20 Most Underrated Classic Rock Songs Of All Time
4. Mercy Street - Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel was a pop visionary in every sense of word. From his time in Genesis to the many hits he had on his own, Gabriel's music always was forward-looking in either instrumentation or subject matter. Fans may single out So as his best work, but not many seem to bring up the beautiful meditation in the middle of the record.
As "Mercy Street" fades in, the tempo provides a slight pulse as we start to see sonic pictures unfold all around us. Inspired by the writings of poet Anne Sexton, Gabriel wanted to capture an intimate feeling with the music, which led to him creating some of his first vocal harmonies on record. Instead of venturing into the stylings of artists like the Beatles, Gabriel's use of a backing vocal an octave below his lead vocal gives the entire track an ominous tone.
What results is a tune that makes you feel both uncomfortable and at ease at the same time, almost as if you're looking into the deepest corners of your mind. Compared to other hits like "In Your Eyes," "Mercy Street" may be the ideal blend between Gabriel's pop sensibilities and prog ambitions. It's one of his most beautiful songs, but also one of his most tortured performances on record.