The Cinema Show

Album: Selling England By The Pound (1973)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The lyrics, written by Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, refer to Romeo and Juliet (named after the famous Shakespearian characters), who are separately readying themselves for their date at a cinema show with Romeo hoping for a sexual conquest that night. Banks recalled: "The idea of using two words, 'Romeo' and 'Juliet' actually was Peter (Gabriel)'s. I thought it should be more impersonal just using 'young clerk' or something, and I wasn't too sure about it to begin with."
  • Tony Banks: "'Cinema Show' was an example of extended playing. Mike, Phil and I were in a room together and Mike came out with a riff in 7/8, which had a great feel, and by restricting his playing a little he allowed me to make the chord changes... so with Mike just hitting the bottom three or four strings of the guitar I managed to write endless bits on the rhythm. Just before we came to do the album, we put them in order and the final section of Cinema Show developed."
  • The lyrics make a number of oblique references to T. S. Eliot's The Waste Land. Eliot's modernist poem has been an influence on a variety of musicians. The British pop duo The Pet Shop Boys, Oregon alternative singer-songwriter M. Ward and Massachusetts metal band Shadows Fall have all drawn on this work.
  • A performance from a show in Paris on June 23, 1976 was used on the band's 1977 live album, Seconds Out. That show was part of Genesis' Trick of the Tail tour, which featured Bill Bruford on drums; Bruford's distinctive style and sound is clearly recognizable at the start of the track.

    Bruford also appeared on the live medley "It"/"Watchers of the Sky" released on the fourth side of the 1982 live album Three Sides Live, which was recorded in Scotland, also in 1976.

Comments: 5

  • Johnny Quads from WorcestershireI don't know about the musical complexities, I just know it's absolutely wonderful, and it's accompanied me for fifty two years.
  • Fabio from Rio De JaneiroThe chorus makes reference to the greek myth of Tiresias, who was transformed into a woman by the goddess Hera, and after seven years, back into a man.
  • Carlos from PanamaWho created the main verse riff?
  • Ann from Rochester, NyYes, another great piece of work, and this never gets old. Steve Hacketts band does it wonderfully.
  • Tony from San DiegoWow, no other comments ? Such a good song but u need to focus.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."

Rob Halford of Judas Priest

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Incongruent Opening Acts

Incongruent Opening ActsSong Writing

Here's what happens when an opening act is really out of place with the headliner, like when Beastie Boys opened for Madonna.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."