We Can't Dance

We Can't Dance is the fourteenth studio album by the English rock band Genesis, released on 11 November 1991 by Virgin Records in the UK and a day later by Atlantic Records in the US. It was the last Genesis album recorded with the drummer and singer Phil Collins before his departure in 1996 to pursue solo projects full time. It was Genesis's first album after touring their previous album, Invisible Touch (1986).

We Can't Dance was Genesis's fifth consecutive No. 1 album in the UK. It reached No. 4 in the US, where it sold over four million copies. Between 1991 and 1993, six tracks were released as singles, including "I Can't Dance", which was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals in 1993. Genesis toured in support of We Can't Dance from May to November 1992, playing large stadiums and arenas across North America and Europe.

Background

In July 1987, the Genesis line-up of drummer and singer Phil Collins, keyboardist Tony Banks, and bassist and guitarist Mike Rutherford wrapped their 1986–1987 world tour in support of their thirteenth studio album, Invisible Touch (1986). The 112-date tour, attended by an estimated 3.5 million people, was taxing, particularly for Rutherford following his father's death and almost losing his son Harry due to a difficult birth. A typical session would involve Banks and Rutherford playing chords, with Collins devising a drum pattern with a drum machine, which allowed him to sing notes and placeholder lyrics. The words he sang were used to form a lyric or help create atmosphere.

Genesis authorised the filming of some recording sessions for the first time for their No Admittance documentary, which aired on national television. Banks later admitted that the band avoided "any creative work" with the film crew present because they found it difficult, adding: "As soon as they were there, we shut off". He had asked the manufacturer to customise one with a larger body to suit his tall frame but they declined, leaving him to use a cardboard cutout of a body he wished for and sending it to luthier Roger Giffin to make it. Davis was keen to feature Rutherford's guitar more prominently as an instrument than previous Genesis albums, and felt his approach was successful on some of the tracks on We Can't Dance. Banks took a liking to some of Davis's strong opinions towards certain aspects of recording and instruments which presented him the challenge of finding other ways of recording. "Since I Lost You" was written by Collins for his friend Eric Clapton, following the death of the guitarist's son Conor, on 20 March 1991. Banks and Rutherford were the only members in the studio that day, and played what music they had written to Collins the following day. Collins said, "Straight away, I was singing the things you hear on the record", and wrote a set of lyrics based on the incident, not revealing what they were about to his bandmates until he had finished them.

Release

We Can't Dance was released worldwide on 11 November 1991 on Virgin Records and on 12 November 1991 by Atlantic Records in the United States. The album was a success in the charts, going to number one on the UK Albums Chart for two non-consecutive weeks beginning 23 November 1991 and 22 August 1992. In the United States, it debuted the Billboard 200 chart at number four, the week of 30 November 1991. It stayed at its peak for one week during its 72-week stay on the chart. The album also spawned several hit singles, including "No Son of Mine", "Hold on My Heart", "I Can't Dance" and "Jesus He Knows Me", the latter two supported by humorous videos.

On 1 December 1991, the album was certified double Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipment of 600,000 copies. A year later, sales grew to reach quadruple platinum, signifying 1.2 million copies sold. The album reached quintuple platinum status in March 1997, for 1.5 million copies sold. In the United States, We Can't Dance shipped 1 million copies by 27 December 1991. Five years later, the album was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for four million copies sold.

We Can't Dance was re-released in 2007 as a SACD/DVD set with new stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes by Davis. It was also included as part of the band's Genesis 1983–1998 box set.

Critical reception

Rolling Stone chiefly commented on the album's lyrics. They criticised "Tell Me Why" and "Way of the World" for being soulless and impersonal social commentaries, but regarded most of the songs as outstanding, and summarised "Although We Can't Dance doesn't quite achieve the vulnerable grace of Duke or the exuberance of Abacab, Genesis has nevertheless delivered an elegantly spare – and even adventurous – album." Stevie Chick of The Guardian dismissed it as "blandness" in a countdown of ten of the best Genesis songs.

The album garnered Genesis an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo, or Group and two further nominations for Favorite Adult Contemporary Album and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist. At the Brit Awards in 1993, the album was nominated for British Album while Phil Collins was nominated as British Male Artist for his contribution to the album.

Tour

thumb|right|Genesis performing at the 1992 Knebworth Festival

Genesis supported the album with the 68-date We Can't Dance Tour across the United States and Europe from 8 May to 17 November 1992, with their longtime touring musicians Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Stuermer on bass and lead guitars. It also marked the 25th anniversary of the band, and featured a 20-minute medley of their older material recorded in the 1970s. Designed specifically for stadiums, the set featured a 200 ft-long (60.9 m) stage designed by Marc Brickman and built to the band's specifications with 80 ft (24.3 m) sound towers and three 20 x 26 ft (6 x 7.9 m) moveable Sony Jumbotron screens that alone cost $5 million, all needing 42 lorries to transport. The advantages of these was that images from videos or artwork was projected on them to illustrate some songs, while live camera footage of the band gave everyone in the arena a front row view. Collins sang with an in-ear monitoring system which he credited to singing more in tune and more effortlessly than before as he felt he was always "fighting" with the band's sound. It also reduced his worry about the condition of his voice on tour.

B-sides

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's 1991 sleeve notes.

Genesis

Tony Banks – keyboards
Phil Collins – drums, percussion, vocals, drum machines
Mike Rutherford – guitars, bass guitar

Production

Genesis – production
Nick Davis – production, engineering
Mark Robinson – production and engineering assistant
Geoff Callingham – technical assistance
Mike Bowen – technical assistance
David Scheinmann/Icon Photography – cover and art direction
Felicity Roma Bowers – illustrations

Charts

Weekly charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ Chart performance for We Can't Dance

!scope="col"|Chart (1991–1993)

!scope="col"|Peak<br/>position

!scope="row"|Belgian Albums (IFPI)

!scope="row"|Danish Albums (Hitlisten)

!scope="row"|European Albums (IFPI)

!scope="row"|Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)

!scope="row"|French Albums (IFOP)

!scope="row"|Greek Albums (IFPI)

!scope="row"|Irish Albums (IRMA)

!scope="row"|Italian Albums (FIMI)

| 8

!scope="row"|Portuguese Albums (AFP)

!scope="row"|Spanish Albums (AFYVE)

Year-end charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 1991 year-end chart performance for We Can't Dance

!scope="col" style="width:17em;"|Chart (1991)

!scope="col"|Position

!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)

|89

!scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)

|76

!scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC)

| 13

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+ 1992 year-end chart performance for We Can't Dance

!scope="col" style="width:17em;"|Chart (1992)

!scope="col"|Position

!scope="row"|Argentina Foreign Albums (CAPIF)

!scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA)

|26

!scope="row"|Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)

!scope="row"|Canadian Albums (RPM)

| 15

!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)

!scope="row"|European Albums (IFPI)

!scope="row"|German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)

!scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)

|17

!scope="row"|Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)

|21

!scope="row"|Spanish Albums (AFYVE)

!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)

!scope="row"|US Billboard 200

|13

Certifications

Notes

References

Citations

References