Solbury Hill Location

Someone asked me where the Solbury Hill in the Peter Gabriel song is located. First lets clarify the name of the place. Many people incorrectly spell the name of the hill in question "Solbury", however, it's actually Solsbury Hill:

Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing, time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night
He was something to observe
Came in close, I heard a voice
Standing stretching every nerve
Had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
[I] just had to trust imagination
My heart going boom boom boom
"Son," he said "Grab your things,
I've come to take you home."

To keepin' silence I resigned
My friends would think I was a nut
Turning water into wine
Open doors would soon be shut
So I went from day to day
Tho' my life was in a rut
"Till I thought of what I'd say
Which connection I should cut
I was feeling part of the scenery
I walked right out of the machinery
My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" he said "Grab your things
I've come to take you home."

When illusion spin her net
I'm never where I want to be
And liberty she pirouette
When I think that I am free
Watched by empty silhouettes
Who close their eyes but still can see
No one taught them etiquette
I will show another me
Today I don't need a replacement
I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" I said "You can keep my things,
they've come to take me home."

Once you have the correct spelling for the name then it's far more simple to figure out where the hill is located since you are now sure that Solsbury Hill is not the same hill as the prehistoric Silbury Hill earthwork near Avebury Wiltshire nor is Solsbury Hill anywhere near Salisbury Wiltshire. Solsbury Hill is near Bath in Somerset where Peter Gabriel would often walk. The song was written just after Peter's split with Genesis and gives you an insight into his thoughts and feelings at the time.

If you want to hear the song it's available on several of Peter Gabriel's albumns, since it's one of his favorite songs, and you can buy both the albums and the single at amazon.

Have you ever climbed up on Solsbury Hill?

Have fun listening to Peter Gabriel, if you have any comments please let me know and if you have any other questions which you'd like me to answer for free please send them to Ben Dash at ben.dash@gmail.com