It’s a shock to pretty much no one — not even that monkey — to be told that Peter Gabriel is amazing. We’d even accept the brag from the man himself. But it turns out his new song, appropriately titled “I’m Amazing”, is not some boastful self declaration from the 66-year-old Brit, but in fact a track inspired by the late, great Muhammad Ali.
Without much advance warning, “I’m Amazing” surfaced this morning, and will be available to download tomorrow. This morning, Gabriel revealed its inspiration via Facebook, writing: “I wrote a song a few years back — ‘I’m Amazing’, which was, in part, inspired by Muhammad Ali’s life and struggles and at the time of his death, when so many people are celebrating his life and thinking about all he achieved, it seemed the right time to release it.”
The song itself is pretty incredible; a seven-and-a-half minute sonic journey that soars through skies of experimental world music, tribal rhythms, electronic pop, and theatre. It’s even got some Arcade Fire, Beatles, and Radiohead DNA in there, though it’s truly an original Gabriel composition. It covers a lot of ground. And it won’t be played on FM radio.
“I’m Amazing” is also his first bit of new music in three years, and all told, a pretty assertive comeback. Expect to hear it live (hopefully?) when Gabriel plays the DCU Center in Worcester, with Sting, on July 2.