“A Trick of the Tail” by Genesis

"A Trick of the Tail" is the title song of Genesis's 1976 album, and Tony Banks wrote all of it, words and music, most of it back in 1972, when he meant it for Foxtrot. By his account its rhythm owes something to the Beatles' "Getting Better". The story comes by way of William Golding's 1955 novel The Inheritors: a Beast strays from his own kingdom into the world of men, is caged as a freak-show exhibit by captors who doubt his golden paradise exists, and wins his release by offering to lead them there, only to vanish as a spire of gold comes into view.

Phil Collins sings lead and drums, Banks stacks piano, organ, Mellotron and synthesizer, Steve Hackett plays electric guitar and Mike Rutherford covers bass and bass pedals. Put out as a single with "Ripples" on the flip, it barely troubled the charts.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.