Born and raised in west London, Collins played drums from the age of five and completed drama school training, which secured him various roles as a child actor, with his first major role, aged 13, as the Artful Dodger in the West End musical Oliver!. He then pursued a music career, joining Genesis in 1970 as their drummer and becoming lead singer in 1975 following the departure of Peter Gabriel. Collins began a successful solo career in the 1980s, initially inspired by his marital breakdown and love of soul music, releasing the albums Face Value (1981), Hello, I Must Be Going! (1982), No Jacket Required (1985) and ...But Seriously (1989). Collins became, in the words of AllMusic, "one of the most successful pop and adult contemporary singers of the '80s and beyond". He also became known for a distinctive gated reverb drum sound on many of his recordings. In 1985, he was the only artist to perform at both Live Aid concerts. He also resumed his acting career, appearing in Miami Vice and subsequently starring in the film Buster (1988). In 1996, Collins left Genesis to focus on solo work; this included writing songs for Disney's Tarzan (1999) for which he received an Oscar for Best Original Song for "You'll Be in My Heart". He rejoined Genesis for their Turn It On Again Tour in 2007. Following a five-year retirement to focus on his family life, Collins released an autobiography in 2016 and completed his Not Dead Yet Tour in 2019. He then rejoined Genesis in 2020 for a second reunion tour, ending in March 2022.
Collins's discography includes eight studio albums that have sold 33.5 million certified units in the US and an estimated 150 million records sold worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists. He is one of only three recording artists, along with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, who have sold over 100 million records both as solo artists and separately as principal members of a band. He has won eight Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards (winning Best British Male Artist three times), two Golden Globe Awards, one Academy Award, and a Disney Legend Award. He was awarded six Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, including the International Achievement Award. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010. He has also been recognised by music publications with induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2012, and the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Collins
Studio albums
Face Value (1981)
Hello, I Must Be Going! (1982)
No Jacket Required (1985)
...But Seriously (1989)
Both Sides (1993)
Dance into the Light (1996)
Testify (2002)
Going Back (2010)
09 In the Air Tonight
Phil Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight? Oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand
I've seen your face before, my friend, but I don't know if you know who I am
Well, I was there and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been
And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well, I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well, I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, I remember, I remember, don't worry, how could I ever forget?
It's the first time, the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep your silence up, no, you don't fool me
Well, the hurt doesn't show, but the pain still grows
It's no stranger to you and me
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
Well, I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, I've been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord
Well, I've been waiting for this moment all my life, oh Lord, oh Lord
The lyrics of Phil Collins/David Wise's song "In The Air Tonight" convey a sense of impending doom and long-awaited justice. The opening lines "I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord / And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord" suggest that the singer has been anticipating a significant event for a long time and that it is finally about to happen. The repeated refrain, "Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord?" creates a sense of tension and expectation.
The second half of the song addresses someone who has done something wrong and is now facing the consequences. The lines "Well if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand / I've seen your face before my friend, but I don't know if you know who I am" suggest that the singer knows the person they are addressing but is not willing to help them out of trouble. The following lines "Well I was there and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes / So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been / It's all been a pack of lies" make it clear that the person being addressed has done something dishonest or hurtful and that the singer is aware of this fact.
Line by Line Meaning
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord
I sense an upcoming event, maybe a confrontation or a breakthrough, that will have a significant impact on my life
And I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh Lord
I have been anticipating this moment for a long time, as if it is something that has been destined to happen
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord, oh Lord
I want to know if you can sense the same thing that I do, as if we are both attuned to something that others can't perceive
Well if you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand
If you were in trouble, I wouldn't help you, perhaps because of a grudge or some kind of betrayal that we've experienced before
I've seen your face before my friend, but I don't know if you know who I am
Although we've met before, there might be a lack of recognition or familiarity from one side, pointing to a divide between us
Well I was there and I saw what you did, I saw it with my own two eyes
I witnessed your actions firsthand, and I can attest to what happened without any doubt
So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you've been
Don't try to deny or cover up what you've done, because I am aware of your past actions or mistakes
It's all been a pack of lies
The truth has been obscured or misrepresented, and there has been a deception that needs to be revealed
Well I remember, I remember, don't worry, how could I ever forget
I have a vivid recollection of what happened, and I can't simply overlook or forgive it just like that
It's the first time, the last time we ever met
Our meeting was a significant milestone, but it was also the end of something, indicating a finality or a closure of some sorts
But I know the reason why you keep your silence up, oh no you don't fool me
I understand why you're not speaking up, but I am not deceived by your silence and I won't fall for any pretense or evasion
Well the hurt doesn't show, but the pain still grows
You might appear unaffected or indifferent, but there is an underlying pain, grief, or resentment that is far from being healed
It's no stranger to you and me
The emotional burden, the conflict, or the history of our relationship is familiar and common to both of us
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Phil Collins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@spetalpha1683
Who else is listening this masterpiece in the 2024?
@meredithpope333
Me 🇦🇺
@lisaayers1271
There are no words for how great this performance is❤
@margotgair8324
I have 54 years old, i love this song
@obfrozen
Always listening.
@windoe6345
I will probably listen to it till I die ...
Ageless song .
@mthomasy
He released this song over 40 years ago. And that drumbreak STILL gives me goosebumps.
@GregoryPerry-we2wx
3:19 3:19
@ICWA-xj4si
That’s what makes a legend
@jekanyika
Tbf fair there are plenty of acts making music today that wish they could make a tune that sounded 40 years old.