The Fountain Of Salmacis (track)
by Genesis
Year: 1971
From the album Nursery Cryme (track #7)
Listen on Spotify
The Fountain Of Salmacis appears on the following album(s) by Genesis:
- Nursery Cryme (track #7) (this album) (1971)
- 1970-1975 (Box Set) (track #13) (compilation) (2008)
- Three Sides Live (track #12) (1982)
Upcoming concerts
Listen to The Fountain Of Salmacis on YouTube
The Fountain Of Salmacis ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Track ratings | Avg. track rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 01/19/2026 00:57 | kinginsomniac12 | 5,498 | 100/100 |
| ! | 12/04/2025 16:04 | Exist-en-ciel | 77,732 | 70/100 |
| ! | 10/13/2025 21:09 |  Superunknown | 506 | 86/100 |
| ! | 10/10/2025 15:05 | markl73 | 6,225 | 79/100 |
| ! | 09/28/2025 21:42 | steve397 | 4,987 | 73/100 |
Rating metrics:
Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some tracks can have several thousand ratings)
This track is rated in the top 1% of all tracks on BestEverAlbums.com. This track has a Bayesian average rating of 86.6/100, a mean average of 86.5/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 87.2/100. The standard deviation for this track is 11.5.
The Fountain Of Salmacis favourites
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The Fountain Of Salmacis comments
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Great mellotron heavy track, great rhythm section and a great story. One of the highlights of the album.
The rhythm section really shines on this one, as Banks brings power with the orchestral feel of the mellotron, while Rutherford and Collins provide a somewhat groovy feel to the backdrop of the verses. The roaring soundscape that begins the song in particular is super captivating, and the fact that it reprises itself multiple times throughout shows that Genesis knew this. Of course, Hackett shines too with a short but tight guitar solo midway through, as well as a perfectly prog solo in the final minute to lead the track into the swell of the closing. I'm so often captivated by the music here that the lyrics and vocals are usually secondary in my mind, which is a shame because it tells a rather interesting story. I do wish this song were a bit more cohesive and easier to follow along with, but as it stands, it's a really nice finish to the album.
Grouse 08/05/2018 13:05 | #219262
A masterpiece!
Early example of Genesis's masterful songwriting/arranging. A prog classic
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