Accidental anthem: the song Phil Collins wrote when he was “just fooling around”
Phil Collins has perhaps garnered one of the most convoluted perceptions in music history. While factual resources cite Collins’ work within Genesis as his most career-defining foundation, his debut solo single supercharged his success, prompting many to take him more seriously as an artist in his own right.
‘In The Air Tonight’ is undeniably Collins’ most widely recognised song, but it comes with a handful of associations and urban legends. One conspiracy suggests the lyrics were written about a drowning that Collins witnessed, where he couldn’t save the person, and so they ended up dying. This legend is so pervasive that it’s even been referenced in popular culture, even though Collins debunked it on many occasions.
It also goes without saying that many can’t think about the song without their mind going to the famous Cadbury gorilla advert, which brought about a notable resurgence for both the song and Collins, thrusting them back into the spotlight around Britain in the 2000s. As a result, the track’s significance shifted, evolving from a mere ballad to something more lively and enjoyable.
Upon closer examination of its lyrics, however, its suggestion of the loss of something once cherished cannot be disputed. Collins hints at a person drowning, stating he wouldn’t extend a helping hand. It also demonstrates the pain he feels but refuses to show; he can feel it coming “in the air tonight”, even if it is something sinister and unwelcome.
Despite long-term debates about its lyrical meaning, Collins insists the song came together organically, even a little accidentally. “I was just fooling around. I got these chords that I liked, so I turned the mic on and started singing,” he explained. His frustrations and sadness while going through a divorce were clearly an influencing factor, but for the most part, he wasn’t really sure what he was trying to say or if he was even trying to say anything at all, “It’s so frustrating,” he told the BBC, “because this is one song out of all the songs probably that I’ve ever written that I really don’t know what it’s about.”
Regardless of Collins’ explanations, the song does seem like it could be the template for a particularly vengeful story; the singer feels wronged by someone he trusted, only for him to find out that the person is in need of help, support, or even saving. At this point, he decides not to intervene, instead letting karma handle the situation. Whether this person cheated on him or it was a stranger who assaulted his wife or another woman, Collins feels an insatiable urge to let fate do its thing.
Or perhaps it really doesn’t warrant close analysis – Collins himself said it all just fell together, which often happens when musicians follow their instincts. Whatever the reason, it would be difficult to find anybody who doesn’t immediately recognise the first beats of the song, its rhythm building up to something familiar and inviting as we go along for the ride.
