The Carpet Crawlers

Infobox Single |
Name = The Carpet Crawlers


Artist = Genesis
from Album = The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
B-side = "Evil Jam (The Waiting Room live)"
Released = April 1975
Format =
Recorded = August-October 1974
Genre = Progressive rock (1975)
Techno pop (1999)
Length = 5:15
Label = Charisma/Virgin (UK) Atco/Atlantic (U.S.)
Producer = John Burns and Genesis (1975 version), Trevor Horn (1999 version)
Chart position =
Last single = "Counting Out Time" (1974)
This single = "The Carpet Crawlers" (1975)
Next single = "A Trick of the Tail" (1976)
Misc = Extra chronology
Last single = "Not About Us" (Live) (1998)
This single = "The Carpet Crawlers 1999" (1999)
Next single = "Silent Sun 2006" (2006)Extra tracklisting
Album = The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Type = studio
prev_track = "Counting Out Time"
prev_no = Track 3
this_track = "The Carpet Crawlers"
track_no = Track 4
next_track = "The Chamber of 32 Doors"
next_no = Track 5"The Carpet Crawlers", also sometimes listed as "Carpet Crawl", "The Carpet Crawl" or "Carpet Crawlers", is a song originally from the 1974 Genesis concept album "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway". The ethereal counter melody is played by guitarist Steve Hackett.

In this portion of The Lamb story, the main character Rael finds himself in a red carpeted corridor, filled with strange creatures that are slowly crawling towards a red door at the end of the hall. Rael is able to move freely, so he dashes by them towards the door and goes through it. Behind the door is a table with a candle lit feast of food on it, and behind that, a spiral staircase that leads upwards out of sight.

Recent appearances

"The Carpet Crawlers" reappears on "Seconds Out", Genesis's 1977 live album. A re-recorded version, called "The Carpet Crawlers 1999", was released on the compilation album "". Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins both share the lead vocals on The Carpet Crawlers 1999. The B-sides of the 1999 single were Turn it on Again and Follow You Follow Me. The song is also included as the final track of the 2007 live album "Live Over Europe 2007"

Cover versions

The song was covered by the French band Matis on their album "Encore" released in 2006.A version was also recorded by progressive rock outfit The Strawbs. Another version was covered by the jazz band Fragile on their 2007 cover album smile.

Personnel

*Peter Gabriel: Vocals
*Steve Hackett: Electric Guitar
*Mike Rutherford: 12 String guitar, Bass pedals
*Phil Collins: Drums and Hi-Hats
*Tony Banks: ARP Pro-Soloist, RMI Electra-Piano