Dont Give Up (with Peter Gabriel)

"Don`t Give Up" is a song written by English rock musician Peter Gabriel and recorded as a duet with English singer Kate Bush for Gabriel`s fifth solo studio album So (1986). An edited version was released as the third single from the album in the UK on 20 October 1986 and as the fourth single in the US in March 1987.[2] It spent eleven weeks in the UK Top 75 chart in 1986, peaking at number nine.

In 1987, the song won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.[3]

Background

The song was inspired by the Depression-era photographs of Dorothea Lange, showing poverty-stricken Americans in Dust Bowl conditions.[1] Gabriel saw Lange`s images in a book entitled In This Proud Land (1973) and felt that a song on this topic was appropriate. He also cited unemployment in the United Kingdom under the premiership of Margaret Thatcher as further inspiration.[4]

Gabriel composed lyrics about a man whose unemployment causes stress in his domestic relationship. He had watched a TV program about the consequences of unemployment on family life, and said that it "played into my own problems at that time. I think a combination of that and domestic difficulties."[5] The verses, sung by Gabriel, describe the man`s feelings of isolation, loneliness and despair; the choruses, sung by Bush, offer words of hope and encouragement. The title was something that Gabriel`s former wife, Jill, would say when he was experiencing emotional difficulties. "When he gets into very deep depressions, I am always saying don`t give up. I think the song is very much about us."[6]

Recording

Gabriel built the song around a tom-tom pattern with a three-against-four polyrhythm that he programmed onto a drum machine.[5] He tuned the programmed tom-toms to different pitches with the intention of having Tony Levin emulate the part on the bass guitar.[7] Halfway through recording, Levin placed a nappy behind his strings to dampen the sound and achieve a softer tone. Levin had packed the nappies in his gig bag for his two-month-old daughter because he mistakenly thought that the products were not sold in the UK.[8][6] Richard Tee also contributed piano, in the song`s bridge, to infuse a gospel feel into the section.[9] Gabriel attempted a few variations of the ending section, but eventually settled on an arrangement that he was satisfied with.[5]

Gabriel developed the "don`t give up" lyric and the verses early on, although he did not finalize the chorus until a few months after the melody was solidified. He did not conceive the song as a duet and originally sang all of the choruses himself, but later said that "the story would work better with a man–woman relationship."[5][10] The initial demos of "Don`t Give Up" were around seven minutes in duration, although Gabriel later decided to edit the song down.[5]

I always over-record, because again it`s a classic situation in the studio. The band suddenly starts rehearsing at the end of the song and this sort of magic groove starts coming—and then the tape runs out. So I always make sure we`ve got five minutes spare, so if something does happen, if the band takes off, then you can get it. And then perhaps you`ll come back and try to pull some of that energy into the earlier sections.

— Peter Gabriel[5]

Gabriel wrote the song from a reference point of American roots music and approached country singer Dolly Parton to sing it with him. However, Parton turned it down, so his friend Kate Bush took her place.[11] Gabriel said that Bush was originally nervous about participating, but delivered an "excellent" vocal take on her second attempt.[10] Assistant engineer David Stallbaumer recalled that Bush`s contributions improved the song "almost instantaneously".[12]

Music videos

Two music videos were created for the song. The first, by Godley & Creme, is a single take of Gabriel and Bush, as they sing, in an embrace, while the sun behind them enters a total eclipse and re-emerges. Of the shoot, Gabriel remarked, "There are worse ways of earning a living."[13] The video was featured in the final broadcast of the channel Europa TV in November 1986.[14]

A second video, directed by Grammy Award–winning Jim Blashfield and produced by Melissa Marsland in 1988, features the singers` faces superimposed over film of a town and its people in disrepair.[15]

Legacy

In a 2014 interview, Elton John attributed his sobriety to the song, in particular the lyric from Bush, "Rest your head. You worry too much. It`s going to be all right. When times get rough you can fall back on us. Don`t give up." He states, "she [Bush] played a big part in my rebirth. That record helped me so much."[16]

Similarly, actor Matthew Perry (who struggled with substance and alcohol addiction) was enamored with the song; it was played at his funeral in November 2023 and was referenced in signed copies of his autobiography Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which was released a year before his death.[17][18] Of the song, Perry said in an interview, "It was so cool and I love that. I`ve been writing it when I sign the book. I always put `Don`t give up` because you shouldn`t give up."[19] Gabriel said in a 1989 interview that multiple people had approached him to say that "Don`t Give Up" "came at a very good time in their life" and recalled an instance where a "a well-known American comedian," told him that the song saved his life.[5]

Live performances

Jennie Abrahamson performing Don`t Give Up at Peter Gabriel`s Back to Front Tour 2014 at Festhalle in Frankfurt, Germany

The song was included in Gabriel`s concert film Live in Athens 1987[20] where he sang both parts[21] and Secret World Live tour featuring singer Paula Cole. The DVD release of a performance in Italy in 1993 (released in 1994) included the duet. An all-orchestral recording featuring Ane Brun was released on Gabriel`s ninth studio album New Blood (2011). During Back to Front Tour from 2012 to 2014, Gabriel performed the Song live with singer Jennie Abrahamson.[22][23] During i/o The Tour in 2023, Gabriel performed the song live with cellist/pianist/singer Ayanna Witter-Johnson.[24]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Peter Gabriel

Personnel

• Manu Katché – drums, percussion
• Tony Levin – bass guitar
• David Rhodes – guitars
• Richard Tee – piano
• Peter Gabriel – vocals, CMI, Prophet, Linn, piano
• Simon Clark – chorus CS-80
• Kate Bush – guest vocals
• Kevin Killen - engineer and mixer

Charts

Other versions

Willie Nelson and Sinéad O`Connor version

The song was covered as a duet between American musician Willie Nelson and Irish singer Sinéad O`Connor in 1993. The single is included on Nelson`s Across the Borderline studio album, produced by Don Was, Paul Simon, and Roy Halee. O`Connor sings Kate Bush`s parts in the song. In an interview with Los Angeles Times, Nelson talked about the duet and how it was made. He said:

There was another lady, Dolly Parton, who was supposed to do that part, but she ended up being unavailable. At the rehearsal for the [Bob] Dylan tribute show in New York, Don [Was] suggested Sinead. I`d heard about the controversy with the Pope, but I`d never heard her sing. Don said, `She`s excellent. It turned out that she and Peter Gabriel were friends and she already knew the song. At the concert, she was booed for the controversy. I asked her, `Are you sure you still feel like coming in to sing tomorrow?` She said, `Yes, I`ll be there.` She came in the next day and sang her off.[43]

A music video was made to accompany the song, featuring both singers. It has a sepia tone. It was reported that funds raised by sales of the single were in excess of $300,000.

Critical reception

Martin Monkman from AllMusic felt the duet is the "most stunning song" on the album, and "a brilliant piece of casting." He added, "Nelson and O`Connor`s rendition is quietly triumphant and every bit as powerful as Gabriel and Bush`s original."[44] John Davis from Austin American-Statesman wrote, "The teaming of his crisp, autumnal baritone with the ethereal, spun-steel counterpoint of O`Connor`s voice on Gabriel`s paean of hope, "Don`t Give Up", is little short of haunting. It is arguably the album`s most arresting interlude, as well as Nelson`s most accomplished pass ever at a modern pop song. And it nearly did not happen at all."[45] Bill DeYoung from Gainesville Sun described the duet as "heartfelt".[46] Paul Freeman from Los Angeles Times called it "a striking duet".[43] Pan-European magazine Music & Media remarked that Nelson`s version "makes a rodeo queen out of his duet partner".[47] Roger Morton from NME felt the pair`s version "is quite dignified enough to stand up on its own. It`s an understated rendering which, a few country twangs aside, leaves the interaction between Nelson`s grizzled tones and Sinead`s frail quavers to do the work."[48] An editor from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that Nelson and O`Connor "make an odd but effective couple".[49] David Zimmerman from USA Today named it a "wonderful stop" on the album, noting its "hope-and-despair seesaw".[50]

Track listing

1. "Don`t Give Up"
2. "Don`t Give Up" (instrumental)

Alicia Keys and Bono version

"Don`t Give Up" was recorded by American recording artist Alicia Keys and Irish musician Bono.[51] Retitled "Don`t Give Up (Africa)", the song was produced by Keys and Steve Lillywhite.[52] On 6 December 2005, the song was released as a single exclusively on iTunes and a ringtone version was released by Cingular Wireless."Multimedia News Release – This Holiday Season, Get a Cingular Ringtone, Give Life". PR Newswire. 1 December 2005. Retrieved 15 December 2014.</ref> The proceeds of the release went to the charity Keep a Child Alive, for which Keys is a spokesperson.[53] Keys commented that "I love this song. And I love Bono. I really respect what he has done for Africa and how he has used his fame to do good in the world. I hope I can do half as much in my life".[54] Keys and Bono performed the song live at Keys` charity event the Black Ball, which raises money for the organization Keep A Child Alive.[55] They performed the song also on The Oprah Winfrey Show in October 2006.[56]

The recording of the song took place at the Oven Studios on Long Island.[57] Keys spoke of the recording session at the studio with Bono and Steve Lillywhite:

We were playing them the backing tracks and I don`t know if I started singing, or he did, but something started happening and we tracked it right here on the spot, that`s it, we`re done. There was a crowd in here, everybody came in from the other room because they could tell there was something going on in here.[57]

Track listing

Charts

Jann Klose and Annie Haslam version

Jann Klose and Renaissance vocalist and painter Annie Haslam released their version, produced by Rave Tesar in June 2017. The recording features Jann Klose on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, Annie Haslam on lead vocals, John Arbo on upright bass, Rob Mitzner on cajon and Rave Tesar on keys. Proceeds from the sale of the recording benefit Desmond Tutu`s TutuDesk foundation.

Shannon Noll and Natalie Bassingthwaighte version

A cover version was recorded by Australian artist Shannon Noll and former Rogue Traders frontwoman Natalie Bassingthwaighte. It was produced by Michael "fingaz" Mugisha who also produced hits for Jessica Mauboy, Big Brovaz and recorded for the compilation Home: Songs of Hope & Journey. It was released as a charity single for the depression organisation Beyond Blue. It was the most added song to Australian radio in its first week.[60] It made its debut at number seven on the Australian Singles Chart, and, in its second week, climbed to number two with a Platinum certification. The song was also performed live on the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars. The music video features Noll and Bassingthwaighte in the studio recording the single.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications