View source for Four Kinds of Horses

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name          = Four Kinds of Horses
| cover         = Four Kinds of Horses.jpg
| type          = single
| artist        = [[Peter Gabriel]]
| album         = [[I/O (album)|I/O]]
| released      =
* 5 May 2023 (bright-side mix)
* 19 May 2023 (dark-side and in-side mixes)
| studio        =
* [[Real World Studios|Real World]] ([[Wiltshire]])
* The Beehive (London)
* [[British Grove Studios|British Grove]] (London)
* Copper House (London)
| genre         = [[Art rock]]
| length        = 6:47
| label         =
* [[Real World Records|Real World]]
* [[EMI Records|EMI]] (UK/Japan)
* [[Republic Records|Republic]] (US/Canada)
| writer        = Peter Gabriel
| producer      =
* Peter Gabriel
* [[Richard Russell (record producer)|Richard Russell]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rapp |first=Allison|date=5 May 2023 |title=Listen to Peter Gabriel's New Song, 'Four Kinds of Horses' |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/peter-gabriel-four-kinds-of-horses/ |access-date=10 June 2023|website=Ultimate Classic Rock |language=en}}</ref>
| prev_title    = [[I/O (song)|I/O]]
| prev_year     = 2023
| next_title    = [[Road to Joy (Peter Gabriel song)|Road to Joy]]
| next_year     = 2023
}}
"'''Four Kinds of Horses'''" is a song by English musician [[Peter Gabriel]], released in May 2023 as the fifth single in promotion of his tenth studio album ''[[I/O (album)|I/O]]''. The track has been described by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' as atmospheric, swirling, and sparkling.<ref name=":0">{{Cite magazine |last=Grow |first=Kory |date=5 May 2023|title=Hear Peter Gabriel's New Song 'Four Kinds of Horses' Featuring Brian Eno |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/peter-gabriel-four-kinds-of-horses-1234730246/ |access-date=10 June 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> The cover artwork was done by [[Cornelia Parker]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=BraveWords |title=PETER GABRIEL Releases New Single "Four Kinds Of Horses" (Bright-Side Mix); Audio |url=https://bravewords.com/news/peter-gabriel-releases-new-single-four-kinds-of-horses-bright-side-mix-audio |access-date=10 June 2023|website=bravewords.com |language=en}}</ref>
==Background==
The song was originally conceived when the founder of [[XL Recordings]] [[Richard Russell (record producer)|Richard Russell]] asked Peter Gabriel to make a song for his project "[[Everything Is Recorded]]". While in the studio, Gabriel came up with some chords, melodies and words on top of a groove he was working on; with the help from Russell, it would eventually become "Four Kinds of Horses".<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Four Kinds of Horses released |url=https://petergabriel.com/news/four-kinds-of-horses-released/ |access-date=10 June 2023|website=PeterGabriel.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 May 2023 |title=Peter Gabriel Releases New Single "Four Kinds Of Horses" & Shares Tour-Rehearsal Video |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2222768/peter-gabriel-four-kinds-of-horses/music/ |access-date=10 June 2023|website=Stereogum |language=en}}</ref>
As the track developed, a couple of things would influence the track, such as the Buddhist Parable of Four Kinds of Horses, which explain how a student can approach religious and spiritual practice. The song also shows themes of the "overlap of religion and peace on the one hand and violence and terrorism on the other." He also took further inspiration from a plot line in the film ''[[Paradise Now]]'' by [[Hany Abu-Assad]] where two characters receive training to commit a terrorist act, which also explored the mindsets of these individuals during their preparations.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
The track also features [[Brian Eno]], who worked with Gabriel on 1992's ''[[Us (Peter Gabriel album)|Us]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ewing |first=Jerry |date=5 May 2023 |title=Listen to Peter Gabriel's brooding new single Four Kinds Of Horses |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/listen-to-peter-gabriels-brooding-new-single-four-kinds-of-horses |access-date=10 June 2023|website=Louder |language=en}}</ref> composer [[John Metcalfe (composer)|John Metcalfe]] on string arrangements, and Gabriel's daughter Melanie on backing vocals.<ref name=":1" />
== Personnel ==
* [[Peter Gabriel]] – vocals, backing vocals, piano, synths, rhythm programming, percussion
* [[David Rhodes (guitarist)|David Rhodes]] – guitars, backing vocals
* [[Tony Levin]] – basses
* Melanie Gabriel – backing vocals
* [[Brian Eno]] – rhythm progressing, synthesizers, electric worms
* Katie May – rhythm programming
* [[Richard Russell (record producer)|Richard Russell]] – filtered percussion
;Orchestra
*Orchestral arrangement: John Metcalfe
*Violins: Everton Nelson, Ian Humphries, Louisa Fuller, Charles Mutter, Cathy Thompson, Natalia Bonner, *Richard George, Marianne Haynes, Martin Burgess, Clare Hayes, Debbie Widdup, and Odile Ollagnon
*Violas: Bruce White, Fiona Bonds, Peter Lale, and Rachel Roberts
*Cellos: Ian Burdge, Chris Worsey, Caroline Dale, William Schofield, Tony Woollard, and Chris Allan
*Double bass: Chris Laurence, Stacy Watton, and Lucy Shaw
*French horn: David Pyatt
*Tenor trombone: Andy Wood and Tracy Holloway
*Bass trombone: Richard Henry
*Tuba: David Powell
*Orchestra conductor: John Metcalfe
*Orchestra leader: Everton Nelson
*Sheet music supervisor: Dave Foster
*Orchestra contractor: Lucy Whalley and Susie Gillis
==Charts==
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+Chart performance for "Four Kinds of Horses"
!scope="col"|Chart (2023)
!scope="col"|Peak<br />position
|-
{{single chart|UKdownload|65|date=20230518|artist=Peter Gabriel|rowheader=true|access-date=7 June 2023}}
|}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Peter Gabriel}}
[[Category:2023 singles]]
[[Category:2023 songs]]
[[Category:EMI Records singles]]
[[Category:Republic Records singles]]
[[Category:Peter Gabriel songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Peter Gabriel]]