The meaning behind Phil Collins song is that he had recently divorced his first wife and was disappointed and angry. He said that he didn’t really know what the song was about, but it contained a lot of anger, frustration, and despair.

As is known to everyone, Phil wrote the single after his divorce, and many believe that the lines he wrote for the song express his grief, loneliness, and desire for reconciliation. Moreover, Collins’s “In the air tonight” is also known for its excellent use of a drum machine for playing a melodious symphony. After the release of the single, many drummers tried playing the drum machine to produce the same sound in their version, but nothing came parallel to the original version of Collin’s “In the air tonight.”

Urban Legends & Unique Drum Sounds

There is an urban legend about the meaning of the lyrics of the song. Supposedly, Phil watched a man drowning in the distance and some other man who could have saved the person but didn’t and Phil Collins wrote it about him. The second part of the story is that Phil Collins supposedly highlighted the man with a super trouper at a concert and called him out for letting the drowning person die. It’s not true.

The sound of the drums on the track was unique at the time and is still one of the most exquisite drums sounds, with the drum break at 3 minutes and 40 seconds becoming one of the most iconic well known of its kind. Both Genesis and Phil Collins’s solos used a special type of reverberation, using the reverse talkback technique, which is the opposite of the talkback technique used in the recording rooms, that created these unheard-of loud and soft sounds. After the release, groups and solo artists rushed to copy the sound for their own music. As Collins’s marriage was splintering because of him on the road, both he and Genesis wanted to, as he said, “… shake things up a bit.” The drum machine pattern’s sound was one of the ways they did that.

Reception & Additional Context

Phil sometimes thinks that the song typecasts him in a certain light, but he also says that he still loves the song as well as the album even after all these years. It originally sold 500,000 copies as a single, and the album from which it appeared, “Face Value,” has sold more than 5 million copies in the United States alone. It was on the top charts for days and is still relevant among music enthusiasts, despite being released years ago. It undoubtedly is one of the best compositions and songs of his career and can be put into the category of songs that happen once in a lifetime.

The music video of the song was kept subtle yet appealing and intriguing. Despite being in monochrome, the fans really loved it, making it the most-sensational music video of the time. The video aligns well with the haunting lyrics and the outstanding drum fill.

The song is a staple at karaoke events and television singing competitions. It has appeared on “The Masked Singer,” “American Idol,” and “America’s Got Talent.” Guests on “The Tonight Show” have performed it for the last three hosts of the venerable program. Many prime-time dramas and comedies have also included it in their soundtrack. Notable among them are “CSI; NY,” “Cold Case,” “Ashes to Ashes,” and “Miami Vice.” One of the most famous movie scenes that feature the song is when the characters played by Tom Cruise and Rebecca de Mornay have sex on a subway train in “Risky Business.” Phil Collins released it in 1981. It was the first single he released as a solo artist. It reached No. 2 on the Rock Chart in the United States but only 19 on the Billboard 100.

Like an actor known just for a single performance, Phil sometimes laments that his other work gets forgotten. He told Jimmy Fallon recently that he thinks the song will outlive him.

Official Music Video

Lyrics

I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
And I’ve been waiting for this moment, for all my life, oh lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord, oh lord

Well, if you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand
I’ve seen your face before my friend
But I don’t know if you know who I am

Well, I was there and I saw what you did
I 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

And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
Well I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord
I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
Well I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord, oh lord

Well I remember, I remember don’t worry
How could I ever forget
It’s the first time, the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep this silence up
No you don’t fool me
The hurt doesn’t show, but the pain still grows
It’s no stranger to you and me

I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
Well I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh lord, oh lord
Well I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord

I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh lord
And I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh lord, oh lord
Well I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord, oh lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, oh lord, oh lord
Well I’ve been waiting for this moment for all my life, oh lord, oh lord

Source: Musixmatch

Editor’s Note: This article was first published March 22nd 2023 and last updated June 15th 2023.

Listeners of music from the 1980’s, might also appreciate the song Like a Prayer by Madonna.