"We Can't Dance" is the fourteenth studio album by the English rock band Genesis, released on November 11, 1991, by Virgin Records in the UK and Atlantic Records in the US. It marked the band's return after an almost four-year hiatus following their previous album, Invisible Touch (1986), and it became their last studio album recorded with drummer and singer Phil Collins before his departure in 1996 to pursue solo projects full time. The album became a commercial success, reaching No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 4 on the US Billboard 200, selling over 4 million copies worldwide. Six singles were released from the album, including the hits "No Son of Mine" and "I Can't Dance," the latter earning a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1993.
In July 1987, after finishing their 1986-1987 world tour in support of Invisible Touch, Genesis entered a period of inactivity, during which each band member pursued solo projects. Phil Collins found success with his solo album ...But Seriously (1989), while Mike Rutherford's band Mike and the Mechanics also gained attention. During this break, there were expectations that Collins might leave Genesis, but he chose to return for another album. The album was initially planned for production in 1990 but was delayed due to Collins's extensive solo touring, eventually beginning in 1991. The album's title, We Can't Dance, was partly inspired by the popularity of dance music at the time.
Genesis recorded We Can't Dance at their private studio, The Farm, in Chiddingfold, Surrey, from March to September 1991. They initially considered releasing a double album but chose to focus on a single disc due to the increasing popularity of CD formats, which offered more flexibility. The band's creative process involved extensive improvisation, with each member contributing to the music's development during long jam sessions. Collins, in particular, found the process of songwriting with the band inspiring, and he contributed a significant amount of lyrics to the album. The album was co-produced by Nick Davis, who had previously worked with Banks and Rutherford on their solo projects, and it marked the end of the band's collaboration with producer Hugh Padgham, who had worked with them since Abacab (1981).
The album contains both lighter and more serious material. Collins contributed lyrics for several songs, which he later described as some of his best work with Genesis. Some of the album's tracks tackle serious themes, such as "No Son of Mine," which deals with domestic abuse, and "Dreaming While You Sleep," which concerns a hit-and-run driver dealing with guilt. The ten-minute "Driving the Last Spike" focuses on the struggles of Irish workers who built the UK's railways in the 19th century.
"Fading Lights," another long track, was viewed as a farewell song from Collins to the band, as he left after the subsequent tour. "Since I Lost You" was written by Collins for his friend Eric Clapton, following the tragic death of Clapton's son Conor. "Tell Me Why" was inspired by the Gulf War and the plight of the Kurdish people. On the lighter side, "I Can't Dance" was a tongue-in-cheek critique of the dance culture at the time, while "Jesus He Knows Me" satirized televangelism.
The band also recorded two tracks that were ultimately left off the album: "On the Shoreline" and "Hearts on Fire." These were released as B-sides and later appeared on the Genesis Archive 2: 1976–1992 and Genesis 1983–1998 box sets.
We Can't Dance was released on November 11, 1991, in the UK and November 12, 1991, in the US. The album debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart and remained there for two non-consecutive weeks. It reached No. 4 on the US Billboard 200, where it stayed for a total of 72 weeks. The album's success was further supported by the release of several hit singles, including "No Son of Mine," "Hold on My Heart," "I Can't Dance," and "Jesus He Knows Me," with the latter two supported by humorous and memorable music videos.
The album was certified double platinum in the UK within weeks of its release, eventually reaching quintuple platinum status in 1997 for sales of 1.5 million copies. In the United States, the album shipped 1 million copies by December 1991 and was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in 1996 for 4 million copies sold.
We Can't Dance was reissued in 2007 as an SACD/DVD set featuring new stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes by Nick Davis. The album was also included in the Genesis 1983–1998 box set. It remains the band's final album with Phil Collins before his departure, though the band's influence and the album's success helped to cement Genesis as one of the defining bands of the progressive rock and pop-rock eras.
