Phil Collins hit #1 with “Another Day in Paradise”

Another Day in Paradise Phil Collins

Writer(s): Phil Collins (see lyrics here) Released: October 23, 1989 First Charted: October 27, 1989 Peak: 14 US, 15 CB, 15 RR, 15 AC, 7 AR, 2 UK, 18 CN, 11 AU, 5 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.2 UK, 1.26 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 454.84 video, 260.47 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Fittingly, Phil Collins – one of the most successful artists of the ‘80s – finished out the decade with the #1 song. “Another Day in Paradise” was his seventh trip to the top (eighth if you count “Invisible Touch” with Genesis). The song was the lead single from his …But Seriously album, which went on to generate three more top-5 hits. Collins “was concerned that he was becoming perceived as a lightweight after having two cheery number one pop singles with ‘Groovy Kind of Love’ and ‘Two Hearts’” AMG from the Buster soundtrack. He opted to “expand his lyrical content” AMG by tackling homelessness, based on his own encounters with it it London and Washington, D.C. The song is sung in third person with Collins seeing a man cross a street to ignore a homeless woman. He begs listeners not to ignore such people because, as he sings, “it’s just another day for you and me in paradise.” WK Upon its release, some complained that “the wealthy Collins [was] unqualified to sing about the poor.” WK Others accused him “of profiteering from homelessness.” WK In a New York Times interview, he said “When I drive down the street, I see the same things everyone else sees. It’s a misconception that if you have a lot of money you’re somehow out of touch with reality.” SF Jamie Wales of Gigwise attacked the hypocrisy leveled at Collins, saying “Phil collected money for homeless charities from fans who attended his concerts and then donated double the total takings out of his own money.” WK The song won the Grammy for Record of the Year. It was also nominated for Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male, and Best Music Video – Short Form. It also won a Brit Award for Best British Single. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Phil Collins AMG All Music Guide review by Ed Hogan FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 749. SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 2/28/2021; last updated 10/28/2022.

Phil Collins’ But Seriously released

First posted 3/26/2008; updated 11/24/2020.

But Seriously Phil Collins

Released: November 24, 1989 Peak: 13 US, 115 UK, 111 CN, 13 AU Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 2.74 UK, 24.4 world (includes US and UK) Genre: mainstream pop-rock

Tracks: Click for codes to singles charts. Hang in Long Enough (10/6/90, 23 US, 11 CB, 38 AC, 34 UK) That’s Just the Way It Is (7/28/90, 26 UK) Do You Remember? (4/28/90, 4 US, 3 CB, 1 AC, 49 AR, 57 UK, airplay: 1 million) Something Happened on the Way to Heaven (4/28/90, 4 US, 3 CB, 2 AC, 34 AR, 15 UK) Colours I Wish It Would Rain Down (1/6/90, 3 US, 3 CB, 3AC, 5 AR, 7 UK) Another Day in Paradise (10/7/89, 1 US, 1 CB, 1 AC, 7 AR, 2 UK, gold single) Heat on the Street All of My Life Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Father to Son Find a Way to My Heart Total Running Time: 59:42

Rating: 3.555 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings) Quotable: -- Awards:

About the Album: Phil Collins was one of the hardest-working musicians in the ‘80s, racking up eight studio albums and fifteen top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 with Genesis and as a solo act. Like 1985’s No Jacket Required, But Seriously topped the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Both albums also had four top-ten hits in the U.S. and sold more than 20 million copies, ranking them amongst the top 100 best-selling albums of all-time. “While pursuing much of the same formula as on No Jacket Required, there was also a move toward more organic production as Collins abandoned some of the drum machines and prominent keyboards in the up-tempo numbers in favor of live instrumentation. The decision was a good one as there’s no doubt that tracks such as Find a Way to My Heart and Hang in Long Enough have enough bite to outlast his more dated sounding mid-80s material.” AMG “The set also contains Collins’ finest batch of lost-love songs…since his first two albums, meaning, likely as not, that art was served at the expense of yet another relationship.” AZ One of those, Do You Remember?, was written from the perspective of a man in a failing relationship because of the neglect of his lover. It features Stephen Bishop on backing vocals. WK I Wish It Would Rain Down is a “dramatic gospel-influenced” AMG song featuring Eric Clapton, with “staggering” results. AMG Collins said it is the closest he’s come to writing a blues song. WK Something Happened on the Way to Heaven was the last song written for the album. He wrote it with Daryl Steurmer, his longtime touring guitarist, with the intent to give it to the Four Tops. By the time he was done with it, however, he opted to keep it for himself. WK The songs “mirrored its title in a turn toward more pensive, socially conscious fare.” AZ Another Day in Paradise, the album’s lead single and a #1 hit, was about homelessness. He was inspired by a stay in Washington, D.C. while on tour. He was struck by the irony of homeless people trying to keep warm in the shadow of Capitol Hill. WK That’s Just the Way It Is, featuring David Crosby on backing vocals, is an anti-war ballad about conflict in Northern Ireland. WK Notes: In 2016, a deluxe edition of the album was released with six live cuts, B-sides “That’s How I Feel” and “You’ve Been in Love That Little Bit Too Long” and demos for “Another Day in Paradise,” “That’s Just the Way It Is,” “Hang in Long Enough,” and “Do You Remember?”

Resources and Related Links: Phil Collins’ DMDB Encyclopedia entry AMG All Music Guide review by Geoff Orens AZ Amazon.com review by Daniel Durchholz WK Wikipedia