| Can-Utility and the Coastliners | |
| Type: | Song |
| Artist: | Genesis |
| Album: | Foxtrot |
| Released: | 6 October 1972 |
| Recorded: | August 1972 |
| Genre: | Progressive rock |
| Length: | 5:44 |
| Label: | Charisma Records |
| Producer: | David Hitchcock |
"Can-Utility and the Coastliners" is the fourth song on Genesis' fourth album, Foxtrot, released in 1972. "Can-Utility and the Coastliners", written mostly by guitarist Steve Hackett with bass player Mike Rutherford and keyboardist Tony Banks,[1] is based on the legend of King Cnut of England, Denmark, and Norway, who supposedly ordered the seas to retreat to mock the sycophancy of his followers. Steve Hackett wrote the lyrics.
An early, longer version of the song found its way into pre-album live sets (as heard on certain bootleg recordings); known as "Bye Bye Johnny" or "Rock My Baby", it featured an extended instrumental section in which the Mellotron string sound dominated.