Miami Vice 1984 Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 https://www.facebook.com/philcollins/videos/vb.358380762715/10153828267287716/?type=2&theater A new video interview. He said it was basically stream of consciousness creativity (is how I would say it). Not the urban myth. Which the one I heard was a bout watching someone drown ; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airtommy Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 If I had a nickel for every time a musician played coy about the meaning of his lyrics, I'd own a home on Star Island. I don't believe that the lyrics are random. The undertone is morbid, no doubt, but it certainly isn't about an actual drowning. It is about a harsh breakup with a partner who was cheating. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavinsky Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 (edited) well If he knows what the song Mama is about, a prostitute, then he damn well knows what he wrote about here, and probably just doesnt want to pin it down with a specific meaning and keep it up to the imagination. Edited January 13, 2016 by Kavinsky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D. Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 I thought he watched the scene that needed music and created an appropriate melody for it. I saw Jan Hammer composing like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiefan Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Maybe the air of mystery keeps people talking about it. either way its a bloody good song Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt5 Posted January 20, 2016 Report Share Posted January 20, 2016 Great info !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepCover333 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Speaking of which, people need to give Phil more credit. No Jacket Required is a masterpiece. The earlier works are amazing as well. Happy Saturday my friends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvnyc Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Speaking of which, people need to give Phil more credit. No Jacket Required is a masterpiece. The earlier works are amazing as well. Happy Saturday my friends Gotta agree with you, of all his albums, he really hit the mark with "No Jacket Required", IMO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepCover333 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Gotta agree with you, of all his albums, he really hit the mark with "No Jacket Required", IMO.I've seen Phil live a few times, etc. and lived that album forever. But recently a good friend put played it on a $10,000 sound system. Mind blown. Heard things never before. Outstanding. The production on that album is almost perfect, especially compared to today's rubbish. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilders Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Phil Collins playing the David Lynch card and giving up nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicefan7777 Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 "No Jacket Required" is one of my all time favorite albums. I played the cassette tape a lot during my 80s days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny-Burnett Posted January 24, 2016 Report Share Posted January 24, 2016 On 1/13/2016 at 0:52 PM, Miami Vice 1984 said: https://www.facebook.com/philcollins/videos/vb.358380762715/10153828267287716/?type=2&theater A new video interview. He said it was basically stream of consciousness creativity (is how I would say it). Not the urban myth. Which the one I heard was a bout watching someone drown ; And he's also said that it was written in anger at a time when he was going through a divorce. As he said in a BBC interview "It's the angry side, or the bitter side of a separation" See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Air_Tonight for more on this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt5 Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Interesting article !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted January 28, 2016 Report Share Posted January 28, 2016 In the air tonight is definetely about his former wife who cheated on him (allegedly with a painter). The majority of lyrics is about that. there is even a video where Phil played the song with an open bucket of paint standing on the keyboard. Phil denied later that the bucket was a hidden revenge message by saying that the bucket was just for decoration, but that sounded odd given the fact that this was the only piece of decoration of this kind and had otherwise no context. The lines about drowning are also revenge or anger driven ("Well, if you told me you were drowning, I wouldn't lend a hand....") and fit to the cheating context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny-Burnett Posted January 29, 2016 Report Share Posted January 29, 2016 Interesting version about the painter and his Ex, and seems to be supported by an article here, http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/11/phil-collins-did-not-write-in-the-air-tonight-about-a-guy-who-watched-another-guy-drown/ , even referencing the paint bucket and brush incident. And when some of the lyrics are considered, it seems to me he may be directing them at the painter and his Ex: 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: "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 your silence up, oh no you don't fool me Well the hurt doesn't show, but the pain still grows It's no stranger to you and me" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miami Vice 1984 Posted March 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2016 I uploaded a live version a while ago. It's a good old fashioned 80's radio cassette tape ; Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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