Solsbury Hill (song)

"Solsbury Hill"
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album Peter Gabriel
B-side	"Moribund the Burgermeister"
Released	1977 (UK)
Format	vinyl record (7")
Recorded	1976
Genre	Folk rock, progressive rock
Length	4:21
Label	Atco Records / Charisma Records
Producer	Bob Ezrin
Peter Gabriel singles chronology
- "Solsbury Hill" (1977) "Modern Love" (1977)

"Solsbury Hill" is a song by British musician Peter Gabriel, about a spiritual experience atop Solsbury Hill in Somerset, England. Gabriel wrote the song after his departure from the progressive rock band Genesis, of which he had been the lead singer since its inception, explaining the reasons behind his departure.^{[citation needed]} Despite the eloquence and purity of the vision atop Solsbury Hill, there may be some ambivalence of being free or going solo: "And liberty she pirouette when I think that I am free." It was his debut single. The single was a Top 20 hit in the UK and reached the Top 70 on the Billboard Hot 100.^{[citation needed]}

It has been used in a number of movies, for example in the soundtracks of the 2001 film Vanilla Sky, and the 2004 film In Good Company. The song has been covered by many artists, including moe., Dave Matthews, Erasure, Sarah McLachlan, Saga, and Justin Hines, among others.^{[citation needed]}

The song uses a 7/4 time signature for the vast majority of the song. The last two measures of each chorus are in 4/4.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

7" UK single (1977)

1. "Solsbury Hill" – (3:24)
2. "Moribund The Burgermeister" – (4:17)

7" "Old Gold" single (1982)

1. "Solsbury Hill" - (3:26)
2. "Games Without Frontiers" - (3:50)

UK maxi-single (1983, 1988)

1. "Solsbury Hill" – (3:24)
2. "Moribund The Burgermeister" – (4:17)
3. "Solsbury Hill (Full Length Live Version)" – (4:45)

7" European single (1990 re-issue)

1. "Solsbury Hill" – (4:24)
2. "Shaking The Tree" – (5:06)

12" UK single (1990 re-issue)

1. "Solsbury Hill" – (4:22)
2. "Shaking The Tree" – (5:06)
3. "Games Without Frontiers (Live)" - (6:06)

"Solsbury Hill (Live)"
Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album Plays Live
B-side	"Kiss Of Life (Live)"
Released	1983
Format	vinyl record (7")
Genre	Folk rock, progressive rock
Length	4:41
Label	Geffen Records / Charisma Records

7" US single (1983)

1. "Solsbury Hill (Live)" - (3:58)
2. "I Go Swimming (Live)" - (4:29)

7" Netherlands single (1983)

1. "Solsbury Hill (Live)" - (4:41)
2. "Kiss Of Life (Live)" - (5:01)

7" US single (1983)

1. "Solsbury Hill (Live)" - (3:58)
2. "Shock The Monkey" - (3:58)

"Solsbury Hill"
Single by Erasure
from the album Other People's Songs
B-side	"Tell it to Me" "Searching" "Ave Maria"
Released	6 January 2003 (2003-01-06)
Format	CD, DVD
Recorded	2002
Genre	Synthpop
Length	3:57
Label	Mute
Writer(s)	Peter Gabriel
Producer	Gareth Jones, Erasure
Erasure singles chronology
"Moon & the Sky" (2003) "Solsbury Hill" (2003) "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" (2003)

Erasure's cover version

"Solsbury Hill" was recorded by British synth pop duo Erasure in 2003 for their cover versions album Other People's Songs and released as a single in the UK on 6 Jan 2003 and in the US on 14 Jan 2003. The track was chosen for the album by Erasure member Vince Clarke. Clarke and singer Andy Bell turned the song into a mid-tempo electronic dance tune, displaying the signature Erasure sound. The only major change made to the structure of the song was the modification of the 7/4 time signature to a more basic 4/4—except for the chorus, which slips back into 7/4 time for one line.

Track listing

CD Single #1 (CDMUTE275)

1. "Solsbury Hill"
2. "Tell It To Me"
3. "Searching"

CD Single #2 (LCDMUTE275)

1. "Solsbury Hill" (37B Mix)
2. "Solsbury Hill" (Manhattan Clique Extended Remix)
3. "Ave Maria"

DVD Single (DVDMUTE275)

1. "Solsbury Hill" (Radio Mix)
2. "Video Killed The Radio Star"
3. "Dr Jeckyll and Mistress Hyde" (Short Film)

U.S. CD Maxi Single (9200-2)

1. "Solsbury Hill" (Radio Mix)
2. "Solsbury Hill"
3. "Tell It To Me"
4. "Searching"
5. "Video Killed The Radio Star"
6. "Solsbury Hill" (37B Mix)
7. "Solsbury Hill" (Manhattan Clique Extended Remix)
8. "Ave Maria"
9. "Dr. Jeckyll And Mistress Hyde" (Short Film)

Other cover versions

The song has also been covered by indie-rock outfit Ruby Isle, as well as Dave Matthews & Friends. The band Kyte recorded a cover for their album, Two Sparks, Two Stars. Ingram Hill recorded the song for their EP "Why the Wait".

Dave Matthews & Friends covered the song for the first time on December 12, 2003 in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Scala & Kolacny Brothers covered the song on their Circle album in 2010, keeping the standard time signature, but performing with only a piano accompanied by an all female choir, adding the track to their growing list of rock covers.

Mercury Rev played a cover of Solsbury Hill during their encore following their performance of their classic album Deserter's Songs at the The Roundhouse in London on May 21, 2011.

Sarah McLachlan played a cover of Solsbury Hill as far back as in her 2005 tour..