Genesis - Back In N.Y.C. Lyrics






I see faces and traces of home back in New York City
So you think I'm a tough kid? Is that what you heard?
Well I like to see some action and it gets into my blood
The call me the trail blazer-Rael-electric razor
I'm the pitcher in the chain gang, we don't believe in pain
'Cos we're only as strong, yes we're only as strong
As the weakest link in the chain
Let me out of Pontiac when I was just seventeen
I had to get it out of me, if you know what I mean, what I mean

You say I must be crazy, 'cos I don't care who I hit, who I hit
But I know it's me that's hitting out and I'm not full of shit
I don't care who I hurt, I don't care who I do wrong
This is your mess I'm stuck in, I really don't belong
When I take out my bottle, filled up high with gasoline
You can tell by the night fires where Rael has been, has been

As I cuddled the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape. No!
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape. No!
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape. No!
Off we go. Off we go. Off we go. Off we go

You're sitting in your comfort you don't believe I'm real
You cannot buy protection from the way that I feel
Your progressive hypocrites hand out their trash
But it was mine in the first place, so I'll burn it to ash
And I've tasted all the strongest meats
And laid them down in coloured sheets
Laid them down in coloured sheets
Who needs illusion of love and affection
When you're out walking in the streets with your mainline connection? Connection

As I cuddle the porcupine
He said I had none to blame, but me
Held my heart, deep in hair
Time to shave, shave it off, it off
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape. No!
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape. No!
No time for romantic escape
When your fluffy heart is ready for rape. No!
No time





Other Lyrics by Artist

Rand Lyrics

Last Posts

Genesis Back In N.Y.C. Comments
  1. s.... e....

    Ahhhh I'm not Full of Shit.........Love it.

  2. s.... e....

    This is Big...…..Very Big

  3. C.... M....

    still shaving my heart all these years later & let's not forget Eno's affect on the lamb

  4. D.... T....

    I see faces and traces of home
    Back in New York City, you're home

    So you think I'm a tough kid, is that what you heard?
    Well, I like to see some action and it gets into my blood
    They call me the trail blazer, Rael electric razor
    I'm the pitcher in the chain gang, we don't believe in pain

    'Cos we're only as strong
    'Cos we're only as strong
    As the weakest link in the chain

    Let me out of Pontiac when I was just seventeen
    I had to get it out of me
    If you know what I mean, what I mean

    You say, I must be crazy, 'cos I don't care who I hit, who I hit
    But I know it's me that's hitting out, and I'm, I'm not full of shit
    I don't care who I hurt, I don't care who I do wrong
    This is your mess, I'm stuck in, I really don't belong

    When I take out my bottle filled up high with gasoline
    You can tell by the night fires
    Where Rael has been, has been

    As I cuddled the porcupine
    He said, I had none to blame, but me
    Held my heart, deep in hair
    Time to shave, shave it off, it off


    No time for romantic escape
    When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
    No time for romantic escape
    When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
    No time for romantic escape
    When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
    Off we go, off we go, off we go, off we go

    You're sitting in your comfort, you don't believe I'm real
    You cannot buy protection from the way that I feel
    Your progressive hypocrites hand out their trash
    But it was mine in the first place, so I'll burn it to ash

    And I've tasted all the strongest meats
    And laid them down on colored sheets
    Laid them down on colored sheets

    Who needs illusion of love and affection
    When you're out walking in the streets
    With your mainline connection, connection

    As I cuddle the porcupine
    He said, I had none to blame, but me
    Held my heart, deep in hair
    Time to shave, shave it off, it off


    No time for romantic escape
    When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
    No time for romantic escape
    When your fluffy heart is ready for rape, no
    No time for romantic escape
    When your fluffy heart is ready for rape
    No time

  5. C.... F....

    I see faces and traces of home


    BAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCK IN NEEEEEEEEWWWWW YOOOOOOOOOORK CIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITYYYYYYYYYYYYYY HUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHH

  6. J.... D....

    Quintessential Genesis robotic sound that Phil would carry through Abacab. Love PG's vocals on this, and Phil's drums opening up the song with the cymbals. Killer.

  7. P.... K....

    Why didn't they take a hiatus for 3 years or 4, do some solo stuff, and keep Genesis as the experimental leg?
    The album contains some of the greatest stuff they ever had, but is incomplete or half-baked in some corners.

    Back In NYC however is a masterpiece, and Mr. Gabriel's "shouting" vocals here are outstanding.

  8. S.... R....

    2:51 "As I cuddled the porcupine he said I had None to blame but me" Damn Right. And one ot the greatest Moments on the whole Album, too.

  9. N.... B....

    It’s dinner break at school mid 70’s, and my mates are in mine listening to this and trying to absorb every last detail of this phenomenal album, now nearly 45 years I could cry every time I hear every track, incredible, timeless.

  10. s.... s....

    Just goes to show how versatile the best band in the world were. From heavenly dreams to street grit. No band touches them in my book.

  11. j.... b....

    First heard it in 1975 ...still love it !

  12. K.... E....

    Memories.. of 8 track tapes and a Dodge Dart.. those were the good days.

  13. l.... ....

    Does Phil add his background vocals at 2:54 or is thst just Peter Double tracked?? Insane good song all around!

  14. J.... P....

    Whatta performance!!!! Prog Rock Punk!

  15. D.... B....

    I'm pretty crap at counting time signitures, this is in 7/8 right?

  16. R.... D....

    Colin's good drummer but Gabriel alone IS Genesis+

  17. D.... S....

    Banks considers this a weak album.WTF

  18. D.... ....

    Nothing else out there sounds like this album.

  19. l.... b....

    This song is light years ahead of its' time. It would sit comfortably
    on OK computer

  20. V.... J....

    A Great One. Genesis.

  21. a.... w....

    If only I had a time machine. Thank God to my parents who raised me on this awesome music. What I would give to go back and witness the greatest era in music there has ever been or will be.

  22. S.... P....

    I want to drive through Manhattan in heavy traffic, with the windows down, and this song pumped up! Rock on!!

  23. N.... J....

    I had not listened to this for decades.
    Wow. Monumental. I am speechless.

    N.... J....

    I discovered it for the first time now and I have a feeling I'll be listening to it for decades...

  24. M.... G....

    Who needs illusion of love and affection......these guys are from Mars, no doubt.

    M.... G....

    you need to read/hear the next part of the sentence, darling, sweety.

    M.... G....

    @Nawang Jinpa I was listening to this when you were still pissing your pants.

  25. D.... y....

    I know it's silly and hypothetical but IF Gabriel had stuck around ... where next ?

    D.... y....

    Hard to say for sure. I think Peter felt like he had done all he could do with those bandmates and wanted to explore other ways of doing things and to me it was inevitable they would split. I think there were way too many egos in that band to support staying together like the Stones for instance. I think if he did stay they would have still gone more "mainstream" regardless. I think every musician at some point wants to appeal to the most people, not just a niche. Great comment yours...

  26. S.... G....

    No time for romantic escapes, when you're... floating on a gay parade.






    Sorry, I'll show myself out.

  27. j.... c....

    I listen to genesis since I was 13 years old and I feel like I'm never going to get tired

  28. j.... c....

    I always imagine this song performed by guns n 'roses

  29. D.... L....

    Is this a remastered version? It sounds different from the vinyl record I own. Great piece anyway

  30. A.... T....

    Phil Collins é straordinario. Ritmo, intensità e fantasia insieme. Best, best, best!!!

  31. K.... T....

    32 people have no hairy heart.

  32. K.... W....

    Saw "The Lamb" in Chicago and then they were gone. Compare "NYC" to "Take Me Home" OMG! Devolution indeed. IMO.

  33. D.... H....

    So you get a *BANGING* tune together....You then add some lyrics that would be up there with some pretty impressive poetry......You then sing the song in a style an intonation that is an art for in itself....and you *THEN* do it for about another 20 tracks on the album!

  34. D.... H....

    Punk with actual musical ability!

  35. m.... ....

    to appreciate phils drumming on this watch this
    Bonzoleum's * BACK IN N.Y.C. * DRUM COVER Genesis 1974

  36. K.... ....

    Maybe one of the hardest rocking tracks without a distorted guitar!

  37. B.... E....

    One of the best songs in the history of rock!! I love Genesis and also Van der Graaf Generator!! And in general all the prog rock bands of the seventies: Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Yes, ELP, Camel, Jethro Tull, Caravan, Focus, etc.

  38. J.... C....

    I had never heard the drums like this before. Phil knows rhythm. And Peter's vocal effects sound way different.

  39. T.... M....

    What can I say?... Brilliant

  40. B.... B....

    How do you even come up with this?

    B.... B....

    Be an Englishman born in the 1940's

  41. S.... K....

    The 6th and final genesis album that had Peter Gabriel as the lead singer before he went solo.

  42. m.... ....

    don't like the remixes, like the original versions better

  43. A.... ....

    My fave track on the album. The intensity and darkness of the track reminds me of something Peter Hammill of VDGG might write, another genius of the prog scene.

  44. D.... H....

    My favorite part - the glissando on the moog down to the lower register is muted in this version. And the weird echo on Peter Gabriel's voice is distracting.

    Still love the song, but I much prefer the earlier mix.

  45. M.... A....

    This brilliant song never ceases to blow me away, after all these years listening to it! Just an absolute masterpiece by Genesis, here!

  46. T.... P....

    This song always seemed like it belonged more on the Who's QUADROPHENIA.

  47. M.... S....

    je me lasse jamais !!!!

  48. B.... K....

    Phil's best drumming performance, perhaps ever. I can see why he points to this album as his favorite with Genesis. He was truly on fire behind the kit.

  49. P.... I....

    Peter Gabriel too good, great singer, awesome lyricist -> Me shaking, crying, rolling on a floor, screaming
    This is too painful, This is too beautiful
    Time to shave, shave it off

    P.... I....

    I'd go along with that! There is a certain anarchy & raw power to some songs. Amazing stuff!

  50. c.... b....

    Punk before punk arrived. Jaw dropping stuff

    c.... b....

    No, not punk at all. Stooges were punk before punk arrived, this is weird prog rock.

  51. D.... S....

    Phil Collins sparkling

  52. j.... s....

    Extreme "Leave me alone"

    j.... s....

    What's funny all these yackoff drummers saying Phil's drumming isn't that difficult. Lol. Yeah crazy for sure What was the jazz fusion band he was in? Listen to that. And then tell me he's not that good 805/815 name of band something like that

  53. M.... S....

    This is Prog Rock. The Ultimate Masterpiece.

  54. T.... ....

    Tony Banks is mesmerizing on this entire album when under the influence of THC. 🔥

  55. B.... F....

    'You can tell by the night fire where Rael has been' This is such a great song.

  56. H.... i....

    Recreating an old mixtape. Track 14. Thank You! :)

  57. N.... A....

    the bass synth that starts at around 4:18 right ear is the best thing i heard in my life

  58. R.... K....

    "As I cuddled the porcupine
    He said I had none to blame, but me."

  59. R.... G....

    phil at his very best great

  60. S.... P....

    Wonderful!!!This is the real rock!!!

  61. M.... A....

    I was absolutely blown away when I heard this for the first time! Just brilliant from Genesis, here folks! :o) :o)

  62. F.... B....

    you can tell by the night fires where rael has been.

  63. G.... ....

    "When I take out my bottle, fill it high with gasoline
    You can tell by the night fires
    Where Rael has been, has been...…. "

  64. C.... ....

    This song is so proto-punk and proto-new wave. Genius

    C.... ....

    I don't get the connection people make with this song to proto-punk...this song is in an odd time signature, and has lots of drum syncopation and weird synths all over the place, punk is almost always power chords but not a single power chord is played by Steve Hackett in this song. Musically, it's not similar to punk at all. Proto-punk is stuff like the Stooges, MC5, and NY Dolls, not this.

    C.... ....

    Perhaps proto-proto?

    C.... ....

    @Sandro Kovalev Maybe not so much in the technical details of the music, rather the more general feeling, the rawness and effectiveness of the energy, the pressured heat coming out with channeled yet almost unbearable intensity (the topic/lyrics of the song possibly being key). I think the ref. to both punk and new-wave points to a certain kind of "lyrical" punk, not just any punk. My 2 cents, hey.

  65. D.... B....

    I'm a musician and can hear some very complicated and well executed work maybe compare them to yes but not pink Floyd

  66. D.... L....

    This is probably the greatest 4/4 song ever written.

    D.... L....

    its 7/8

    D.... L....

    It's a joke buddy.

  67. J.... W....

    TLLDOB is a lean, mean masterpiece. This track captures that as well as any other on the album. I've been revisiting Genesis for the first time in 20 years or more and this is the only album that's totally satisfying for me. The streamlined arrangements make the songs breathe in a way that, for me, sometimes got lost in the obligatory, extended instrumental passages typical of the High Prog era. Yes, they don't stint on instrumental passages here, but, to my ears, they arise more organically from the song structures than some of the noodling on other albums. I'd like to think Brian Eno's presence inspired a bit of discipline.

    Love the concept too. Pastoral English eccentricity is all very well, but an unhinged tale of self-discovery in NYC? Now ya talking!

  68. A.... B....

    "As I cuddled the porcupine
    He said I had none to blame, but me.
    Held my heart, deep in hair,
    Time to shave, shave it off, it off.
    No time for romantic escape,
    When your fluffy heart is ready for rape. No!
    Off we go..."

  69. A.... B....

    "I see faces and traces of home back in New York City -
    So you think I'm a tough kid? Is that what you heard?
    Well I like to see some action and it gets into my blood.
    The call me the trail blazer - Rael - electric razor
    I'm the pitcher in the chain gang, we don't believe in pain
    'cos we're only as strong, yes we're only as strong,
    as the weakest link in the chain." "Let me out of Pontiac when I was just seventeen,
    I had to get it out of me, if you know what I mean, what I mean."

  70. N.... K....

    This song leaves me speechless. What a vocal by Peter Gabriel. Just heartbreaking in its intensity. Violent, heartless, reflection of a life gone wrong. Incredible drumming by Phil Collins, stellar keyboards by Tony. I'm speechless.

    N.... K....

    Is saw it live

  71. t.... c....

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Correctional_Center

  72. J.... G....

    Goddam!

  73. b.... ....

    i buttfuck my girlfriend to this track

  74. K.... M....

    Why would one lay the strongest meats in coloured sheets?

    K.... M....

    I think it is a sexual reference.

    K.... M....

    Kenneth Marshall sex during menstruation

  75. t.... ....

    Could the "fluffy heart" be a ladies wotsit?? I dno but Gabriels lyrics sometimes seem very risque and bawdy?? Or maybe it's my mind that is broken.....

    t.... ....

    tronlady1 perhaps PG's mind is that twisted and bawdy...

  76. C.... T....

    Timeless Music!!

  77. P.... F....

    any live version ?

  78. s.... ....

    Blue blood, what is it? Pools of iridescent pollution lap the feathers that tickle your loins. Sad drummer boys, no Hollywood movie to join. Vultures that sing so happy days forever gone. God muyed, stappes on virgin lips, all in agreement, ready for loyin. You a trader so full of some coin. Every slice of flesh, stripped away in time. Grandmothers of dead flesh preaching of soings. You, like children, sucking on poings. You so close to rebirth lapping at joings.

  79. J.... S....

    otra que tal pascual. otra bestial

  80. g.... b....

    Very good song

  81. a.... s....

    Everything that's right with prog is right here, and everything's that wrong is not. 5.45 of pure energy.

  82. b.... b....

    Powerful, come on British Boys, fuck Cowell,  get back to something like this.

  83. B.... i....

    proto-punk? :o

    B.... i....

    No...Stooges and New York Dolls were proto-punk, this just a prog rock song with loud vocals and curse words.

  84. J.... M....

    MAGNIFICENT PETER AND GENESIS!!!!!!

  85. A.... D....

    A great song!!

  86. N.... L....

    " ya sitting in your comfort.. you don't believe I'm real..ya cannot buy protection.. from tha way that I feel.."🎼🎼❤

  87. R.... ....

    It's my inspiration for life. And I'm back yet again.

  88. W.... ....

    P.G. & P.C. are so fucking heavy rockin'! I ... just love it!!! Ok, the rest of the band is also enormous, but who is leading this? Nevertheless, great attacking Bass, hysterical Guitar and manic Organ. But who is leading this?! Ok, T.B. is 3rd of the pack! Ok, M.R. is irreplacable pumping, the 4th, and S.H. phasing it up to the 5th! Who the glory is leading this? GENESIS!!! ;)

  89. A.... R....

    " but it was mine in tha first place..so I burn it to ash.."

  90. j.... ....

    spettacolare

  91. C.... K....

    The Electronic Synth played by Tony is Awesome..!

  92. b.... d....

    The keyboards coming in at 4:20.

  93. b.... d....

    The beauty and magnificence of this music is for me, unique.

  94. V.... ....

    This is absolutely my favorite song of all-time. It's a very simple but beautiful chord progression throughout all three verses, yet on all three Peter managed to create a magical melody that somehow never repeats itself, every single phrase from the verses has it's own melodic nuances and the ups and downs allow this tune to have interpretations with so full of emotion and Peter just nails it.

    If anyone knows of any documentary or book in which they talk about this song specifically I'd really love to hear about.

    V.... ....

    Just taught myself it today on the piano after finally understanding the theory behind it. It's a 1, 4, 7 in mixolydian mode I reckon :o)

  95. S.... L....

    Love this song

  96. T.... ....

    what a fucking awesome hard jamb, mannnnng

  97. b.... d....

    Genesis - one of the four main standard bearers of British music along with LZ, The Stones and the Beatles

    b.... d....

    You are probably right with that point. I just have a soft spot for Genesis.

    b.... d....

    Eh, there's also The Who

    b.... d....

    I'd probably also throw Queen, The Who and Pink Floyd on that list.

  98. C.... M....

    i like it loud

    C.... M....

    Loud enough to make you sterile

    C.... M....

    Whatever it takes

  99. S.... B....

    10 people must not care for the Peter Gabriel era. I pity them.

    S.... B....

    No, they just downvoted the song, not the whole era.