Land Of Confusion

by

Genesis

Album: Invisible Touch      Released: 1986

US Chart: 4     UK Chart: 14

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A rare political song for Genesis, this questions the wisdom of world leaders at a time when the US and Russia were enemies and there was a threat of nuclear war.

The video was made using puppets created by Fluck and Law, who had a British TV series called The Spitting Image. The puppets were made to look like real people, including Ronald Reagan, who accidentally launches a nuclear missile at the end of the video.

This won the 1987 Grammy for Best Concept Music Video.

This song is mentioned in the movie American Psycho. The lead character, Patrick Bateman, played by Christian Bale, calls this album their "Undisputed masterpiece," and praises this for "Questioning authoritative control." He then kills his coworker.

Mike Rutherford wrote the lyrics to this song. (thanks, Matt - Lebanon, PA)

The Hard Rock group Disturbed covered this in 2006. (thanks, Brandon - Peoria, IL)

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Comments:

LOVE THIS SONG!! I checked out the original after i heard the Disturbed one. btw, Adam from VA, they set a RECORD for how long their song "Inside the Fire" was on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks list, they were up there for 14 weeks. They obviously know what they're doing. Genesis has made an awesome song here, and Disturbed an awesome cover. i end with this -> (:
- Jesús, Champaign, IL

That's right The Late KIng of Pop's image was in that video. I loved that video. I loved it when the late Ronald Reagan puppet said,I could use another one of those,instead of hitting the nurse button,he hit the Nuke button.That's one heck of a nurse.
- Jennifer Harris, Grand Blanc, MI

To Adam from Bryce, VA I absolutely, positively agree with you 100% This song definitely sounds better as a pop song. Besides, I don't particularly care for hard rock anyway.
- Farrah, Elon, NC

The Hell with Disturbed! If you call them "hard" in the first place then you need to check yourself. This song sounds much better as a pop song. Maybe Disturbed should record something original to get a hit instead of ripping off Genesis and Tears For Fears....Phill Collins is the man! The guy had more Top 40 hits in the 80's than any other artist. Great Song!
- Adam, Boyce, VA

Okay, Genesis, where are you NOW? If this was supposed to be a political commentary, it has NEVER been truer than the last several years. It isn't just a cold war thing, I was in HS when it came out, we were going to stand up and stop the incompetent, bloodsucking political machine that was suffocating us all. It is, again. So where are all you others that were going to stand up and make it a word worth living in. I'm here. I'm waiting.
- julia, Salt Lake City, UT

yeah phil does look deformed. reminds me of Quato from Total Rekall (the Shchwarzenegger movie). i think most can agree, the Disturbed version is immensely superior. sorry, but i cant stand phil collins.
- Rory, Elgin, IL

Funny video but great political message.
- Joel, Capetown, South Africa

I agree, Disturbed did a great cover, and I am a big fan of Disturbed, but you just can't beat originals. Although David Draiman sounds a whole scary lot like the Genesis lead singer in this song.
- jack, Claremont, MN

Um, I hate to say it, but this is the better version. I do like Disturbed's version, but I like this better. I'm a sucker for originals.
- Matt, Milton, PA

great song, but disturbed's version is mucho...bettero...(not really a spanish word but you get the point)
- liz, douglass, TX

I agree; Disturbed's cover is better than the original song.
- Sally, South Orange, NJ

i like the disturbed version better
- hunter, marshamellow, VA

Is it me or are the members whispering "Deception" during the moments when Phil Collins isn't singing?
- Logan, Troy, MT

This song was written in the context of the cold war, yet it seems so poignant today. Ahmendajnabad, Bashir, Mugabe, Bush, Blair, Jintao, Calderon, and how many other quasi-credible(if at all), are leading us into the canyon?
- Roman Soiko, Plainsboro, NJ

I believe the music video also features a likeness of Michael Jackson.
- fred, New York, NY

i dunno about the genesis one but the disturbed one rocks
- Artemis, Aberdeen, Scotland

The guitar solo in this is the same as in My Generation by the Who and it is acknowledged by the line, "My generation will put it right." The solo is the same beat at a different pitch. But anyway this song is definitly a masterpiece.
- Tim, Philadelphia, PA

Ok, I've heard the Genesis version, and I think I like the Disturbed version better.
- Dee, Northfield, IL

I haven't heard the Genesis version yet, but Disturbed did a pretty good job with it.
- Dee, Northfield, IL

Disturbed's cover of this song is practically the same apart from it's a little more "industrial" sounding.
- Luke, Manchester, England

The Grammy for the video was the only one Genesis ever won (Possibly the only award at all they ever won) and as they never tired off telling us in interviews after, they were not involved in the video at all, so the only award they ever won was for something that didn't involve them. The video is great though, it can be found at Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=hxx7uXesq7Q
- Pete, Leeds, England

The theme of nuclear war was also addressed on the album's one longer piece, "Domino".
- Steve, Torrance, CA

This song was recently redone very well by Disturbed. -Amanda, Canada
- Amanda, Regina, Canada

Awesome song, but doesn't Phil look a little deformed in the video?
- amay, edison, NJ

Heavy metal band, Disturbed, do an interesting cover of this song on their album 10000 fists. Following the band's style, this song works quite well and is very different in every way to the cover, except for the lyrics.
- Sue, Wonderland

"DC Follies" featured the puppets of Sid and Marty Kroft, and they were probably the U.S. equivalent of Spitting Image. Incidentally, the Kroft brothers were also responsible for "The Osmond Family Show" in the 1970s.
- Kent Lyle, Palo Alto, CA

Some stupid no-talent DJ has butchered this with a different title... Stupid no talent so called 'artists' ... Learn what music is - An art form and stop butchering art.
- Luke, Manchester, England

"Invisible Touch" just happened to be in my CD Player on September 11th. When I got in my car after the attacks, this song started playing and the lyrics really moved me. If you listen to it in reference to 9-11 it seems like it was written with that in mind.
- Linda, Norfolk, VA

Hi Where - on the internet - can I find the video: Land of confusion with Genesis by Spitting Image? I hope someone can help! Dorthe
- Dorthe, Hobro, Denmark

Remember the TV show DC Follies? Ford, Nixon, Carter, Reagan - puppets. This video was terrific...and it reminds me of that TV show.
- Chris, Hull, MA

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