Top 10 Phil Collins songs (Part Two)
Continued from the 11/11 edition of The Lamron!
Five: “Sussudio” from No Jacket Required
Possibly the most contentious pick on the list, “Sussudio” goes down in Collins’ catalog as a fanbase-splitting superhit. The song centers around a hypothetical lover known as “Sussudio,” an improvised name Collins came up with while recording. As with many of his improvised lyrics, it stuck, and “Sussudio” became a known hit. As for the song itself, it’s an incredibly poppy melody heavily inspired by Prince’s “1999,” which Collins listened to extensively while touring with Genesis. Many of his fans avoid the hit, saying it was Collins flirting too much with overly-pop music, but Collins still performs the song live to this day while shooting rainbow confetti into the audience, in the same manner he did when the song was first released.
“Now I know that I'm too young / My love has just begun (What?) / Sus-Sussudio, oh-oh.”
Four: “In the Air Tonight” from Face Value
Easily Collins’ biggest hit, “In the Air Tonight,” is a staple of pop culture and a tune that music listeners worldwide will recognize. The song went triple platinum in the US and double platinum in the UK and continues to appear on the charts until today (hitting no. 9 on the Billboard Hot Rock and Alternative Songs). The drum riff has won over the hearts of many, barrelling into the song right in the middle, crying out for attention. The lyrics are so mysterious and powerful that an urban legend emerged over the years that Collins had written the words after witnessing a man drown. However, Collins has since confirmed that the emotion comes not from a real experience but rather his pent-up emotion after his divorce, exploding into one of the greatest songs of the 80s.
“So you can wipe off that grin, I know where you’ve been / It’s all been a pack of lies.”
Three: “Don’t Lose My Number” from No Jacket Required
“Don’t Lose My Number” perfectly melds together all the aspects of Collins’ pop-rock style into one space that continues to make toes tap nearly 40 years later. Like many of Collins’ songs, the lyrics were improvised, with the writer stating he has little idea what they mean. The song talks about a man, Billy, being hunted while the narrator reminds him, “don’t lose my number.” However, the emotional core, unlike “In the Air Tonight,” isn’t the center focus of the song. Rather the sheer power of the music, mixing Collins’ drums, instrumentals, and lyrics all into one piece, makes you want to roll down your window and chant the lyrics.
“He never meant to do anything wrong / It’s gonna get worse if he waits too long.”
Two: “Take Me Home” from No Jacket Required
Collins has gone on record stating that “Take Me Home” is his favorite number to perform live. Since its release in 1985, Collins has used the song as his encore and almost always the last song he performs before leaving the venue; a fitting end in which the audience can scream the chorus along with Collins as a goodbye. It’s also a deep introspective into Collins’ struggle with fame, an eye-opening account of what it feels like to not be able to turn back the clocks to before the world saw you in a completely different way.
“I can’t come out to find you, I don’t like to go outside / They can’t turn off my feelings like they're turnin’ off the light.”
One: “I Don’t Care Anymore” from Hello, I Must Be Going!
Surprisingly enough, the decision to put “I Don’t Care Anymore” as the number one best Phil Collins song was actually the easiest pick of the list. There’s so much to admire about the song, whether it be the sheer intensity of the chorus, the power of the recurring drum riff, or the beauty of the lyrics that cut in between, “I Don’t Care Anymore” has it all. The song’s beginnings are an enigma, with many fans wondering whether the inspiration was Collins’ divorce or the criticism he received after releasing solo albums alongside his Genesis work, but the message rings true either way. This was a moment for Collins to look into the future, to take hold of the power and become what he knew he could be, leading to one of the most successful music careers of recent times!
“Well you can tell everyone I’m a down disgrace / Drag my name all over the place / I don’t care anymore. [...] ’Cause I’ve been talking to the people / That you call your friends / And it seems to me there’s a means to an end / They don’t care anymore. [...] We never played by the same rules anyway.”