Few songs, at least in the 80s, have garnered as much discussion as Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight”. His first solo single, “In The Air Tonight” was written by Collins for his freshman Face Value record. The song was released in 1981.
For decades, numerous rumors and urban legends have circulated about the meaning of the song, including about an abduction, a drowning, and more. While Collins ascertains that none of those stories have any merit, Collins admits he actually doesn’t know what “In The Air Tonight” is about, even though he wrote it.
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Collins wrote “In The Air Tonight” after his first wife, Andrea Bertorelli, left him, in part due to his extensive touring schedule with his band, Genesis.
“One day I was working on a piece in D minor, the saddest [key] of all,” Collins tells Rolling Stone. “I just wrote a sequence, and it sounded nice. I wrote the lyrics spontaneously. I’m not quite sure what the song is about, but there’s a lot of anger, a lot of despair, and a lot of frustration.”
What Phil Collins Says About the Mystery of “In The Air Tonight”
“In The Air Tonight” begins with, “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 / Can you feel it coming in the air tonight? Oh Lord, oh Lord.”
Collins acknowledges that “In The Air Tonight” is a double-edged sword for him due to the ambiguity in the lyrics.
“This song has become a stone around my neck, though I do love it,” Collins maintains. “I wrote it after my wife left me. Genesis had done a tour that was far too long. She said to me, ‘We won’t be together if you do the next tour.’ I said, ‘I’m a musician. I have to go away and play. Just hold your breath when I’m over there.’ Then Genesis toured Japan. When I got back, she said she was leaving and taking the kids.”
One of the biggest hits of his solo career, “In The Air Tonight” almost became a hit for Genesis instead. Founding Genesis member Tony Banks and Collins disagree if Collins ever played the song for him first.
“Tony Banks claims I never played him the song, but I don’t see why that would be true,” Collins reflects. “But I’m glad he didn’t take it, because Genesis would have put their mark on it, and it wouldn’t be the piece of music we’re talking about now.”
“In The Air Tonight” is the only hit single from Face Value.
Photo by LGI Stock/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images
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