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Genesis - Happy The Man  CD (album) cover

HAPPY THE MAN

Genesis

 

Symphonic Prog

3.21 | 66 ratings

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Matti
Prog Reviewer
3 stars The song 'Happy the Man' is a Genesis rarity from the golden era, and for that reason it certainly is of interest, but judged as a song it's without a doubt one of their poorest. OK, the debut album from 1969 contains perhaps even worse songs, but we're speaking of the classic, prog era Genesis. Having released the ambitious prog albums Trespass and Nursery Cryme, and on the way of releasing Foxtrot with a side-long epic in it, they must have thought "Hey, let's make a simple, naiive and happy song just for change!" That goal was reached very well. It is a nice little song that makes you feel happy, and the lyrics are amusing. But would it fit into one of their classic albums? No, I don't think so. Selling England's 'More Fool Me' (sung by Phil Collins) is often considered as a weak filler track, but to me it fits there just fine.

Many progheads think that the American prog band Happy The Man took their name from this single, but they picked it from a line in Goethe's Faust, originating from the Bible.

On the B side is 'Seven Stones' a wonderful song from Nursery Cryme. I have always liked it very much; it's relatively short and more or less in the verse-chorus-verse structure, but full of vintage prog charisma. The single itself is a valuable collector's item, but for its contents three stars is enough.

Matti | 3/5 |

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