The demo:

The original:

Video version:

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I've always loved this song but it's been RECENTLY that I realized how much this song has been influential to some degree in other forms of music. The samples it has in hip-hop is mind-boggling to say the least. I bet when all is said and done with Phil, he'll have this tagline: "I can feel it coming in the air tonight, hold on..."

I thought this was cool:

Phil discussing the making of the song:

Still amused people here think the song was actually talking about an actual drowning when it was really a symbolic gesture at how Phil saw his first marriage crumble.

A great song indeed Tim. Very Haunting to me.

NMuzakNSoul said:

A great song indeed Tim. Very Haunting to me.

I swear every time I hear it I'm put into some kind of trance. I just wonder the reaction Phil got when he first put this out.

Like "what the fuck is this?" Then 30 years later: "that song was great!"

Hip-hop samples:

2Pac:

DMX:

Nas:

Lil Kim:

The demo sounds pretty much like the final version.

I think this is one of those songs that almost everybody loves.

Timmy84 said:

NMuzakNSoul said:

A great song indeed Tim. Very Haunting to me.

I swear every time I hear it I'm put into some kind of trance. I just wonder the reaction Phil got when he first put this out.

Like "what the fuck is this?" Then 30 years later: "that song was great!"

yeah exactly!!!

armpit said:

The demo sounds pretty much like the final version.

I think this is one of those songs that almost everybody loves.

Even Mike Tyson loves it.

Timmy84 said:

Hip-hop samples:

2Pac:

DMX:

Nas:

Lil Kim:

Yeah I forgot about those for a quick min.

NMuzakNSoul said:

Timmy84 said:

I swear every time I hear it I'm put into some kind of trance. I just wonder the reaction Phil got when he first put this out.

Like "what the fuck is this?" Then 30 years later: "that song was great!"

yeah exactly!!!

It always works with classics. The first time it's put out: "what the fuck?" but then it translates later to "Hold on, here's my part coming up (the drum break) I CAN FEEL IT!!!"

NMuzakNSoul said:

Timmy84 said:

Hip-hop samples:

2Pac:

DMX:

Nas:

Lil Kim:

Yeah I forgot about those for a quick min.

I think Queen Pen sampled the song too on her debut. I'm just amazed how many samples it got.

Timmy84 said:

NMuzakNSoul said:

Yeah I forgot about those for a quick min.

I think Queen Pen sampled the song too on her debut. I'm just amazed how many samples it got.

Yeah man. $$$$ for Phil probably.

Phil Collins is one of those musicians that, like Prince, rappers love to sample.

Bone Thugs sampled "Take Me Home", too.

NMuzakNSoul said:

Timmy84 said:

I think Queen Pen sampled the song too on her debut. I'm just amazed how many samples it got.

Yeah man. $$$$ for Phil probably.

Oh yeah you know he getting moola. LOTS OF IT. I think some rock bands have covered it in recent years too.

Timmy84 said:

I thought this was cool:

Phil Collins and his "Miami connection" seem to be a lifelong love affair. From using his song in Miami Vice to guest starring in Miami Vice, and then the Vice City connection from GTA. I love the GTA series AND Miami Vice.

KoolEaze said:

Timmy84 said:

I thought this was cool:

Phil Collins and his "Miami connection" seem to be a lifelong love affair. From using his song in Miami Vice to guest starring in Miami Vice, and then the Vice City connection from GTA. I love the GTA series AND Miami Vice.

It was inevitable. It made sense for them to have "Vice City" and include Phil in it.

I don't like the song, but I do give it credit for popularizing the gated reverb technique.

I love gated snares.

I was really hooked on this song a few months ago. Thanks for posting the demo version.

It's really pointless to discuss this song. It really helped to define the 80s and while some could say it is a cliche, bottom line is it is great and an evocative piece of work.

The first time I heard this song on the radio was the first day I arrived in Los Angeles. It set the tone for what was then the "next stage" of my life. I'll always remember this song for that reason. There were also two other songs that were new to me at the time that I also associate with my move to L.A.: "How 'Bout Us" by Champaign, and "Don Quichotte" by Magazine 60. And in the news that week; John Hinckley tried to kill Ronald Reagan.

Sometimes I have trouble remembering dates, but I always remember the music that was playing at any given time in my history. These were the events that took place in my life in March 1981.

I think it has a unviersal feel about it, everyone has been through some sort of situation that leaves them silently raging because of regret, betrayal, whatever. I think the quiet fury is what is so striking about the song followed by the epic drum solo which is sort of like a sudden release of all that pent up anger. It kinda reminds me of U2's One in the sense that both are songs about anger/frustration yet both make people so happy when they listen to it - probably because we can all relate.

I liked/like it despite what some have said. I never thought it was about someone drowning never even heard of that one.

Tim, thanks for a fantastic post.

Earlier you pondered what the reaction to the song was, and it was pretty much, "what the fuck-oh my God!.

In many ways it was the same reaction that people had to "When Doves Cry" when it came out.

While a lot of artists from the period are compared (Prince and MJ) for example, I often found that Prince and Phil were more comparable. Their early adoption of the Linn drum machine and ingenuity not just as musicians but as producers presented music that was clearly "pop" music but something else entirely at the same time.

"In the Air tonight" is defnitely one of the great singles of all time.

Again, thanks for posting all the clips, they give a wonderful perspective to a great and influential tune.

Peace

kalelvisj said:

While a lot of artists from the period are compared (Prince and MJ) for example, I often found that Prince and Phil were more comparable.

MickyDolenz said:

Naturally 7 really made that song all their own, I LOVE those guys. I have all their CD's and used to correspond with them directly on MySpace (...before I deleted my account). Such a talented and humble group of guys.

Timmy84 said:

armpit said:

The demo sounds pretty much like the final version.

I think this is one of those songs that almost everybody loves.

Even Mike Tyson loves it.

I loved that scene. I went to see it because he was in it.

I like the movie. May even watch it again.

SUPRMAN said:

Timmy84 said:

Even Mike Tyson loves it.

I loved that scene. I went to see it because he was in it.

I like the movie. May even watch it again.

Mike Tyson can be incredibly funny, when he wants to be. I love how he's become more joyful in his mature years.