting them and Benny Hill in the introduction video, great concert that I think was on the 4th July. Fastest I've ever got home from a concert a quick cab round the north circular and home to Woodford in about 25 minutes.

[@sigil5772]

Great song to start with as with the Linn it can just be the three core members on stage saying hello, before Daryl and then Chester step in to fill out the sound

[@mattleppard1964]

They were arguably the biggest band in the world at that time. Huge here in the UK. And I agree that this is the gold standard version of this song - just brilliant. It really is worth doing the next 3-4 songs all in a row ❤ Pretty much a year after this concert, I stood there in Wembley to see Floyd. Hottest day of the summer, 1988. It is the “old” one - sadly.

[@Pugwash.]

My sister-in-law once saw my CD collection of early genesis and was unaware they had albums before this one. It was like they changed from "before" to "after".

[@evankeal]

This and Abacab are studio songs that could never be supassed in power. Live versions are thin and tiny, but they do come with nice endings. Abacab: A ton of extra synth parts that are ignored live. Mama: That scream on 'I' was only ever accomplished on a good day in a studio. Best scream ever.

[@shredofmalarchi]

I love drum machines.

[@Gina-kb9xg]

This is old Wembley stadium as I was there for what was supposed to be the last concert ever before it was torn down… it was Bon Jovi and then that r a t Elton John decided to pull a fast one and did a last minute to go down as the last concert. New Stadium opened on 2007

[@ijmanchester]

Looking at all those album sleeves behind you, they're alll British acts!! Good man!! 😃

[@heynicedo123]

Have you ever reviewed Seconds Out?? Fantastic live double album, with some amazing dual percussion from Chester and Phil!!

[@ArchitexMaze75]

three sides live the best live album just incredible

[@MartinJessop-bi4yt]

Brilliant song. I think this was the last tour where they did mama as phil started having voice trouble and couldn't hit the high notes on this one any more. Saw them in 1992 but wish i had been at this gig

[@kevinpeacock4000]

Doug, I would implore you to listen/review two of my favorite Genesis tracks at some point. Burning Rope from And Then There were Three, and from what I regard as their best album Duke's Travel's from Duke. Those songs just take you on a journey.

[@Duketributechannel]

Genesis occupy a predominant part of my musical imprinting together with King Crimson, Yes, Jethro Tull, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin. Nonetheless, I don't particularly love their production after Wind an Wuthering when Steve Hackett left the lineup, but I must also say that Mama is one of the few subsequent songs that I liked and gave me emotions. I respectfully greet you Doug, congratulations on what you do with competence and enthusiasm.

[@toddgersh]

Saw this at the old spectrum when I was in fifth grade. That moment when Chester comes in changed my life.

[@josephparisi9176]

I saw the Mama tour in Denver. It was a great show. We camped out for tickets and it went down to zero degrees. It is the coldest I have ever been in my life but it was worth it.

[@DZibman]

Seconds Out by Genesis is one of the greatest live albums of all time. It would be a good one for review.

[@IntoTheWhite04]

Mike plays lead on post hackett stuff and Darryl plays hackett's lead parts. There are a few exceptions and on Los Endos Mike switches between bass and lead and plays bass pedals too. On the knebworth 92 show they do an excellent medley of old songs. Its incredible and called Old Medley. 18 mins of perfection

[@MrJambug]

If you are going to do a live album it has to be Seconds Out. It is that album that got me into Genesis, as it did a lot of people I think. Unforetuneately it is audio only, but every track is an absolute classic and they nail every one, including my favourite version ever of Supers Ready. Alas, you will have to look elsewhere if you want video, but that Wembley gig is magnificent as well.

[@EHiggins]

Peak mullets, the band was on top!

[@Shnowflak]

My mum was at this gig. She wouldn’t take me! I was only 9. She got me a T-shirt though, I still have it.

[@Drchainsaw77]

Ohhh, so close! It's ABACAB right after this you need!!

[@shallowlord]

Today 6 june it's 80 years since D-Day.. You must hear the longest day by Iron Maiden that's about that day.

[@Jacobruxo]

Do you remember if the cover version was from Angra? They did a pretty cool version to Mama... it's pretty close the original but the vocals form Edu Falaschi are great!

[@musicandfiction]

There is no way I am going to miss this. :D

[@perry3928]

Such an awesome concert. Definitely check out the rest of this show. I still have all the ticket stubs from all the concerts. This one cost me , are you ready? $18.00. And then there were 3 tour $8.50.

[@generallz]

The greatest band ever!

[@Auzathoth]

It's the old Wembley, yes. You can tell by there's no arch. I went to one of the four concerts, but never remember if it was the one that was recorded :D

[@RandyColby]

This was my first reaction of yours to watch, and apparently you have perfect pitch?

[@-elijahriggs-]

you really attitude the understanding of what was going on. Not that it's needs it. I don't have to recognize mi and ray, etc. but your attitude without taking anything away from it. I love Phil Collins I love Genesis of all that stuff and I've never seen this. That whole performance gave me the band took me back to the 80s even though I was a child and I never saw Genesis back then.

[@crissieangel9349]

I was fortunate enough to be at this concert....it was absolutely awsome The band were so "tight"......not a single bad moment in the entire show Ii will never forget the electric atmosphere....and phils interactions with the audience Were brilliant. .

[@reneechristopher2121]

Lucky you.❤❤😊😊I could only imagine......😊😊

[@Snipely]

Great tune. Phil getting a bit more theatrical than usual. I love the switching modalities and that wonderful half diminished chord leading to the E major.

[@paulcassidy8130]

I was at one of the four July '87 Wembley gigs and can confirm that this was indeed the concert opener. And that is indeed the old Wembley Stadium; it was demolished in 2002-3 and a replacement built.

[@silchasruinedmytea7307]

Mike still played a fair amount of guitar live when Steve was in the band; he operated bass pedals on the tunes that called for two guitar players

[@richardkeeler2347]

Just missed this gig ...well sick

[@johnmulligan7771]

Yes its the old Wembley