‘Follow You Follow Me’ is a love song written and recorded by English rock band Genesis. It was released in February 1978 as the first single from their ninth studio album, ...And Then There Were Three... (1978). The music was composed by the band, and the lyrics were written by bassist and guitarist Mike Rutherford. The single became Genesis' first top 10 hit in the UK and first top 40 hit in the US, reaching No. 7 and No. 23 respectively.
Like much of the rest of the album, the slower, sentimental ‘Follow You Follow Me’ was a departure from most of their previous work as a progressive rock band, featuring a simple melody, romantic lyrics and a verse-chorus structure. ‘Follow You Follow Me’ was the first worldwide pop success by the group. The band felt that their music was attracting mainly male audiences, so this song was written specifically to address the imbalance.
At the time of release, ‘Follow You Follow Me’ became the band's most successful single, spending 4 weeks in the top 10 on the UK Singles chart, peaking at #7 for two weeks. The song also peaked at #23 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #23 on the U.S. Cashbox Top 100 chart and #21 on the Adult Contemporary chart, #16 on the Australian singles charts, and #22 on the NZ singles charts. The song is included in the 2005 book, Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era, which states "the formerly progressive Genesis begins to proceed without impediment toward the Top 10". Peter Gabriel had left the band three years before this song was released.
This was the first hit for Genesis in the US. In 1974, when Peter Gabriel was still their lead singer, their song "I know what I like (In Your Wardrobe)" made #21 in the UK, but until "Follow You," Genesis was very much a cult band. With lines like, "Every day is such a perfect day to spend alone with you," this song was written specifically to appeal to a female audience, as the band had determined that about 95% of their fanbase was male. It certainly redressed that balance and opened up a new chapter of more accessible songs for the band.
In an interview, Mike Rutherford said, "At the time, it was meant to be part of a longer song but it just sort of worked. I wrote a very simple lyric, I guess about my wife really now. It was the first time I wrote a lyric that direct and that quick. I didn't analyze it, it just came out very quickly. And then I thought, 'Do you know what, it's so simple it works in an honest way.'"
Labels – Charisma (UK), Atlantic (US)
Songwriters – Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
Producers – David Hentschel, Genesis
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]Stay with me
My love, I hope you'll always be
Right here by my side if ever I need you
Oh, my love
In your arms
I feel so safe and so secure
And every day is such a perfect day to spend
Alone with you
[Chorus 1]
I will follow you, will you
Follow me, all the
Days and nights that we
Know will be, I will
Stay with you, will you
Stay with me, just one
Single tear in each
Passing year
[Verse 2]
With the dark
Oh, I see so very clearly now
All my fears are drifting by me so slowly now
Fading away
I can say
The night is long, but you are here
Close at hand, oh, I'm better for the smile you give
And while I live I will
[Chorus 2]
Follow you, will you
Follow me all the
Days and nights that we
Know will be, I will
Stay with you, will you
Stay with me, just one
Single tear in each
Passing year there will be
[Synthesizer solo: Tony Banks]
[Chorus 3 with repeats]
I will follow you, will you
Follow me, all the
Days and nights that we
Know will be, I will
Stay with you, will you
Stay with me, just one
Single tear in each
Passing year, I will
Follow you, will you
Follow me, all the
Days and nights that we
Know will be, I will
Stay with you, will you
Stay with me, just one
Single tear in each
Passing year, I will
Follow you, will you
Follow me, all the
Days and nights that we
Know will be, I will
Stay with you, will you
Stay with me, just one
Single tear in each
Passing year...
[Synthesizer solo on fade-out]