Peter Gabriel | Solsbury Hill (1977)

He wrote the song about a spiritual experience atop Little Solsbury Hill in Somerset, England, after his departure from the progressive rock band Genesis, of which he had been the lead singer since its inception. The single was a Top 20 hit in the UK, peaking at number 13, and reached number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977.

Gabriel has said of the song's meaning, "It's about being prepared to lose what you have for what you might get ... It's about letting go."

The song is mostly written in 7/4 time, an unusual time signature that has been described as "giving the song a constant sense of struggle". The meter settles into 4

4 time only for the last two measures of each chorus. It is performed in the key of B major with a tempo of 102 beats per minute, with Gabriel's vocals ranging from F♯3 to G♯4.