In 1981, Phil Collins released his debut solo single “In the Air Tonight”. The song is most famous for its iconic drum break, which became synonymous with the Genesis frontman. But the meaning behind the song is equally as intriguing as the drum break, since the enigmatic track originated from the personal struggles in Collins’ life. In this article, we will dive into the story, meaning, and legacy behind Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”.
The Origin of the Song
Phil Collins wrote “In the Air Tonight” during a difficult period in his life. In 1978, He embarked on an extensive world tour with Genesis to promote the band’s ninth studio album …And Then There Were Three… Collins’ devotion to touring with Genesis – which caused him to be away from home consistently – took a toll on his marriage with his first wife Andrea Bertorelli, who told him she would leave if he continued touring.
After the …And Then There Were Three… tour, Collins attempted to save his marriage with Bertorelli, which ultimately failed. “I had a wife, two children, and two dogs, and I didn’t have anything suddenly,” Collins reflected.
As a result of Collins’ attempt to save his marriage, Genesis decided to take a break, and bandmates Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks started working on their first solo albums. It gave Collins the time to work on his first solo record too.
Collins decided to turn the bedroom of his house in Shalford into a studio and installed a CR-78 drum machine; a piece of technology where you can program drum patterns. As a drummer, Collins was initially uninterested in the drum machine, but chose to install one anyway as part of his home recording kit. The basis of “In the Air Tonight” originated from the CR-78.
“In the Air Tonight’ was just a drum machine pattern that I took off that CR-78 drum machine,” Collins told Mix magazine. “You could eliminate certain sounds and program bass drums and snare drums, so I programmed a bass drum part into it, but basically, the rest of it was already on there. I probably added an acoustic Fender piano pretty early.”
The Meaning of the Song
Phil Collins wrote “In the Air Tonight” about his divorce from his first wife Andrea Bertorelli. During this period, the two had difficulty communicating, which led Collins to communicate through music.
“When Andy hears these words, she will realize how hurt I am, and how much I love her, and how much I miss my kids, then she’ll understand. Then it’ll be OK,” Collins stated in his memoir. “What does ‘In the Air Tonight’ mean? It means I’m getting on with my life, or trying to.”
The exact storyline or connection of the words is unclear, partially because Collins improvised the lyrics pretty much entirely. “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,” Collins told Rolling Stone in 2016. “Nobody knows what the song is about, and I kind of like the mystery.”
There’s also an urban myth surrounding “In the Air Tonight”. The myth evolves around the line “If you told me you were drowning / I would not lend a hand” and implies Collins wrote the song about a man who saw another man drowning. Eminem even referenced the myth in his song “Stan”. The myth, however, is complete nonsense.
The Legacy of In the Air Tonight
Phil Collins released “In the Air Tonight” as his debut solo single on his first album Face Value in 1981. The single topped the charts in several European countries and reached number 2 on the UK charts. The song wasn’t as successful in the US upon its release, where “In the Air Tonight” peaked at number 19.
Over the years, the song grew out to be one of Phil Collins’ signature songs. Part of its iconic status comes from the song’s drum break, which is arguably the most recognizable drum break in music history. According to Collins, he didn’t think as highly of the drum break as people nowadays do.
“I just did it that particular take and that’s the one we used. We didn’t sit there thinking, ‘Oh boy, their mouths are going to be dropping when they hear this!’ It was nothing like that,” Collins told Uncut.
“It’s just become what I’m known for. But it was real luck,” he stated in another interview.
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