In The Air Tonight is the story of a Phil Collins song ....

"In the Air Tonight" is Phil Collins' biggest hit and very first solo single, released in early 1981. The song quickly became a success, thanks in large part to not only the lyrics, but also the incredible drum solo! It was this solo that became the model of experimental rock and pop music for the rest of the decade... As for the lyrics, they are quite tragic. The composition tells about a drowning man and his helpless state... "Well, if you told me you were drowning, I wouldn't lend a hand" - with this phrase Collins opens the first verse of his work. It is worth paying tribute to him as a musician: Phil managed to endow his creation with a mysterious tone, as well as an ambiguous, one could say eerie mood... "Well, I was there, and I saw what you did - I saw it with my own eyes" - Collins is addressing a man he doesn't trust. The song slowly but successfully tells a dark but interesting story of betrayal and grief...

The single quickly became a worldwide hit, and even achieved Gold status! To this day, "In the Air Tonight" remains the jewel of the Australian drummer's repertoire, his biggest achievement in his solo career. Critics call it a "soft rock classic"! But what exactly inspired the musician to write such a dramatic composition? Today we will try to find out...

Creation history and musical style...

"In the Air Tonight" was born shortly after Collins' divorce from his first wife Andrea Bertorelli. According to the musician, the images and motifs of the future hit came to him spontaneously... However, - to him:

"I wrote this song spontaneously, without realising it myself... At that moment I was overwhelmed with feelings such as anger, despair, frustration... It was a terrible period that is hard for me to remember..."

At first Collins wanted to include his creation in the album Duke by Genesis, but the band members were sceptical... As Tony Banks, the founder of Genesis, later admitted:

"I've regretted my decision a million times already..."

As for the musical background, it represents the so-called "avant-garde of experimental pop music". Phil himself admitted that the tune was influenced by the "ominous chords" of Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel... It was played on Prophet-5. The ending of the track, with an explosive drum solo, deserves special attention! By the way: this solo was included in the top 100 according to many influential publications.

"In the studio I was just messing around! I knew what I wanted. I wanted to write the kind of music that would reflect my inner state..."

 

"...When the music was ready, I just switched on the microphone and started singing. At first the heaviness of the track scared me... But then I realised: this is my inner state...".

The story of the legendary drum sound!

As it was mentioned above, the song "In the Air Tonight" became famous due to the gorgeous drum solo... It enchanted not only the listeners, but also Collins' colleagues on stage. Even Ozzy Osbourne himself could not contain his admiration:

"This is the best and most amazing drum solo I've ever heard!" - stated the Black Sabbath leader.

Music critics have noted that musically, "In the Air Tonight" is a striking creation inspired by sadness and grief. Most notable here is the drum sound, which is not heard for the first two minutes. It is followed by the drums, which literally explode at the end of the song!

So how did Collins manage to achieve such a unique drum sound? Unfortunately, it remains a mystery to this day. According to Phil himself, this sound was the result of unintentional chaos in the studio....

The original version of the song includes extra drums! Adding them was suggested by the head of Atlantic Records.

A release and a success!

The single was released in the early winter of 1981. The success of the song was truly overwhelming... Speaking about it, Phil Collins himself emphasises:

"It was a real surprise for me!"

And indeed: the musician's debut solo record entered the Top 40!

"When Dave Lee Travis and I were recording the Top of the Pops album, he said: "This record is going to be a top three record!" I didn't believe it, because how can an album that was recorded literally at random even make the top ten? But Dave was right. The very next week Top of the Pops was at number three! And soon John Lennon was murdered...".

Subsequently, "In the Air Tonight" was used in many films and TV series, including the legendary "Miami Vice". Even today, this classic remains relevant on some rock radio stations... In 1985, Phil performed his hit at Live Aid!

"I'll never forget performing that song at Live Aid..." - Collins recounted. "I'll also never forget Pete Townsend asking: "Are you going to do that fucking song again?" And I said: "Yes, as it's the only song I can play even if I get woken up in the middle of the night...""

As strange as it may seem, "In the Air Tonight" enjoyed a new round of fame in 2007, thanks to... a Dairy Milk advert! A gorilla playing the drums helped the cult hit to re-enter the UK top 40!

And now for the most magical performance that will change the way you think about drummers and vocalists....

Probably, every person (or almost) hearing the word "vocalist" immediately imagines this musical hero in shabby trousers, who energetically runs on stage with a microphone in his hands and brings the hall to a boil... Most likely, he loves extravagant outfits and even make-up... But what if one performance will completely break this stereotype? Yes, yes, be ready for it....

We are talking now about the amazing performance of Phil Collins, who with the help of invisible magic leads the audience of thousands into raptures... It's really a fairy tale! But how, how does he do it? After all, outwardly he looks more like... a neighbour perhaps. However, this maestro has a few tricks! And their cunning lies in simplicity: Collins doesn't try to get the audience excited, he doesn't wear epathetic costumes, and even more - he doesn't use pyrotechnics and other special effects at his concerts! He emanates a warm, light energy that can touch everyone... The show is secondary. In the first place is the gift (and the voice, of course...) And it's either there or it's not. That's how it is. And to transport a person with the help of a song somewhere in Miami, on the ocean shore... Yes, it's not even a gift, it's magic!

Urban legend...

But that's not all the listener needs to know about "In the Air Tonight"... Having talked about the success and musical background of the song, let's move on to the most interesting part... Namely, to the urban legend that has not ceased to fascinate music lovers even after many decades.

If the legend is to be believed, the song was born under a strong impression... Allegedly Collins was walking in the park and saw a man drowning on the other bank. He would like to help the poor man, but he was too far away... Phil looked around and saw a man not far from the place of tragedy, who did not deign any desire to help the drowning man... Then the musician found out this man and invited him to his concert. Well, the further story is familiar to many: with the help of the spotlight Collins revealed the identity of the indifferent, and he had nothing left but to run away from the hall. And then the legend loses the logical chain of events: some say that this man lost his job, others say that he committed suicide... Collins himself denies the legend:

"Everything that inspired this song was inspired by the divorce and the disappointment it brought me... There's a lot of anger, a lot of anger, maybe even rage... And when someone comes up to me and asks me if I really saw a man drown, I say, "No, that didn't happen!" Sometimes these gossips upset me... After all, people don't understand what I really wanted to convey with In the Air Tonight..."

However, despite the discontents of the author himself, the urban legend continues to live and find resonance in the hearts of not only fans, but also musicians! For example, it is mentioned in Eminem's song "Stan".

Whether it really happened, or whether it is just a figment of the listeners' imagination... Nevertheless, the legend adds romanticism and drama to the composition.