“Keep It Dark” is a rather odd song because of its syncopated rhythms and 6/4 time signature. The song was originally on 1981’s Abacab, but was released as a single as well in Europe. It’s a very distinctively Genesis song from this time period.
However, it still manages to retain a pop feel, despite its weirdness. The song starts with a guitar part and a thudding bass, with brass hits at seemingly random intervals.
The track was written by Tony Banks and tells the story of a guy who was abducted by aliens and shown a beautiful vision of the future, but was then forced to “keep it dark” by pretending he’d be kidnapped by thieves.
“It seems strange to have to lie,
About a world so bright.
And tell instead a made-up story,
From the world of night.”
I’m not sure what the moral is exactly, apart from maybe humanity isn’t ready for utopia. Definitely gives you something to think about.
There’s a noticeable clash between the hard hitting verse sections, and the dreamy sections about the future, where Phil Collins sings incredibly high pitched.