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Peter Gabriel — The Book of Love
Album: Scratch My Back
Avg rating:
7.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 788









Released: 2010
Length: 3:36
Plays (last 30 days): 0
The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing
It's full of charts and facts and figures
And instructions for dancing

But I
I love it when you read to me
And you
You can read me anything

The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb

But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything

The book of love is long and boring
And written very long ago
It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes
And things we're all too young to know

But I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings

And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
You ought to give me wedding rings
Comments (18)add comment
Huge Gabriel fan.  His covers album never grew on me - guess I need to give another listen.
I believe this to be a lovely, mellow little number and I like it.
GOOD TUNE!  Not one of his best, but still GOOD.  I Gave it a 7.  Thanx RP!!   
 smartn1 wrote:

This is just too corny for me. I usually love Peter Gabriel.

I think I'm having a grouchy day. I've skipped about 10 songs while listening to RP,  which is rare. Just not in the listening mood I guess.




IDK!  I have grouchy days sometimes.
This is just too corny for me. I usually love Peter Gabriel.

I think I'm having a grouchy day. I've skipped about 10 songs while listening to RP,  which is rare. Just not in the listening mood I guess.
I like Peter Gabriel, and I also like this version very much. The original by the Magnetic Fields is better though. Much better :-)

Stephin Merritt praised Gabriel's covers, telling The A.V. Club: I think it's fantastic.

 davidamarel wrote:

Sometimes the match of cover & artist is transcendent. Who knows why? This is gut-punch lovely.


As much as I like Magnetic Fields, Peter did such a better job of covering this song. So stunningly beautiful.
Sometimes the match of cover & artist is transcendent. Who knows why? This is gut-punch lovely.
Everything that Peter Gabriel has created as a musician brings me joy or sadness and puts me in mind of how beautiful and fragile life and love are.  Amazing track that I had not heard before. Sometimes (more often than not) simplicity speaks the loudest.
 jmkate wrote:

this is ridiculously beautiful. 


Absolutely.

this is ridiculously beautiful. 
Off on a tangent... heard these lines and thought of John Prine. I Just saw an anthology of his appearances on Austin City Limits

Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb

John was often both at the same time. Quite a gift.
Always enjoy his voice and arrangements.
Very...Very...Very Beautiful.
Just watched the season final of Scrubs (season 8), in wihch this song was featured. It's fantasic, would love to hear this on RP.  What a song.....
Great cover of a great Magnetic Fields song. I'm a big fan of all that Gabriel has done, and this is one of my new favorites.