The Colony of Slippermen (Arrival - A Visit to the Doktor - Raven)
Encyclopedia
The Colony of Slippermen is a song by the progressive rock
band Genesis
. The lyrics were written by Peter Gabriel
. It appears on the album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
, and is composed of three parts:
's poem 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
'. Though mostly sung by Gabriel, this song features a very brief lead vocal by Phil Collins
('Now can't you see, where the raven flies there's jeopardy?').
inspired instrumental, using a mellow and simple sequence of short musical ideas, introducing the eccentricty of the characters communicated within the song. At roughly 1:49, the longer part of the song begins. In this part Peter Gabriel sings, describing how Rael encounters a group of strange 'slubberdegullions' called the Slippermen. The tale is one of the climaxes of the 'Lamb' album and particularly of the 4th side of the LP. After eating the 'Lamia
', Rael falls into the same trap as many others before him and turns into a Slipperman and comes across a colony of others like himself. He is told the Lamia regenerate every time and more and more people are turned into creatures that have an ongoing desire to 'satisfy' themselves and others. He sees his Brother John for the second time in the album after being deserted by him 'In the Cage
'. They are together told that the only way to return to normal is to be castrated by 'Doktor Dyper' and there is no hesitation between them to be surgically tampered with, noted in the line 'don't delay, dock the dick, watch his countdown timer tick'.
Their 'numbers' are placed in a 'Shoobedoobe' (a yellow plastic tube for holding the resulting product of castration). The final section of the song, "The Raven
", describes how a large black bird swoops down and steals Rael's 'Shoobedoobe'. Rael chases the bird, which it drops the tube into a ravine
, leading to the hardest decision Rael has to make in the album (arguably in his life) and, as a result, to the climax of the work. 'Raven' contains a keyboard
solo often performed at Genesis' live concerts, creating an entrancing effect heard through a range of different musical motifs throughout the song.
's drummer Brann Dailor
confirmed in an interview that the title of the song "Colony of Birchmen
" is an homage to this song. He has also stated that The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
is his favorite record of all-time.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
. The lyrics were written by Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
. It appears on the album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
The Lamb Lies down on Broadway
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is a double concept album recorded and released in 1974 by the British rock band Genesis. It was their sixth studio album and the last album by the group to feature the involvement of lead singer Peter Gabriel.-Premise:...
, and is composed of three parts:
- a. "The Arrival"
- b. "A Visit to the Doktor"
- c. "The Raven"
Background
The opening lines of the song are a reference to William WordsworthWilliam Wordsworth
William Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads....
's poem 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud
"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is a poem by William Wordsworth.It was inspired by an April 15, 1802 event in which Wordsworth and his sister, Dorothy, came across a "long belt" of daffodils...
'. Though mostly sung by Gabriel, this song features a very brief lead vocal by Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
('Now can't you see, where the raven flies there's jeopardy?').
Structure and plot
The song begins with an AfricanMusic of Africa
Africa is a vast continent and its regions and nations have distinct musical traditions. The music of North Africa for the most part has a different history from sub-Saharan African music traditions....
inspired instrumental, using a mellow and simple sequence of short musical ideas, introducing the eccentricty of the characters communicated within the song. At roughly 1:49, the longer part of the song begins. In this part Peter Gabriel sings, describing how Rael encounters a group of strange 'slubberdegullions' called the Slippermen. The tale is one of the climaxes of the 'Lamb' album and particularly of the 4th side of the LP. After eating the 'Lamia
Lamia
Lamia may refer to:* Lamia , a Greek mythological female creature* Lamia of Athens courtesan* Lamia , a magical beast in Dungeons & Dragons* Lamia , a city in Greece* Lamia , a genus of longhorn beetles...
', Rael falls into the same trap as many others before him and turns into a Slipperman and comes across a colony of others like himself. He is told the Lamia regenerate every time and more and more people are turned into creatures that have an ongoing desire to 'satisfy' themselves and others. He sees his Brother John for the second time in the album after being deserted by him 'In the Cage
In the Cage (song)
"In the Cage" is a song by progressive rock band Genesis on their 1974 double-album The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Along with the title track and "The Carpet Crawlers," it is one of the few songs from the album to remain in Genesis's live repertoire after the Lamb tour.The lyrics describe the...
'. They are together told that the only way to return to normal is to be castrated by 'Doktor Dyper' and there is no hesitation between them to be surgically tampered with, noted in the line 'don't delay, dock the dick, watch his countdown timer tick'.
Their 'numbers' are placed in a 'Shoobedoobe' (a yellow plastic tube for holding the resulting product of castration). The final section of the song, "The Raven
Raven
Raven is the common name given to several larger-bodied members of the genus Corvus—but in Europe and North America the Common Raven is normally implied...
", describes how a large black bird swoops down and steals Rael's 'Shoobedoobe'. Rael chases the bird, which it drops the tube into a ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
, leading to the hardest decision Rael has to make in the album (arguably in his life) and, as a result, to the climax of the work. 'Raven' contains a keyboard
Musical keyboard
A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
solo often performed at Genesis' live concerts, creating an entrancing effect heard through a range of different musical motifs throughout the song.
Cultural influence
MastodonMastodon (band)
Mastodon is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 1999. The band is composed of bassist/vocalist Troy Sanders, guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds, guitarist Bill Kelliher and drummer/vocalist Brann Dailor...
's drummer Brann Dailor
Brann Dailor
Brann Dailor is a drummer, best known as a member of Mastodon, a progressive metal band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Dailor was also a founding member of mathcore band Lethargy, and played with grindcore bands Discordance Axis and Today is the Day.-Personal life:Dailor was born into a musical family...
confirmed in an interview that the title of the song "Colony of Birchmen
Colony of Birchmen
"Colony of Birchmen" is a single by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was featured on the group's third album, Blood Mountain. The song features backing vocals from Josh Homme, lead singer of the alternative rock band Queens of the Stone Age....
" is an homage to this song. He has also stated that The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
The Lamb Lies down on Broadway
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway is a double concept album recorded and released in 1974 by the British rock band Genesis. It was their sixth studio album and the last album by the group to feature the involvement of lead singer Peter Gabriel.-Premise:...
is his favorite record of all-time.