'There are no accidents - round here.'

- from 'Lay Your Hands On Me' by Peter Gabriel.

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I went to see Gabriel a few weeks ago in Hyde Park, London and well, I dunno, but it did something to me. I went with very low expectations - he's not as young as he used to be, perhaps the voice isn't as strong as 20 years ago and I'd heard mixed reports about the last tour. To my joy, he fucking rocked.

He began by explaining that because there was no new album for the 'Warm Up' tour (they were together for the upcoming 20th Anniversary of Womad gig), the setlist was chosen by the fans on his website. What we got was a ninety-minute stomp through old Gabriel tunes - mostly from PG3 and PG4. For the uninitiated, that's the real Gabriel - proper, barking mad, howling at the moon, salivating at the mouth, jumping around screaming and dancing Peter Gabriel. Tracks like 'No self control', 'Intruder', 'I don't remember' and yes ' Lay your hands on me'.

It was superb.

**********

'Sat in the corner of the Garden Grill, with plastic flowers
on the window sill
No more miracles, loaves and fishes, been so busy with the
washing of the dishes
Reaction level's much too high - I can do without the stimuli

I'm living way beyond my ways and means, living in the
zone of the inbetweens
I can see the flashes on the frozen ocean, static charge of
the cold emotion
Watched on by the distant eyes - watched on by the silent
hidden spies

But still the warmth flows through me
And I sense you know me well
No luck, no golden chances
No mitigating circumstances now
It's only common sense
There are no accidents around here

I am willing - lay your hands on me
I am ready - lay your hands on me
I believe - lay your hands on me, over me

Working in gardens, thornless roses, fat men play with their
garden hoses
Poolside laughter has a cynical bite, sausage speared by the
cocktail satellite
I walk away from from light and sound, down stairways
leading underground

But still the warmth flows through me
And I sense you know me well
It's only common sense
There are no accidents around here

I am willing - lay your hands on me
I am ready - lay your hands on me
I believe - lay your hands on me, over me
over me

Lay your hands on me
Lay your hands on me
Lay your hands on me, over me '

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Peter Gabriel

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