Genesis “Misunderstanding” released

Misunderstanding Genesis

Writer(s): Phil Collins (see lyrics here) Released: May 10, 1980 First Charted: May 17, 1980 Peak: 14 BB, 14 CB, 3 GR, 9 HR, 3 RR, 32 AC, 3 CL, 42 UK, 11 CN, 3 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 6.1 video, 30.2 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Genesis formed in 1967 with singer Peter Gabriel, drummer/singer Phil Collins, bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford, keyboardist Tony Banks, and guitarist Anthony Phillips. Their first six albums cemented the band as one of the premiere progressive rock bands of all time. However, after 1974’s The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Gabriel left for a solo career. Collins stepped up as the new singer and led the band into their most commercially successful years. 1980’s Duke was the fourth post-Gabriel album and where one could argue they transformed into an album rock band. The previous album gave the group their first top-40 hit with “Follow You, Follow Me” reaching #23. “Misunderstanding,” the third single from Duke peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and would be their biggest hit until “That’s All” got to #6 in 1984. “Misunderstanding” was one of Phil Collins first endeavors at writing on his own. According to Banks, “He just didn’t rate himself as a writer that much…and he’d never really tried it before. But after his problems with his marriage…he started to write songs.” SF Andrea, Collins’ first wife, left him and took their two children with her. Much of the material Collins wrote ended up on his first solo album, Face Value, in 1981 but “Misunderstanding” was one of the songs he played for the band and they wanted it for Duke> The song is written from the perspective of a protagonist wrongly assuming he’s been stood up simply because of some misunderstanding instead of recognizing that she wants nothing to do with him. SF Collins said the song was modelled after the Beach Boys’ “Sail on, Sailor,” Sly & the Family Stone’s “Hot Fun in the Summertime,” and Toto’s “Hold the Line.” WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Genesis SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 2/8/2024.