Peter Gabriel Drops New Song “Put Down the Bucket” — LISTEN
Photo by Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Peter Gabriel has released a new song, “Put the Bucket Down,” continuing the unique rollout of his upcoming album o\i. The track arrives with the latest full moon, following the release pattern he used for his previous project. Gabriel is once again sharing one song at a time, connecting each release to the lunar cycle.
The song was written and produced by Gabriel. This version is labeled the Bright-Side Mix and was handled by Mark “Spike” Stent. Like other songs in this series, it will also have a second version. A Dark-Side Mix, created by Tchad Blake, is scheduled to arrive later in the month during the new moon phase.
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A Story Tied to the Mind
Gabriel said the song connects to a larger creative idea he has been developing. “As a side project, I am working on a show with the brain as the central core and there are a number of songs, some on i/o and some on o\i that will be part of that,” Gabriel explained in a press release. He described the track as part of a story that deals with thoughts and identity.
He continued, “This is one of those and it’s a point in the narrative where we can both read and write thoughts and the person singing is not sure whether he has his own thoughts or not. Is he inside his own mind or inside someone else’s?” Gabriel added an explanation of the title, saying, “The ‘bucket’ is all the crap that goes around our head all the time, so it is putting the bucket down to find your way forward…”
Building the Song’s Sound
Gabriel also shared insight into how the music came together. “I started building rhythmic elements around, what I call, a lop-sided loop, and got quite excited,” he said, describing the early stages of the track. The unusual rhythm became the base that shaped the rest of the arrangement.
He noted how the full group helped shape the final sound. “When we had the band play it, it really came to life so that feels good for me. The band and me working away is the bulk of the song, but when we were in the orchestral sessions, I asked John Metcalfe to come up with a part — it was scribbled out on the day in the studio – which is ridiculously simple, but it serves the song nicely.”
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