Digging in the Dirt
Released 14th September, 1992Digging in the Dirt was the first single from Peter Gabriel’s sixth solo album US, and was released on 14 September 1992.
Recorded at Real World Studios Digging in the Dirt was written by Peter, produced by Daniel Lanois and Peter and engineered by David Bottrill.
“Digging In The Dirt was looking at the darker side of myself. I was also reading a book about murder and anger expressed in different ways. One was called, ‘Our Desire To Kill’, and I was trying to find the bastard in me, which I can feel and which I feel much more comfortable with. That was allowing me to get into different subject-matter.”
The single cover, designed by Malcolm Garrett / Assorted images, features an image by Zush, one of a selection of artists commissioned to design a piece of art for a specific track on the album.
The single first charted in the UK on 19 September 1992, peaked at 24 and stayed in the UK Top75 for 4 weeks. In the USA the single reached #52 on the Hot 100 on 21 November 1992, spending 11 weeks on the chart.
The accompanying video for Digging in the Dirt was directed and produced by John Downer. The video won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video in 1993.
The single itself was released on a number of formats in the UK:
7”
A Digging in the Dirt
B Quiet Steam*
Written by Peter Gabriel. Produced by Daniel Lanois and Peter Gabriel. Engineered by David Bottrill
* Written by Peter Gabriel. Produced by Peter Gabriel and Daniel Lanois. Engineered by David Bottrill
12”
A1 Digging In The Dirt
A2 Digging In The Dirt (Instrumental)
B1 Quiet Steam
B2 Bashi-Bazouk *
* Written by Peter Gabriel. Remixed by Richard Blair
CD Maxi Single Aqua sleeve / CD Maxi Single Brown sleeve
1 Digging In The Dirt
2 Digging In The Dirt (Instrumental)
3 Quiet Steam
4 Bashi-Bazouk
CD Single / CD Digipack
1 Digging In The Dirt
2 Digging In The Dirt (Instrumental)
3 Quiet Steam