Your Own Special Way - Genesis (1976)

"Your Own Special Way" was released on Genesis's 8th studio album, Wind & Wuthering during the Christmas holidays of 1976. This was the band's second album following Peter Gabriel's departure.....it was also the last to feature guitarist Steve Hackett. 2007 SACD FLAC Audio!

From Wiki:"The album's title derives from two pieces: The "Wind" comes from "The House of the Four Winds" (a Chinese restaurant in Manhattan), the title given by Hackett to a piece that later became the quiet bridge for "Eleventh Earl of Mar"; the "Wuthering" alludes to the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. The titles of tracks 7 and 8 are derived from the novel's closing sentence: "I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth."

Rolling Stone gave the album a positive review, praising Genesis for being both more experimental and more steeped in conventional rock than their progressive rock contemporaries. They made particular note of "Your Own Special Way", calling it "a first-rate pop song".

In a retrospective review, Allmusic similarly made note of "Your Own Special Way", calling it "the first [Genesis tune] that could qualify as a love song", dismissing earlier attempts such as "The Silent Sun" and "More Fool Me". Their reaction to Wind & Wuthering as a whole was mild, describing it as an album in "the same English eccentric ground that was the group's stock in trade since Trespass", albeit an above average example.

My favorite Genesis period by far is the mid-career, three album stretch that began in 1976 with A Trick of the Tail, followed by Wind & Wuthering at the end of the year, and ending with And Then There Were Three in 1978. After completing my first Genesis video for a track from A Trick Of The Tail ("Ripples"), I was looking forward to working something up for a track from Wind & Wuthering, it was a difficult decision which track to do first, narrowed down to three; this one, "Blood On The Rooftops" and "Afterglow"(which is coincidentally the first Genesis track I experimented with, long before undertaking "Ripples")....but in the end, on this album for me it always comes back to "Your Own Special Way"....truly a beautiful, special song and one of my all time favorites by the band.

I hope the video effort captured even a fraction of the glory that is "Your Own Special Way". I started with German Romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich's "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog"; (an oil painting composed in 1818 that currently resides in the Kunsthalle Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany.)....a piece of art that I've always loved and which I had been waiting for the right video to incorporate it into.....this song seemed right for it....saving some of the artist's other works for a future project devoted to his work.

Hopefully, I'll be on to something from And Then There Were Three in the not too distant future....till then....as always, I hope you enjoy this one!

Special thanks also to SeaOtterSoup Channel for the bit of incredible sky....check out his channel for some seriously beautiful videos!

[Lyrics]
Go far enough and you will reach,
A place where the sea runs underneath.
We'll see our shadow, high in the sky,
Dying away in the night.

I've sailed the world for seven years,
And left all I love behind in tears.
Oh, won't you come here, wherever you are,
I've been all alone long enough.

You, you have your own special way,
Of holding my hand keep it way 'bove the water,
Don't ever let go - Oh no, no, no.

You, you have your own special way,
Of turning the world so it's facing
The way that I'm going. Don't ever
Don't ever stop.

Whose seen the wind not you or I,
But when the ship moves she's passing by.
Between you and me I really don't think,
She knows where she's going at all.

You, you have your own special way,
Of carrying me twice round the world
Never closer to home than the day,
The day I started.

You, you have your own special way,
Hold onto my hand keep it way 'bove the water,
Don't ever let go no, no, no.

What mean the dreams night after night.
The man in the moon's a blinding light.
Won't you come out whoever you are,
You've followed me quite long enough.

You, you have your own special way,
Of holding my hand, Don't ever let go.
You, you have your own special way,
Of turning the world so it's facing
The way that I'm going, Don't ever,
Don't ever leave me.

[michaelochs]

This tune is one of the most beautifull songs ever

[walterfechter]

I heard/saw Genesis perform this tune in concert shortly after the LP "Wind and Wuthering" premiered in the States. Phil Collins and band also performed "Afterglow." I closed my eyes and thought that I was in Heaven. It was one of the greatest live performances I've ever witnessed. Thank you, MetalGuruMessiah, for creating and posting this gorgeous video!

[johnmcalindon]

Absolute genius at work here....I could be here all day.

[michaelarmitage]

This is probably the best love song I’ve ever heard. It was played many .years ago on a local radio station, and a lovely lady said just that... She was so right! The instrumental section around the last third is just totally magical, and I’ll never forget it!

[momgoose]

This is such a beautiful song it reminds of a man that I once  fell in love with but we parted when the bar I worked at (I was a bartender) closed and I never saw him again. From what I heard he moved and I moved and got married, but I still think about him, and I wonder if he is thinking of me.

[MetalGuruMessiah]

Coming from someone who holds this song in such high regard....it's a great choice for all time favorite song wonderful to hear you connected to the video I made for it! Thanks so much for checking it out and for the kind comment! (I did a couple of other Genesis tracks you might enjoy as well)

THANKS!

[charliesochko]

If, I could sing, I really don't believe I could sing this song without a beautiful song !!!

[robertociccolella]

Come descrivere questi capolavori ?? Magia pura… una volta innamorato di queste poesie, le si ama fino alla fine dei nostri giorni...

[jlmendoza]

Bella melodia hace una semana la volvi a escuchar despues de mas de 30 años la descubri por casualidad phill collins y genesis, como olvidarla en plena pandemia julio 2020

[marinofilipporollero]

QUESTA MI LEGA AD UNA

FOR

[marcellotosoni]

Mi emoziono sempre come un bambino, grazie siete

[jasonbarbush]

1976 my grandfather lifted me up to a jukebox and i was turned on to music at three at Myrtle Beach.

[dangale]

See Genesis about 4-5 times live. This is such a Beautiful-Song that has Always Touched My-Heart. Just-Love, The Lyric's;)...

[THEFNFAL]

one of my favorite genesis songs love the video they are very deep and you certainly expressed that in your video what a lost quality in modern day music

[pantagruela]

El caminante sobre el mar de nubes de D. C. Friedrich cobra vida bajo el influjo de este temazo de Génesis. Gracias por lograrlo. Gracias por tu arte.

[Miglygooh]

Magic visuals for magic song and band. Lovely and breathtaking, like the sea spray upon our face as we gaze to loves warm sunset. Peace..

[stratt]

I've said this before make the best videos ! Thank you. Jody in NH

[cynthiac]

beautiful video, this is my all time favorite song ever by my all time favorite band as well!! thanks for posting this, its awesome

[mikepugh]

Another awesome video to go with a truly beautiful song.

[MetalGuruMessiah]

Awesome to hear from ya Genesis fan! Thanks so much for watching!