10 Songs to Celebrate Phil Collins’ Birthday

Though health issues have plagued him for a while, popular vocalist-drummer Phil Collins hasn’t lost any of his passion for live performance. Last year, he and his band Genesis had a string of shows across the U.K. and U.S., playing all the old hits to the crowd’s delight. This coming March, gigs in Germany, Paris, Amsterdam and London are scheduled.

The Last Domino? Tour came after a 13-year hiatus by the band. At the 2021 shows, Collins was seen arriving on a wheelchair and seated while singing songs both by Genesis and from his solo albums. His son Nic was on drums, with band-mates Tony Banks on keyboards and Mike Rutherford on bass and guitar. Also on guitar was Daryl Stuermer, who’s regularly accompanied Collins on tour.

The British musician celebrates his 71st birthday on January 30th. He’s had an illustrious career, since he joined Genesis as the drummer in 1970. Those days, Peter Gabriel did vocals and the band’s sound was more experimental and progressive. Collins continued drumming after Gabriel left in 1975, but took over as singer too.

The band’s sound became more pop-friendly and synthesizer-driven, attracting a new set of followers. In 1981, Collins began a parallel career as a solo artist with the album Face Value. The 1980s yielded many super-hits, and in the following decade, he got involved in other projects, including acting.

In Gabriel-era Genesis, Collins wrote less, providing lyrical inputs to only a few songs. After Gabriel left, he penned lyrics for some numbers, but it was only after his solo career began that he started writing more regularly. Of course, as a vocalist and drummer, he attained a huge following. To celebrate his birthday, we choose 10 songs written or co-written by Collins – songs that reflect his creative genius. The order is chronological.

1. “Misunderstanding” – Duke, Genesis (1980)

Collins had originally written this song for his solo album Face Value, but used it in the Genesis album Duke, along with “Please Don’t Ask.” “There must be some misunderstanding, there must be some mistake, I waited in the rain for hours, you were late,” sings Collins, who was said to be inspired by the Beach Boys in the composition. The video shows Collins in an orange shirt, driving an old Ford convertible. Rutherford and Banks make short appearances, playing their instruments.

2. “In The Air Tonight” – Face Value, solo (1981)

Often described as the musician’s signature song, this was the lead single off his debut solo album. A highlight was the drum roll in the second half, described by fans as legendary. The song has an infectious melody, as Collins sings, “I can feel it in the air tonight, oh lord; And I’ve been waiting for this moment, for all my life, oh lord; Can you feel it in the air tonight, oh lord.” He wrote the song in grief after divorcing his first wife Andrea Bertorelli. The video received plenty of airplay on the recently launched MTV.

3. “Man On The Corner” – Abacab, Genesis (1982)

Both music and lyrics for this song were written by Collins, who talks of homelessness. It is about a man sitting on a street corner, waving at passersby. The opening lines are, “See the lonely man there on the corner, what he’s waiting for, I don’t know, but he waits every day now, he’s waiting for something to show”. The synthesizer plays a large role in the song. In the rhythm section, Collins begins with a drum machine, before going on to the regular kit.

4. “Mama” – Genesis, Genesis (1983)

Composing credits for this hugely popular song were shared by Rutherford, Banks and Collins, but Collins wrote the lyrics. Interestingly, the rhythm here has been programmed by Rutherford. The song is said to be about a man’s feelings for a particular sex worker, and in the video, Collins is seen singing for a mysterious woman. The song begins with the lines, “I can’t see you mama, but I can hardly wait, oh, to touch and to feel you mama, oh, I just can’t keep away.”

5. “Against All Odds” – Against All Odds, film (1984)

Collins had originally written this song when he was working on his Face Value album, but didn’t use it then. It was then featured in the Rachel Ward-Jeff Bridges romantic thriller Against All Odds. It is about a man who asks an ex-lover to “take a look at me now”. In classic Collins style, the drums appear suddenly in the middle of the song. Rob Mounsey plays piano. Collins won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. In 1999, pop star Mariah Carey had a huge hit with her version, which she later re-released with boy band Westlife.

6. “Sussudio” – No Jacket Required, solo (1985)

Collins got this tune while playing around on his drum machine. He was humming the nonsensical phrase “Sussudio” and since he found nothing else, stuck to it. The main lyrics are about a schoolboy’s crush, and go, “There’s this girl that’s been on my mind, all the time, Su-Sussudio, oh oh, now she don’t even know my name, but I think she likes me just the same, Su-Sussudio, woah oh”. A highlight is the appearance of the Phoenix Horns.

7. “Invisible Touch” – Invisible Touch, Genesis (1986)

Collins has described this as his favourite Genesis song. A group composition, it has lyrics by Collins. The song is said to have been inspired by Collins’ earlier relationship with Andrea. The lyrics are, “She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah, she reaches in, and grabs right hold of your heart; She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah, it takes control and slowly tears you apart”. The music is driven by Banks’ keyboards.

8. “Tonight Tonight Tonight” – Invisible Touch, Genesis (1986)

Another of those group compositions with words by Collins, this song is about drug addiction. It talks of an addict who’s waiting for his dealer while going through withdrawal symptoms. The main lines are, “Cause tonight, tonight, tonight oh, I’m gonna make it right, oh”. The song had the working title ‘Monkey Zulu’ and was a major attraction at live shows, with many singing along and dancing without knowing the context. The opening rhythm is a Collins classic.

9. “Another Day In Paradise” – …But Seriously, solo (1989)

One of Collins’ biggest hits, it again tackles the subject of homelessness, after “Man In The Corner.” The song talks of a man rejecting a homeless woman, with the message, “Oh think twice, ’cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise”. The video alternates visuals of Collins with images of poor people on the street. The song won Collins and co-producer Hugh Padgham the Grammy for Record of The Year in the 1991 ceremony.

10. “I Can’t Dance” – We Can’t Dance, Genesis (1991)

This song is often played at the end of Genesis shows, even as an encore. While songwriting credits are shared by band members, Collins wrote the lyrics. The tune was inspired by a TV commercial for Levi’s jeans, but the Genesis music video actually pokes fun at TV commercials, criticizing their false glamour.  The song also inspired the ‘I Can’t Dance’ series of movements.

Collins left Genesis in 1996 but continued to release solo material. In 1999, he had another hit in ‘You’ll Be In My Heart’ from the Disney animated feature Tarzan. The song won both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song. His last solo album was Going Back in 2010, and it featured covers of 1980s Motown and soul standards.

Of the 10 songs listed above, ‘Mama’, ‘Invisible Touch’, ‘Tonight Tonight Tonight’ and ‘I Can’t Dance’ were performed at last year’s shows in the UK and US, with the last three coming towards the end. Though he remained seated, Collins was cheerful even after two hours. He’s a man who has defined passion and dedication for music.