What To Know
- Phil Collins revealed that the lyrics to his iconic ’80s hit “In the Air Tonight” were about 80 percent improvised.
- He described his creative approach as spontaneous, often developing lyrics while playing music rather than planning them in advance.
- Collins has retired from live performances due to health issues, including a spinal injury that now requires him to have 24-hour care.
Phil Collins revealed that the lyrics to one of his biggest ’80s hits were “80 percent improvised.”
In an interview with BBC Radio 2 published on August 2, the Genesis singer, 75, opened up to host Vernon Kay for a “Tracks of My Years” interview. Collins, 75, listed the 10 songs of the soundtrack of his life during the conversation, while also sharing details about his own music career.
“I suppose a lot of my lyrics come from somewhere. I very rarely sit down and think, ‘What am I going to write about?’” I don’t ever do that,” he shared.
Collins explained, “Normally, if I’m playing, something usually comes when I’m playing a piano. And something will develop, if I’m lucky. And then what I’m going to sing kind of goes along with it, or comes along very soon after it.”
Of his songwriting process, Collins shared that he “only need[s] a couple of lines” to know what a song is going to be about, or at least what the “feeling” is.
“A lot of the lyrics are kind of improvised,” he admitted. “The classic example of that would be ‘In the Air Tonight,’ which was, pretty much, 80-percent improvised.”
Collins explained that “In the Air Tonight” began with a chord sound.
“I was playing and looking at the meters on my console. And it was only me, and it was in a bedroom. So I’m trying to get the meters to move,” he detailed. “And I play those chords. Of course, you know, I have the drum machine. And I program the drum machine, just to make an interesting pattern. And I played along with it, and that’s what happened.”
He continued, “Then I had done that, I sang along with what I had, just to get the sound of a voice in there. So that kept its own space, you know? And the words that came out on that first verse were improvised.”
The first verse of “In the Air Tonight” begins, “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.”
Kay, who was visibly blown away by Collins’ revelation, pointed out, “Right there, you’ve created one of the most recognizable tracks of all time.”
“I guess,” Collins conceded, before joking, “Or maybe it was the extra whiskey at lunchtime.”
In 2022, the music icon effectively retired from performing live and touring due to health reasons. He revealed in January 2026 that he is under 24-hour care following a spinal injury that resulted in nerve damage — although he made a rare public appearance in May.