We Can’t Dance marked Genesis’ 1991 return following an intensive period of solo projects and the global success of their previous Invisible Touch tour, which captivated 3.5 million fans across 112 shows but left the band physically and emotionally spent. Personal experiences, including Mike Rutherford’s loss of his father and complications during his son Harry’s birth, shaped the hiatus that saw Mike successfully releasing The Living Years with Mike + The Mechanics, and Phil Collins achieving massive success with …But Seriously and its accompanying tour. The band reconvened at The Farm, their private studio in Surrey, in March 1991, producing We Can’t Dance over six months. This album would become the final Genesis album with Collins as lead vocalist.
The Background: Recording and Producing We Can’t Dance
Despite their busy individual schedules, Genesis found that their creative synergy remained intact. Phil Collins described the initial sessions: “When we start working again, it’s as if it hasn’t been that long. We work really easily together.”1
The album’s 12 tracks spanned over 71 minutes, showcasing both individual artistry and collaborative strength. The band’s songwriting process for We Can’t Dance maintained their collaborative roots, relying heavily on experimentation. In an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer, Phil Collins mentioned the group’s seamless transition back into the studio environment: “The three of us go into a room with nothing written beforehand. We use a drum machine to free me up from the drums so I can sing.”2 Produced by Genesis and Nick Davis, We Can’t Dance boasted the traditional working dynamic of improvisations set to drum machines and melodies developed from band jams. This approach birthed some of the album’s standout tracks, including No Son Of Mine and I Can’t Dance. Tony Banks explained: “Once you’ve been back a few days, you slip into it very fast.”3
One notable change during the recording of this album was the decision to bring in a new co-producer, Nick Davis, with whom Tony and Mike had previously worked. At just 28, Davis brought fresh ideas and energy to the band. Mike Rutherford noted, “Hugh Padgham is still a very good friend as well as a very good producer. But we’d done three albums with him and we just felt that it was time for a change.”4
The influence of new production perspectives was notable, with Davis ensuring a distinctively prominent guitar sound and refreshing the band’s established sonic palette.
We Can’t Dance: The tracks
“No Son Of Mine”: This track set the tone for the album with its powerful, introspective narrative about family estrangement and abuse. It evolved from a spontaneous vocal idea by Phil Collins, developing into an emotionally charged narrative, explored through storytelling rather than personal experience. Collins shared, “As a songwriter, you just try to put yourself in a situation: ‘How would you feel if this happened to you?’ How would you describe it?'”5 The distinctive “elephant” sound that opens the track was a happy accident involving Tony Banks sampling Mike Rutherford’s guitar play. Thus, the song’s working title, “Elephantus,” was a nod to Tony Banks’ unique keyboard sound. “That funny noise you hear at the beginning was a sample I did of some noise in the rehearsal which is mainly Mike,” Banks explained. “But fiddling around with it, playing it backwards, I’m doing funny things to it. And it was really playing that and as soon as I played that with the chord we had a song. We knew that.”6
“Jesus He Knows Me”: A sharp critique of televangelism, Jesus He Knows Me blended biting satire with upbeat, catchy instrumentation, highlighting Collins’ sharp sense of humor and social commentary. Genesis had first seen TV evangelists when they were touring America, not believing how insincere they seemed. Collins said, “You can’t change the dial on a Sunday without seeing one, it’s just wall to wall.”7 The accompanying music video, where Collins plays a slick preacher, captured the essence of the song’s biting message.
Mike Rutherford highlighted the fun behind the song: “It’s so easy, the lyrical content of that song about the TV evangelists is a perfect platform to have a lot of fun.”8 The song was a chart success and earned a BMI Pop Award in 1993.
“Driving The Last Spike”: This track, which spans over ten minutes, was inspired by the stories of 19th-century railway workers and their hazardous lives. Inspired by a book Collins received with stories of 19th-century railway workers, he channels the plight of laborers risking their lives for progress. The epic length and Tony Banks’ organ work evoke classic Genesis storytelling. “I’ve written the words based based on one person’s view of it,” Collins said, “that leaves his family not knowing if he’s going to go back. He goes to work on the railways and witnesses this horrendous accident and the deceit.”9
The sweeping composition allowed Tony Banks’ keyboards and Rutherford’s guitar to shine, evoking a sense of scale and drama reminiscent of early Genesis.
“I Can’t Dance”: A tongue-in-cheek track mocking superficiality and advertising, I Can’t Dance stemmed from a riff by Rutherford titled Heavy A Flat. Collins improvised the humorous lyrics, resulting in a song that retained its simplicity throughout the recording process. “We knew if we worked on it, we would ruin it…,” Banks noted.10 This lighthearted hit satirizes commercial culture, particularly jeans advertisements. Collins described its origins in an interview: “The lyrics were set around the scenario of the jeans commercials, just suggesting that some of these hunks may not have too much else going on for them apart from the fact that they look great.”11 The song’s minimalistic structure and iconic “I Can’t Dance”-dance from the video became synonymous with the band’s playful side.
Especially the band’s stiff-arm dance routine became a memorable moment and was inspired by tap dancers Collins had witnessed at stage school who could not get it quite right.
“Never a Time”: This ballad focuses on unspoken feelings and lost connections. It reflects Genesis’s softer, more introspective side, capturing the quieter, emotional aspect of relationships. Its simplicity makes it stand out amid the album’s broader themes, but Banks’ keyboard work define it as a Genesis song.
“Dreaming While You Sleep”: A haunting song about a hit-and-run accident, it addresses guilt and trauma. Originally, Banks was planning to write the lyrics, but then Rutherford had the idea for the song’s narrative, inspired by news stories about accidents and the emotional aftermath for those involved. Musically, it builds tension, enhancing the theme of lingering guilt.
“Tell Me Why”: Addressing global issues such as poverty and war, this socially conscious song mirrors Collins’s activism at the time. The band felt compelled to tackle real-world issues, and this track captures their hope for change and a better future.
“Living Forever”: With lyrics that critique the health craze of the time, this song takes a lighter, almost ironic approach. The band had fun with the concept of obsessive health habits, and the playful tone provides a break from some of the album’s heavier material.
“Hold On My Heart”: One of the album’s ballads with a soothing melody and emotional lyrics, this song showcased the softer, introspective side of the band.
This ballad, tender and heartfelt, reflects the theme of vulnerability in love. Collins’ lyrics and vocals capture the essence of quiet resilience in the face of heartbreak.
“Way of the World”: This song delves into the inevitability of change and societal progression, continuing the album’s exploration of broader themes. Rutherford’s lyrics reflected the band’s contemplation on life and time, echoing sentiments of both hope and uncertainty. Banks’ keyboard melodies are a fitting musical score.
“Since I Lost You”: Written by Collins as a tribute to his friend Eric Clapton, who had recently lost his son, this song is a deeply personal, emotional reflection on loss and grief. Collins’s vocals and the stripped-down arrangement lend a raw poignancy to the track.
“Fading Lights”: The closing track is a wistful nod to the past, resonant with fans as an era-defining piece for Genesis and often seen as a metaphor for the band’s evolution.
Fading Lights was a personal reflection on the passage of time and the band’s journey. “When you’re actually experiencing the last time you ever do something, you don’t know that it is the last time you ever do it,” Banks explained.12 Its instrumental sections, in which both Banks and Rutherford shine on their instruments, are reminiscent of their early work, creating a sense of closure. Rutherford added, “In the writing process for us, it is often we find things by mistakes. There’s a wrong note and it sets you off in a direction that you hadn’t even thought about going. When we’re writing, Tony and I don’t know what key the other person’s playing and sometimes we come to record songs and I’ll say to him ‘Is that what you played? It didn’t sound like that to me!’ And then when you combine the two parts it makes up a nice sound, but individually they’re up and quite different. And vice versa he’ll say ‘You didn’t play that, did you?’ He hadn’t heard it that way until we isolated my part and that’s the kind of chemistry that I think is good about Genesis.”13
Fading Lights was often seen as a reflective piece on the band’s journey and marked the end of an era with Collins’ departure. He left in 1996 and Genesis only release one more studio album in 1997, Calling All Stations. In the 2007 Genesis: Chapter and Verse book, Banks noted about Fading Lights,”I had the idea of ending the song with the word ‘remember’. And it is very poignant in that context, because it marked the end of a large part of our career.”14
Reception
Released on November 11, 1991, We Can’t Dance topped the UK charts and peaked at No. 4 in the US. Singles like “No Son Of Mine” and “I Can’t Dance” reinforced Genesis’ mainstream appeal, while deeper cuts like “Driving The Last Spike” captured their progressive roots. Critical feedback highlighted the album as a well-rounded, albeit safe, post-Invisible Touch return.
We Can’t Dance was both a commercial and critical success, achieving six-times platinum status, producing hits such as No Son Of Mine, I Can’t Dance and Hold On My Heart, which showcased the band’s versatility. Critics praised the album for its mix of catchy, sometimes satirical, singles, introspective ballads and thoughtful, progressive pieces. Kara Manning of Rolling Stone praised the album, but was critical on some of the album’s lyrics, while Larry Flick of Billboard lauded the band’s ability to balance familiarity with innovation.
Legacy
We Can’t Dance solidified Genesis’ place in ’90s rock, balancing commercial success with narrative complexity. The album’s varied singles and MTV-favourite videos brought its themes and humor to a global audience, marking the last studio effort with Phil Collins before his departure in 1996.
Reflecting on the album, Rutherford said, “I remember the writing of the last three albums with Phil – Genesis, Invisible Touch and We Can’t Dance – being a real pleasure to do. Fast, easy, really creative things just came out.”15
Tony Banks reflected in an interview in 2007: “We were very confident at this stage. When we finished this record – probably the only time in my career – I felt ‘I think this is going to do very well, this album’. Every other time I always had a bit of trepidation, but this time I felt pretty good.”16
Sources
Banks, Tony; Collins, Phil; Gabriel, Peter; Hackett, Steve; Rutherford, Mike; Dodd, Philip (2007): Genesis. Chapter & verse. New York: Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Griffin.
Bowler, Dave; Dray, Bryan (1992): Genesis. A biography. London: Sidgwick & Jackson.
Considine, J.D., ‘Three for the Road’, Musician (June 1992), pp. 34–36, 38, 40, 42.
Genesis – Behind The Track (I Can’t Dance).
GENESIS: The Way We Walk Interviews (1992).
‘Genesis: We Can’t Dance – Atlantic Press Kit’, Atlantic Records (1991).
Radel, Cliff, ‘Together again’, The Cincinnati Enquirer (10 November 1991).
Footnotes
- ‘Genesis: We Can’t Dance – Atlantic Press Kit’, Atlantic Records (1991). ↩︎
- Radel, Cliff, ‘Together again’, The Cincinnati Enquirer (10 November 1991). ↩︎
- ‘Genesis: We Can’t Dance – Atlantic Press Kit’, Atlantic Records (1991). ↩︎
- Considine, J.D., ‘Three for the Road’, Musician (June 1992) ↩︎
- GENESIS: The Way We Walk Interviews (1992). ↩︎
- Genesis – No Admittance. ↩︎
- Bowler & Dray 1992: 221. ↩︎
- GENESIS: The Way We Walk Interviews (1992). ↩︎
- Genesis – No Admittance. ↩︎
- Genesis – Behind The Track (I Can’t Dance). ↩︎
- Bowler & Dray 1992: 221. ↩︎
- Genesis – No Admittance. ↩︎
- Genesis – No Admittance. ↩︎
- Banks 2007: 305. ↩︎
- Genesis on We Can’t Dance. ↩︎
- Genesis on We Can’t Dance. ↩︎