Genesis: I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)

Just a question about this song's lyrics. Most of it makes pretty clear sense. It's a song about a guy who mows lawns, what he experiences as he does his work, and how he's happy doing it. But there's one line in the chorus that I can't quite figure out:

I know what I like
And I like what I know
Getting better in your wardrobe
Stepping one beyond your show

For one, those words are just hard to parse. For two, I have no idea what they could be referring to. Knowing Genesis, it is probably something slightly naughty. But there's no indication at all anywhere else that this is a love song, or that there's a woman he's lusting after. Can anyone help me parse this? Is it yet another obtuse British-ism?

I won't lie; I'm with you here. I've always wondered wtf he was talking about. My brain makes up all sorts of scenarios, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were all wrong knowing Gabriel.

Good thoughts, all.

I'm just going to assume the point is to contrast the lawn mower's philosophy ("I know what I like, and I like what I know") with somebody pretending to higher aspirations... "getting better in your wardrobe" could be like "dressing for success". So it's probably just some clumsy lyrics (which Gabriel was not innocent of in those days ^_^ )

dr wu23 wrote: Saw this online.... "Armando Gallo reveals 'the inspiration for Peter's lyrics in "I Know What I Like" came from a painting by Betty Swanwick, which he saw at an exhibition. Peter immediately noted down the characters of the song on the exhibition catalogue, and later on Betty Swanwick agreed to make some additions and enlarge her painting for the cover of Selling England by the Pound.' One addition was the lawn mower, which was not present in the original painting. It fits in nicely with the English themed covers of the last 3 albums. This allegedly was written for Genesis' roadie from 1971-1973. His name was Jacob Finster, and he could never hold jobs - he was a lawn mower, a pawn store clerk and a cashier. By the time he died, he worked in a doughnut shop where he overdosed on heroin. Much to the disapproval of everyone else, the protagonist in the song is rebuking modern society and all its vices (consumerism, careerism, etc.) in favor of a simpler life. He may be regarded as an underachiever but he is content in the knowledge that he is creating beauty. Art is perhaps the only medium where one need know nothing, yet still be a critic: we all know the chestnut, "I may not know art, but I know what i like." This can also be viewed in a negative sense, where, after all, art is something worthy of knowing about - to ignore it is to set your sights low. This has led one reviewer to say that in this song - "the uselessness of the upper class youth is pointed out in I Know What I Like (in your wardrobe). The origin of the phrase "I may not know Art, but I know what I Like" is uncertain. My favourite instance of it is during the Last Supper sketch of Monty Python during their "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" film. In it, the Pope tells the painter (Michelangelo?) that he doesn't want his painting of the Penultimate Supper with three Christs and a Kangaroo - he wanted what he ordered, and ends the sketch with the phrase. The Garden Wall was the name of one of the Charterhouse groups that contained future members of Genesis. The Farmer, who's trade is apparently escaping from the fire, comes straight out of Supper's Ready. "getting better in your wardrobe" - some relation to the Chronicles of Narnia, or another reference to the British obsession with cross dressing like Pink Floyd's Arnold Layne? "

^Perfect, thank you.