The Musical Box (song)

"The Musical Box" is a song by English progressive rock band Genesis, which was originally released on their third studio album Nursery Cryme in 1971.^[2] The song is written in the key of F# major. This song is the longest song on the album at ten and a half minutes.

Though credited solely to Banks/Collins/Gabriel/Hackett/Rutherford, "The Musical Box" began as an instrumental piece written by

Starting with a performance in Dublin, Ireland on 28 September 1972, Peter Gabriel wore a fox's head and his wife's red dress while performing the last verse, resembling a character on the cover of their album "Foxtrot". The fox costume was replaced sometime in 1973 by a mask resembling an old man, as Gabriel would portray the character of Henry, emerging from The Musical Box and accosting Cynthia. "The Musical Box" was featured in their live repertoire up to Phil Collins's departure after the We Can't Dance tour in 1992, albeit with only the closing section being included as part of a medley. Between 1972 and 1975, on stage, Tony Banks played 12-string acoustic guitar during the 'Old King Cole' section, in duet with Rutherford, who played an electric archtop 12-string Rickenbacker guitar through until the end of the song. Hackett played electric guitar during the entire song.

The song was played live during the Trespass, Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot, Selling England by the Pound,

A Genesis tribute band, The Musical Box, is named after the song.

Brian May, guitarist with Queen, told Steve Hackett that he was influenced by the harmony guitar solo at the end of the song.^[5]

• percussion, oboe
• backing vocals
• 12 string guitar
• bass pedal synthesizer
• backing vocals