Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden Greats is a compilation album by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel. It was released in 1990 as Gabriel's first career retrospective, including songs from his first solo album Peter Gabriel (I or Car) (1977), through Passion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ (1989). It was remastered with most of Gabriel's catalogue in 2002. The vinyl version of the album is called Shaking the Tree: Twelve Golden Greats.

Track selection The tracks are creatively re-ordered, ignoring chronology. Some of the tracks were different from the album versions. New parts were recorded for several tracks in Gabriel's Real World Studios. Most songs are edited for time, either as radio, single, or video edit versions. "Shakin' the Tree"—a track from Youssou N'Dour's 1989 album The Lion—is a 1990 version featuring new vocals from Gabriel (and slightly revised title). "I Have the Touch" is listed as a 1983 remix, although it is actually the 1985 remix which appeared on the "Sledgehammer" single. (The 1985 remix is similar to the 1983 remix, which appeared as the B-side of the "Walk Through the Fire" single, but is edited down to 3m 45s)

"Here Comes the Flood" is a new recording from 1990. This version is a piano and voice arrangement, that is far simpler than the highly produced version on Peter Gabriel (1977). Its sparseness is closer to the version Gabriel recorded with Robert Fripp on Fripp's Exposure (1979). In interviews, Gabriel has said that he preferred the 1979 version, which he also chose to overdub in German as the flipside of the single "Biko" released before Ein deutsches Album (1980).

Although this album highlights songs from Peter Gabriel's earlier albums, tracks from Peter Gabriel (II, or Scratch) and the soundtrack to the film Birdy are not included. "In Your Eyes" is missing from the compilation. Say Anything..., in which it was played in a prominent scene, had been released the year before. Although this made "In Your Eyes" perhaps the most well known Peter Gabriel song aside from "Sledgehammer" in the U.S., it was not released as a single in Peter Gabriel's UK homeland. "In Your Eyes" was therefore omitted from the album in favour of five of the other eight tracks from So – four other hits and the album track "Mercy Street".

Release For the album packaging, Gabriel decided to forgo longboxes in favour of a jewel box as a means of reducing waste. Robert Smith, who served as the head of marketing for Geffen Records, defended Gabriel's decision to exclusively release the album in a jewel box, saying that "it is not a clause in his contract. It is Peter Gabriel's personal wishes, and we are respecting those wishes." Some record store outlets including Show Industries, Kemp Mill, and Music Plus refused to carry the album in their stores because of Gabriel's choice of packaging.

Music & Media called Shaking The Tree a "quality compilation" with "intelligent, melodic pop songs, which, in all their diversity, possess the unmistakable Gabriel touch of genius". Cashbox thought that the compilation served as "an excellent introduction" to Gabriel's solo discography.

Track listing Tracks marked with (*) do not appear on the vinyl release of the album.

Personnel "Solsbury Hill" Bob Ezrin – production Larry Fast – synthesizer Robert Fripp – guitar Peter Gabriel – vocals Steve Hunter – guitar Tony Levin – bass guitar Alan Schwartzberg – drums

"I Don't Remember" (Edited version) Larry Fast – processing Robert Fripp – guitar Peter Gabriel – piano, synthesizer, vocals, and production Tony Levin – Chapman Stick Jerry Marrotta – drums David Rhodes – guitar Peter Walsh – production

"Sledgehammer" (Single edit) P.P. Arnold – backing vocals Peter Gabriel – Fairlight CMI, Prophet, piano, vocals, production Carol Gordon – backing vocals Manu Katche – drums Wayne Jackson – trumpet Daniel Lanois – production Tony Levin – bass guitar Dee Lewis – backing vocals Don Mikkelsen – trombone David Rhodes – guitar Mark Rivera – saxophone

"Family Snapshot" Larry Fast – synthesizer Phil Collins – snare drum Peter Gabriel – piano, vocals John Giblin – bass guitar Dave Gregory – guitar Steve Lillywhite – production Jerry Marrotta – drums Dick Morrissey – saxophone David Rhodes – guitar

"Mercy Street" (Edited version) Djalma Correa – surdu, congas, and triangle Peter Gabriel – Fairlight CMI, Prophet, piano, CS80, vocals, and production Larry Klein – bass guitar Daniel Lanois – production Mark Rivera – processed saxophone

"Shaking the Tree" (1990 remix) George Acogny – Fairlight CMI percussion Roger Bolton – Fairlight CMI percussion and sequencing Simon Clark – organ, piano, keyboard bass, and synthesizer Habib Faye – bass guitar, guitar Peter Gabriel – vocals and re-recorded vocals Manu Katche – drums Youssou N'Dour – vocals David Rhodes – acoustic and electric guitar

"Don't Give Up" (Edited version) Peter Gabriel – chant, vocals, CMI, Prophet, piano, production Kate Bush – vocals, chant David Rhodes – guitar Tony Levin – bass guitar Simon Clark – chorus CS 80 Richard Tee – piano Daniel Lanois – production

"San Jacinto" Peter Gabriel – vocals, production David Lord – production

"Here Comes the Flood" (1990 re-recording) Peter Gabriel – piano, vocals, and production

"Red Rain" Peter Gabriel – vocals, production Daniel Lanois – production

"Games Without Frontiers" (Single edit) Steve Lillywhite – production Kate Bush – background vocals

"Shock the Monkey" (Radio edit) Peter Gabriel – vocals, production David Lord – production

"I Have the Touch" (1983 remix) Peter Gabriel – keyboards, vocals, and production David Lord – production Simon Phillips – drums James Guthrie – remix engineer

"Big Time" Peter Gabriel – vocals, production Daniel Lanois – production

"Zaar" (Edited version) Peter Gabriel – production

"Biko" (Edited version) Steve Lillywhite – production

Additional Alexander Knaust – styling and photography assistance Robert Mapplethorpe – photography Mouat Nomad, London – design

Charts

Weekly charts + Chart performance for Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden GreatsChart (1990–2005)PeakpositionDutch Albums (Midprice Top 50)50European Albums (IFPI)8Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)13French Albums (IFOP)12Greek Albums (IFPI)2Japanese Albums (Oricon)10Spanish Albums (AFYVE)11UK Physical Albums (OCC)61US Top Current Album Sales (Billboard)48

Year-end charts + Year-end chart performance for Shaking the Tree: Sixteen Golden GreatsChart (1990)PositionJapanese Albums (Oricon)75Spanish Albums (AFYVE)87Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)174UK Albums (OCC)121 Chart (1991)PositionAustrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)167German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)58Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)131UK Albums (OCC)134

Certifications

References

External links