Shaking The Tree by Peter Gabriel

Album: Shaking The Tree (1990)

Charted: 61

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Songfacts®:

Gabriel's statement about taking action to do something about the problems in the world.
The title of Gabriel's 1990 Greatest Hits album.
Written with Youssou N'Dour, an African musician Gabriel admires.
Deals with the women's movement in Africa, where men traditionally allow them very few rights.

Comments: 5

Steve from VancouverHere's Peter Gabriel's quote about the song, which should provide more to what it means than most comments here :) “‘Shaking The Tree’ was initially a lyrical idea. Youssou [co-writer N’Dour – Ed] asked me to try and focus on women’s emancipation. And the tree, as well as being the national symbol of Senegal, is also seen in those old medieval alchemy sketches as masculine, the phallus. There’s a famous engraving that Jung used of his man lying down with an erect tree growing out of a strategic point. The idea of the song is for women to go out and take control of their own destiny, shake up the male establishment. We tried to work something out for an African and Western situation too.”
Peter Gabriel (690)
Tim from Springfield, MaIf I'm not mistaken this was in the movie Junlge 2 Jungle. Brilliant song, I wish it was played on the radio more.
Steve from Belmont, CaOne of the best inspirational songs for women there is.
Nicole from Apple Valley, MnA remix of this song was recorded for "The Wild Thornberrys" in 2002. It features Shaggy and Youssou N'Dour along with Peter Gabriel.
Justin from Felts Mills, NyThis is one of Peter Gabriel's most inspirational songs, right up there with "In Your Eyes" and "Biko." It truly rocks.

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