In The Air Tonight

"In the Air Tonight" is a song by Phil Collins that first appeared on his 1981 album Face Value. It was recorded in 1979 and was the first single of Collins' solo career, and remains one of his best-known hits. The music video, directed by Stuart Orme, was released in 1981.

The song/recording
The recording is notable for its atmospheric production and macabre theme. Released in January 1981 in the UK, the single was an instant hit, quickly climbing to Number 2 in the Singles Chart. It was also an international hit, reaching the top 20 on the Billboard Chart in the summer of 1981.

Collins wrote this about the anger he felt after divorcing his first wife Andrea in 1979. He explained on a BBC Radio 2 documentary in 1997 that he took a couple of years out of Genesis due to his devastation.

Collins explains the lyrics, "If you told me you were drowning, I would not lend a hand," by saying the drowning is symbolic.

"In the Air Tonight" remains, alone among Collins' solo oeuvre, a popular selection on many classic rock radio stations. It is the song most often associated with Collins' solo career, and he has performed versions of it at many events, notably at Live Aid, where he played the song on the same calendar day in both Philadelphia and London. He also performed the song at The Secret Policeman's Ball, Collins' first live performance as a solo artist.

The lyrics of the song take the form of a dark monologue directed towards an unnamed person:
 * I was there and I saw what you did
 * Saw it with my own two eyes
 * So you can wipe off that grin
 * I know where you've been
 * It's all been a pack of lies

Musically the song consists of a series of ominous chords played over a simple drum machine pattern (the Roland CR-78 Disco-2 pattern, plus some programming); processed electric guitar sounds and vocoded vocals on key words add additional atmosphere. The mood is one of restrained anger until the final chorus when an explosive burst of drums releases the musical tension, and the instrumentation builds to a thundering final chorus.

Collins wrote the song in the wake of a failing relationship with his then-wife. Collins has described obtaining the drum machine specifically to deal with these personal issues through songwriting, telling Mix magazine: "I had to start writing some of this music that was inside me." Collins improvised the lyrics during a songwriting session in the studio: "I was just fooling around. I got these chords that I liked, so I turned the mic on and started singing. The lyrics you hear are what I wrote spontaneously.  That frightens me a bit, but I'm quite proud of the fact that I sang 99.9 percent of those lyrics spontaneously."

The song's popularity in the 1980s increased after a nearly complete recording of it was featured in the pilot episode of the American television show Miami Vice ("Brother's Keeper"), thus becoming one of the first pop/rock songs to be featured as part of a TV program in this manner. The resurgence in the popularity of the track resulted in it almost reaching the Billboard Hot 100 again, reaching number 102 on the "Bubbling Under" chart in 1984. On the heels of this successful merging of media, Collins became associated with the show; other Collins tracks including "Take Me Home" were later featured and Collins himself also acted in an episode, "Phil the Shill".

Drum sound

 * "Musically, it's an extraordinarily striking record, because almost nothing happens in it ... It's the drum sound in particular that's amazing. You don't hear it at all for the first two minutes of the song ... then there's that great doo-dom doo-dom doo-dom comes in, and the drums come in half way through the song, setting the template for all the Eighties drum songs after that" - Stuart Maconie

The means by which Collins attained the drum sound on this recording was long a source of mystery. The exact process was, as happens so often, a result of serendipity: an unintended use of studio technology giving unexpectedly useful results.

In this case, the Solid State Logic 4000 mixing board had a "reverse talk-back" circuit (labeled on the board as "Listen Mic"). Normal "talkback" is a button that the mixing engineer has to press in order to talk to the recording musicians (the recording and the mixing parts of a studio are completely sonically isolated otherwise). Reverse talkback is a circuit (also button-activated) for the engineer to listen to musicians in the studio. In order to compensate for sound level differences — people can be close to the reverse talkback microphone or far off &mdash; this circuit has a compressor on it, which minimizes the differences between loud and soft sounds. While recording "Intruder" for his ex-bandmate Peter Gabriel's solo album, at some point Collins started playing the drums while the reverse talkback was activated. Engineer Hugh Padgham and his friend Jeffrey were amazed at the sound achieved. Overnight, they rewired the board so that the reverse talkback could be recorded in a more formal manner. Later models of the SSL 4000 allowed the listen mic to be recorded with the touch of a button.

When recording engineer Hugh Padgham was brought in to help develop Collins' demos that would become Face Value they recreated the "Intruder" sound using the reverse talkback microphone as well as heavily compressed and gated ambient mics. Hugh Padgham continued working with Genesis for Abacab later in 1981 and the same technique (generally referred to as gated reverb) was used, and the powerful drum sound has become synonymous with later Genesis projects and Collins' solo career ever since.

The original single version of "In the Air Tonight" features extra drums that play underneath the song until the signature drum crash appears. These were added at the suggestion of Atlantic Records head Ahmet Ertegun. In 2007, Collins wrote: "Ahmet came down to the final mix in the cutting room in New York (. . .) The drums don't come in until the end but Ahmet didn't know that at this point, because on the demo the drums hadn't come in at all; it was only drum machine all the way. And he was saying, 'Where's the down beat, where's the backbeat?' I said, 'The drums come in in a minute.' 'Yeah, you know that and I know that, but the kids don't know that; you've got to put the drums on earlier.' So we added some drums to the mix and put it out as a single."

In an interview with the magazine SFX, Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes creator Matthew Graham highlighted the significance of the drum sound when he discussed the use of the song in the Ashes to Ashes series finale: he originally intended to have the whole track play over a climactic scene on a farm where Alex Drake (Keeley Hawes) discovers the body of fellow protagonist Gene Hunt (Phillip Glenister), but he chose to fade the song out before that, after he realised that the audience would be "desperately waiting for the 'duh-dum-duh-dum-duh-dum'" and wouldn't "care about Alex or Gene or a scarecrow or anything else".

Urban legend
An urban legend has arisen around "In the Air Tonight" according to which the lyrics are based on a real drowning incident that Collins witnessed. Various, increasingly embroidered variations on the legend emerged over time, with the stories often culminating in Collins singling out the guilty party while singing the song at a concert. Collins has denied all such stories; he commented on the legends about the song in a BBC World Service interview:
 * I don't know what this song is about. When I was writing this I was going through a divorce. And the only thing I can say about it is that it's obviously in anger. It's the angry side, or the bitter side of a separation. So what makes it even more comical is when I hear these stories which started many years ago, particularly in America, of someone come up to me and say, 'Did you really see someone drowning?' I said, 'No, wrong'. And then every time I go back to America the story gets Chinese whispers, it gets more and more elaborate. It's so frustrating, 'cos this is one song out of all the songs probably that I've ever written that I really don't know what it's about, you know.

The urban legend is referenced in the song "Stan" by Eminem. The reference is contained in the following lyrics:
 * You know the song by Phil Collins, "In the Air of the Night" [sic]
 * About that guy who coulda saved that other guy from drowning
 * But didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a show he found him?

Use in advertising
The song has been licensed repeatedly for use in television advertisements for various products; in several cases these uses led to a measurable resurgence in popularity for the song.

The song gained additional life in the mid-to-late 1980s when the brewer Anheuser-Busch adopted it for an ad campaign promoting Michelob beer, along with night-related songs by Collins' peers Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton.

In 2006, it was used by Mountain Dew in television commercials for its MDX energy drink.

Cadbury used the song in their 2007 Gorilla advertising campaign for its Dairy Milk chocolate bar. The commercial features a gorilla playing the piece's famous drum sequence. After its premier week in September, the song reached number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 9 in the UK Download Chart. The advertisement also helped the song re-enter the New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart at number 3 in July, 2008 and went to number 1 the following week staying there for two weeks, beating its original 1981 number 6 peak. The single was also certified Platinum with sales of over 15,000 copies. This advert was so popular, it won the awards for the Best Ad of the Year, at New Zealands Fair-Go Ad Awards. It was also subsequently parodied in a spoof ad by Wonderbra.

Sampling of the song
The song has been sampled by many artists, including Shaquille O'Neal in his song "Edge Of Night", Nas in his song "One Mic", and Tupac Shakur on his tracks "Starin' Through My Rearview" and "Letter to the President". Other tracks which include samples of "In the Air Tonight" include DMX's "I Can Feel It", Krayzie Bone's "Silent Warrior", Joe Budden's "Rest in Peace (In the Air)", Sean Kingston's "Can You Feel It", Young Buck's "New York City", and Lil Kim's "In the Air Tonite".

The trademark drum roll was reused, but not directly sampled, in the song "Nicotine and Gravy" by Beck.

Other pop culture references
"In the Air Tonight" has been widely used in films, television, and video games, often to create or emphasize an eerie or portentous mood; in some cases this usage is ironic or referential to previous uses of the song.

Appearances in film include:
 * The song plays during the train love scene in the 1983 movie Risky Business.
 * A combat scene in Bravo Two Zero.
 * An appearance in the movie Big Trouble when a drunk security guard played by Andy Richter stalks a group of teens he finds suspicious.
 * The scene in The New Guy when Dizzy Harrison, pretending to be Gil Harris, walks away in slow motion after unknowingly setting the school's statue on fire.
 * The melody of the song persists throughout the film Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters. It is also referenced multiple times in the dialogue.
 * In American Psycho, Patrick Bateman mentions the song as being more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way, than Phil Collins' work with Genesis.
 * The song is also featured in the film Paid in Full starring Wood Harris and Mehki Phifer.
 * The song is in The Hangover, where the three protagonists are ambushed in their hotel suite by Mike Tyson and his bodyguard after the disappearance of Tyson's pet tiger. As the tension builds, Tyson stops all conversation and says "This is my favorite part". Then, after the drum solo, he knocks out Zach Galifianakis' character.

In addition to the famous usage in the pilot episode of Miami Vice, appearances in television include:
 * Days of Our Lives actually had a tangential relationship with Miami Vice in the '80s, with one episode of the soap opera set in Miami included walk-ons by detectives Calebrese and Switek. Days attempted to emulate some of the feel of Miami Vice in some of its more adventurous and sensual storylines: "In the Air Tonight" was played during a scene featuring a particularly dangerous rendezvous between Chris Kositchek and Savannah Wilder.
 * The song is used at the end of the first season finale episode of Tru Calling - "Two Weddings and a Funeral".
 * The song is featured in the pilot episode of Fastlane.
 * The song is referenced in the Family Guy episode "Petergeist", where Stewie sings it when he is captured by the TV people and his voice has the effect of Phil Collins when he is singing the song.
 * The song is played in the opening title sequence for the television show Carpoolers in which four men drive in silence, listening to the song, before simultaneously air-drumming the signature drum crash and then returning to deadpan silence.
 * The song is briefly played in the television show Criminal Minds, in the first episode of the first season, "Extreme Agressor". It played while the murderer assaulted his victim in a car.
 * The song is often covered by singer Lights during her live shows.
 * The song is an introduction to Charmed in the first season, for the episode "The Witch Is Back", and was performed by Holly McNarland.
 * The song is used twice in the popular BBC science-fiction/police drama series Ashes to Ashes. The first time is in episode 2 of series 2, when Gene Hunt is contacting his predecessor. The second time is in the series finale of series 3, and the series as a whole, when Alex Drake heads north to find out the truth about the world she inhabits.
 * The extended version of the song is used at the beginning of the third episode, Damned If You Do, in season 7 of CSI: NY.

The song appears on the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories soundtrack. It is also the title of a mission, which revolves around protecting Phil Collins; completion of the mission unlocks a CGI cutscene of a Phil Collins concert where the song is played in full. Collins plays himself in the game, a first for Grand Theft Auto.

The song is also played during the warmups of every Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens home game. Ray Lewis is an avid Phil Collins fan.

UK and US single

 * 1) "In the Air Tonight" 4:57
 * 2) *Phil Collins: Roland CR-78, vocals, drums, Prophet, Rhodes, Vocoder
 * 3) *John Giblin: Bass
 * 4) *Daryl Stuermer: Guitar
 * 5) *Shankar: Violins
 * 6) "The Roof Is Leaking" 3:36
 * 7) *Phil Collins: Piano, Vocal
 * 8) *Daryl Stuermer: Banjo
 * 9) *Joe Partridge: Slide Guitar aka Eric Clapton credited as Eric
 * A demo track for "In the Air Tonight" also appeared on the "If Leaving Me Is Easy" single.

Japan CD single (1988)

 * 1) "In the Air Tonight" (Extended)
 * 2) "In the Air Tonight" ('88 Remix)
 * 3) "In the Air Tonight" (Home Demo)

Germany CD single (1990)
(catalogue 2292-57672-2)
 * 1) "In the Air Tonight" (Extended Version) 7:33 (Additional production by Ben Liebrand)
 * 2) "In the Air Tonight" ('88 Remix) 5:07 (Remixed by Phil Collins & Hugh Padgham)
 * 3) "I Missed Again" 3:42

Other versions

 * Rapper Cuban Link along with fellow former Terror Squad members, Remy Ma and Triple Seis, reinterpreted the song in the track "Moment of Truth" as a diss track towards Fat Joe.
 * Flatulist Mr. Methane recorded a version of the song with additional fart noises and alternate lyrics (describing the abdominal effects of eating hot curry).
 * A version of this song is on the Gregorian album Masters of Chant Chapter II.
 * Welsh rock band Lostprophets did a cover version.
 * Austrian band Stahlhammer covered the song in their 2006 album Opera Noir.
 * A remake of the song appears on the Nonpoint album "Recoil". This song was featured in the film Miami Vice (2006), and a video was made to promote the track using clips from the film. Nonpoint's version was also used in teasers for the fifth season of Dexter in 2010.
 * R&B group Naturally 7 performed the song on their 2006 album Ready II Fly. Their version, entitled "Feel It (In The Air Tonight)", has additional lyrics.
 * Axel Rudi Pell covered the song for his solo CD, Diamonds Unlocked, released on 1 October 2007.
 * Finnish symphonic metal supergroup Northern Kings covered the song on their first album Reborn in 2007.
 * Noise rock band godheadSilo also covered the song on their album Share the Fantasy.
 * Takka Takka recorded a cover of the song for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album Guilt by Association Vol. 2, which was released in November 2008.
 * It was covered by Rocksolid on their Rock Anthems album in 2002.
 * On their 2009 album My Own Army, Exilia covered this song
 * Australian artist Bertie Blackman performed a cover of this song as part of Triple J's morning show Like a Version segment.
 * Heavy metal band Undecided performed a cover of the song at FoxFest 2005 in South Mississippi.
 * Rapper DMX recorded a track titled "I Can Feel It" on his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot. The song's chorus sampled Phil Collins' song.
 * On the soundtrack to the documentary film Tupac: Resurrection, a track titled "Starin' Through My Rear View" samples "In the Air Tonight." Though the sample of the song is only heard on the edited version of Tupac's song. In the explicit version, the sample is replaced by another rapper's verse.
 * Sean Kingston also has his own "sped up" variation on this song with the title "I Can Feel It".
 * Canadian artist Holly McNarland covers the song on her 1999 EP Live Stuff.
 * Majandra Delfino sang a cover of the song as the character Maria Deluca in Roswell. This was in the season 1, episode 14 "Blind Date" which originally aired on February 9, 2000.
 * Three Days Grace has been singing a cover of this song while on tour in 2010.
 * Canadian synthpop/New Wave artist Gary Flanagan recorded a version of this song, and will often play it live wearing a Phil Collins mask.
 * It was covered by Will Martin on his Inspirations album in 2010
 * Artist FiL Straughan has a version forthcoming in summer 2011.
 * Lil' Kim has a remix of the song, called In the Air Tonite, on the tribute album Urban Renewal.