Top 10 Phil Collins songs (part one)
Phil Collins is one of the most successful pop musicians of the last fifty years, regardless of whether or not his name is as famous as other artists of his time. Coming from drummer-turned-singer in the band Genesis to breaking into his own solo career, Collins remains one of the highest selling artists of the last century. To put into perspective, Collins is one of three artists to sell 100 million albums in a band as well as solo, the other two artists being Michael Jackson of the Jackson 5 and Paul McCartney of The Beatles.
With this in mind, what songs directly contributed to this success (focusing solely on his solo career)? What led to the phenomena around his music? As a long-time Phil Collins fan, here are my top ten favorites that makes him one of the best.
Photo of Phil Collins courtesy of WikiMedia Commons
Ten: “Can’t Stop Loving You” from Testify
This song would likely rank far higher on the list if it weren’t actually a cover. Originally written and performed by William Nicholls in 1977 as “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” the song once again hit the charts when Testify released in 2002, many listeners not knowing that it was a cover. The cover is a rock-ballad about a breakup created not because of loss or anger, but because of circumstance, the narrator repeating, “I can't stop loving you / No, I won’t stop loving you / Why should I?” The song reemerged for a third time in 2019 when Taylor Swift recorded a cover of the cover for the BBC Live Lounge, Phil Collins later commenting, “Such a beautiful voice, she absolutely nails it. Lovely to hear it.”
Nine: “The Same Moon” from Dance into the Light
Though a lesser-known song from the album, “The Same Moon” hits harder in my opinion than its sibling songs like “True Colors.” The narrator laments about having to be away from their partner, the moon acting as a way of joining the two despite their physical distance: “I’ll be looking up from wherever I am / And it’s you I’ll see if you’re looking too.” This will be one of the ‘deep cuts’ on the list, so be sure to give it a listen because you’re unlikely to hear it in passing.
Eight: “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” from the movie Against All Odds
It has already begun getting painful to have to pick one song over another, but “Against All Odds” is easily one of the most powerful ballads Collins has ever released. The song follows the narrator begging their partner to “Look at me now,” as they’ve become an “empty space.” The song expertly captures the devastation that comes with losing trust, making it one of Collins’ most famous songs and his first to hit #1 on the US Billboard 100.
Seven: “Wake Up Call” from Testify
Another ‘deep cut,’ “Wake Up Call” is just that—a call to action for its listeners to make the most of their time alive: “Am I the only one out there that’s listening / Cause it’s such a lovely noise that I can hear.” This theme is a common one for Collins, especially in Genesis, and despite being one of the lesser-known singles of his, he continues to back the song’s integrity. Rather than using horns and other traditional instruments, the song is backed by electronic instruments along with Collins’ classic drums. “Wake Up Call” was rereleased on the Genesis compilation album R-Kive, Collins saying the song deserved a second chance alongside songs that are closer to it.
Six: “I Wish It Would Rain Down” from …But Seriously
Another ‘power ballad’ similar to “Against All Odds,” “I Wish It Would Rain Down” hones in on what Collins excels at: explosively emotional drum riffs. From the first three seconds of the song the listener can immediately tell how much force and punch each word will have when backed with a crash of a symbol or the hum of the snare. Even better, the lead guitar of the song is none other than renowned guitarist Eric Clapton, giving it the string edge as well. This is a five-and-a-half minute song that you’ll want to go on forever, a visceral attack on what it’s like to see your ex-partner move on while you’re still stuck on them: “’Cause I know, I know I never meant to cause you no pain / And I realize I let you down / But I know in my heart of heart of hearts / I know I’m never gonna hold you again.”
Tune in next week for the final five!