The Knife (track)
by Genesis
The Knife appears on the following album(s) by Genesis:
- Trespass (track #6) (this album) (1970)
- Platinum Collection (track #40) (compilation) (2004)
- Live (track #5) (1973)
- 1970-1975 (Box Set) (track #6) (compilation) (2008)
- R-Kive (track #1) (compilation) (2014)
- The Story Of Genesis (track #1) (compilation) (1978)
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The Knife 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.
Showing latest 5 ratings for this track. | Show all 152 ratings for this track.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Track ratings | Avg. track rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 32 hours ago | Siromynian | 18,223 | 71/100 |
| ! | 05/16/2026 19:49 | timconnolly1 | 33 | 20/100 |
| ! | 03/23/2026 04:04 | Exist-en-ciel | 169,579 | 71/100 |
| ! | 01/19/2026 00:57 | kinginsomniac12 | 6,106 | 100/100 |
| ! | 11/02/2025 16:28 |  Ilolahti | 1,840 | 81/100 |
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 89.5/100, a mean average of 88.6/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 90.4/100. The standard deviation for this track is 14.7.
The Knife favourites
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The Knife comments
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Squonk007 10/01/2025 21:59 | #311163
Wow, for 1970 this is full on, everyone going at it. (Edited)
Incredible song. Unquestionably the standout of Trespass and one of the best songs Genesis would ever do. You're hooked from the second you hear that opening keyboard riff. Cold, cutting, politically charged lyrics and outstanding guitar work make up the best of the song, squeezing in room for a chilling flute solo under a subdued melody in the middle. Then it's right back into the powerful trot for the rest of the track. This is quintessential Genesis in every way. So good. (Edited)
This is probably the hardest-rocking Genesis track ever. Anthony Phillips is a master of the 12-string, but here he proved himself an excellent lead electric player as well. (Edited)
paladisiac 11/24/2014 23:36 | #127922
"The Knife" is a marvelous, ominous tale weaving gabriel's storytelling and evocative flute with banks's beautifully haunting keyboards and rutherford's foreboding bass work. (Edited)
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