All Of Us Do The Air Drums....All Of Us

In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins

Released in January of 1981, this was Phil's debut single. It reached the top 5 in most countries it was released in but not in the US, where it only reached #19. The video was played endlessly on MTV and was helpful in making this the signature song for Phil's solo career.

The song was written while Phil was going through a divorce and he said the lyrics came out from the very beginning almost exactly as they are on the final record. In the years since the song was released there's been an urban legend that has popped up about the song that suggests that Phil witnessed someone drowning and that he saw someone that was close enough to save them but they made no attempt. Of course, this isn't true. Phil has admitted that the song was just him being able to release some anger over his divorce and that the song really has zero meaning.

The drum sound for the song was recorded by running the audio through the microphone that the producer uses to talk to the band in the studio. Its clipped reverb sound became Phil's signature style. The song starts out with a drum machine but Phil's live drums come in at the 3 minute and 15 second mark and powers the remainder of the song. I can't think of a time that I've heard the song that hasn't ended up with anyone hearing it air drumming along to Phil's drum break.

The video has several strange images (it was the early days of music video, most artists were still trying to figure out the whole thing). Phil's sitting alone in a room. His own reflection appears and his head shatters.......umm, ok. He walks down a narrow corridor and a locked door suddenly flies open. But its the extreme close up on Phil's face (even Phil says he's not the most handsome guy) lit with a harsh overhead light that seems to make this video unnerving and sinister. Phil's anger in the lyrics seems to push on the edge of the screen. 

Please enjoy and just don't accuse Phil of drowning anyone......