Album: Abacab (1981)

Charted: 9 26

License This Song 

• Look up on the wall, there on the floor
  Under the pillow, behind the door
  There's a crack in the mirror
  Somewhere there's a hole in a window pane
  Do you think I'm to blame?
  Tell me, do you think I'm to blame?
  
  (When we do it) you're never there
  (When you show it) just stop and stare
  (Abacab) he's in anywhere
  (Abacab)
  
  If you're wrappin' up the world
  'Cause you've taken someone else's girl
  When they turn on the pillow
  Even when they answer the telephone
  Don't you think that by now
  Tell me, don't you think that by now
  
  (When we do it) you're never there
  (When you show it) just stop and stare
  (Abacab) he's in anywhere
  (Abacab) doesn't really care
  
  Do you want it? You got it, now you know
  Do you want it? You got it, now you know
  
  It's an illusion, it's a game
  Or reflection of someone else's name
  When you wake in the morning
  Wake and find you're covered in cellophane
  Well, there's a hole in there somewhere
  Yeah, there's a hole in there somewhere
  Baby, there's a hole in there somewhere
  Now there's a hole in there somewhere
  
  (When we do it) you're never there
  (When you show it) you stop and stare
  (Abacab) he's in anywhere
  (Abacab) Writer/s: Anthony George Banks, Michael Rutherford, Phil Collins
  Publisher: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 24

• Geovoni from Wintersville OhioI had taken a music appreciation class in college years ago and the professor told us the exact same thing about the title being the parts of the song as they had first written them.
• Surely from UsaI know, Its about the watchers and clown people in the ceiling and behind the walls. So I am lucky I didn't end up in cellophane!!!
• Smackiepipe from Western North CarolinaLove this song, but can't believe there's still butt-hurt about Gabriel leaving in the comments. This was the SIXTH album produced after he left the band. Move on.
• Jim from UsaThe instrumentation on this track goes well with Dodo/Lurker, one of my other favorites.
• Chad from LcitySo many uninformed comments. Look, the song is not in the key of A and it doesn't end in the key of B. Most of the "A" section of the song modulates between the I and V.
  
  It starts in C major and ends in C Dorian, which is a mode of B-flat-major. It would simply be C-minor except that it uses the raised 6th (A) instead of A-flat.
  
  I always assumed (and it appears rightly) that "ABACAB" referred to the song structure, whether or not it actually applied to the actual song.
• Westal from Dallas, TxI've always thought of a Clark Kent / Superman reference in some parts of the lyrics:
  
  (When they do it) you're never there ... Kent is never around when Superman does his thing
  (When they show it) just stop and stare ... Kent reappears and tries to look like any other astonished witness
  (Abacab) ease in anywhere ... Kent reappearing with stealth
  (Abacab) doesn't really care ... Kent knows who he really is
  
  Also:
  
  When they turn on the pillow ... how subtle answers/solutions come to you in dreams, or on fringes of sleep
  Even when they answer the telephone ... voice-only gives him away
  Don't you think they'll find out?
• Westal from Dallas, TxThe scheme A-B-A-C-A-B does exactly fit the main verse of the song - the instrumental parts behind the vocals:
  A - Mike's 3 chord guitar riff (actually 2 chords - 1 sliding up into the 2nd, and repeat of 2nd)
  B - Tony's 2 note keyboard part
  A - exact repeat of Mike's guitar
  C - 2 notes from Tony, but different than "B"
  A - exact repeat of Mike's guitar
  B - exact repeat of Tony's first 2 note part.
• Joe from Grants Pass, OrTHEN you realise the blend of Gabriel and Collins
• Tim from Springfield, MaA Trick of the Tail remains one of my favorite Genesis albums. They're great with or without Gabriel.
• Brad from Creston, BcIt is the note progression of the song.
• Abacab from Outhere, FlIf you read and follow the lyrics it's almost as if the song was initially formulated by the band as just some non - sensical rhyme. In fact though it is more about a ficticious scapegoat. I do believe the chord progression theory about the title. My brother in-law was a keyboardist and he had heard that rumor about the title and confirmed that the chords that make up the song comprise it. As for the order not matching the title I've heard that they were strapped for a title and merely rearranged order of the chords into a "catchy title". Even if it wasn't the band members themselves some music producer with enough basic knowledge of music could've easily improvised the title with that idea.
• Anthony from Albuquerque, Nmthis is a total lie genesis got you to buy into. I can show you the proof but an open mind is required and no, i'm not a looney tune. just email me at salasanthony@juno.com and I will show you the meaning of this song.
• Ryan from Lesueur, MnWhat I heard was that ABACAB is the key changes the song goes through. It starts in A and ends in the key of B
• J_bryon from Milladore/monroe, WiI saw Genesis at Camp Randle in Madison, Wi in 1992. To this day that concert has been the best show I have ever attended.
• Jim from Chicago, IlWhatever!!! Genesis ceased to be once Gabriel left. Period
• Goran from Monterey, CaABACAB is yet another proof that this band was worthless and dull after Gabriel dumped them, yet it's still better than Congo - the stupidest pile of junk ever written. I'm scared to even think of the garbage they'll come up with after their 2006/2007 reunion. Britney Spears, please help those old dorks do something half-decent!
• Robby from Commerce, TxI learned about song structure in grammar school music class, and wondered if that had something to do with this song. If you call the verse the "A" section, the chorus the "B" section, and the bridge the "C" section, the song is assembled: (intro), verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, verse 3, chorus, OR ABABCAB. Not quite exactly the final title, but as someone else stated, probably the easiest to pronounce. I just knew my music lessons would come in handy one day!
• Pat from Brampton, CanadaCorrection to the 3rd "Songfacts": This was not Genesis's first top 10 US hit. As indicated, it peaked at #26. Their first top ten was "That's All" about two years later.
• Jay from St. Louis, MoStu and Will are correct - this refers to the positioning of the different sections of the song, not the note or chord progression.
• Kent Lyle from Palo Alto, CaThis is essentially an instrumental; the vocals were really just used as an additional instrument. I doubt the lyrics have a great deal of significance.
• Will from Long Island, NyThe letters do not stand for chords or notes. They stand for different sections of the tune. The 'A' section, 'B' section and 'C' section. While putting the song together, they tried different combinations, like 'ABBCBA' or 'AACBAB' and so forth. Though the final version heard today is not actually in the 'ABACAB' form, it was the easiest to pronounce!
• Si from London, EnglandMy god they were inventive at that stage weren't they? "What shall we call this one?" "Oh, doesn't matter, some loser will buy it, just name it after the chord progression".
  
  And this was the first top 10 hit for them in the US!! There must have been a massive appetite for uninspired unoriginal crap that year.
• Sled from St. Louis, NeABACAB refers to the song's chord progession.
• Raja from Austin, TxI thought that this song was named after the chord structure of the song? The note progression at the start of the song is is A B A C A B. Could have swore I heard Banks say that.

More Songfacts:

Dancing QueenABBA

ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson conceived "Dancing Queen" as a dance song with the working title "Boogaloo," drawing inspiration from the 1974 George McCrae disco hit "Rock Your Baby." Their manager Stig Anderson came up with the title "Dancing Queen."

Right RoundFlo Rida

An unknown Kesha (known then as Ke$ha) sang on Flo-Rida's #1 hit "Right Round," but refused to appear in the video because she wanted to make a name for herself.

Heat Of The NightBryan Adams

Bryan Adams' 1987 song "Heat Of The Night" has the distinction of being the first commercially released cassette single in the US.

Pretty VacantSex Pistols

The riff for The Sex Pistols' "Pretty Vacant" was pinched from a very unpunk song, the ABBA ballad "S.O.S."

Scooby SnacksFun Lovin' Criminals

The Scooby Snacks in the Fun Lovin' Criminals song aren't dog treats, they're Valium pills.

My GenerationThe Who

Roger Daltrey stutters the vocal on "My Generation" by The Who. The idea was to sound like a British kid on speed.

Editor's Picks

Daniel LanoisSongwriter Interviews

Daniel Lanois on his album Heavy Sun, and the inside stories of songs he produced for U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan.

Chrissie Hynde of The PretendersSongwriter Interviews

The rock revolutionist on songwriting, quitting smoking, and what she thinks of Rush Limbaugh using her song.

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.

Richie McDonald of LonestarSongwriter Interviews

Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.