My Top 10 Favourite Phil Collins Songs

Phil Collins is my favourite singer of all time.

...

That's not a controversial thing to say anymore, right?

Born in 1951, Phil Collins has had quite an illustrious career as a singer and musician. After getting a drum kit for Christmas when he was five years old, Phill would be inspired by the world of music to become a part of it himself. He became a drummer for the band Genesis in 1970 and even took over as lead singer of the band when Peter Gabriel departed. It wasn't until the 80s where Phil Collins really found his stride as he began a successful solo career that has seen him release numerous Number 1 hits and numerous best-selling albums. He has currently sold over 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. This is a man who has done a lot of huge things. He played the drums for Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" single, he participated during the 1985 Live Aid concert and was the only performer that day to perform both in England AND America on that same day (yes, really), he produced the soundtrack for two Disney films (Tarzan and Brother Bear respectively) and he's even had an acting career on the stage and in film with one of his most notable roles being the 1988 film Buster, which was based on the life of Buster Edwards, one of the Great Train Robbers. Oh, and he actually appeared in a Grand Theft Auto game and got a whole scene in the game where he performed "In The Air Tonight". Yes, that actually happened!

So yeah, this guy's had one heck of a life, hasn't he? I'm sure there are people out there who dream for a FRACTION of this man's success. In any case, Phil Collins happens to be my all-time favourite singer. I've enjoyed pretty much all of this songs (except a few such as "If Leaving Me Is Easy") and I always have a good time singing to them. I don't care if people will think I'm weird for this, I love Phil Collins music and nobody's going to change my mind about it.

And so I'm here today to honour this man's legacy and count down my Top 10 Favourite songs that he's performed and recorded over the years. Some you may recognize, some you may not. In any case, I hope this list can give you all a great example of Phil's great music.

So without further ado, let's dive in to the list...

For this list, I am focusing ENTIRELY on Phil's solo career, so don't expect any Genesis songs on here. This is a list of Phil Collins songs, not Genesis songs. I can at least tell you that my favourite songs he did with Genesis are "Invisible Touch", "Mama" and "Land of Confusion".

Number 10: Another Day In Paradise

Phil Collins had a habit of including emotionally weighty subjects into his music, and this song is one such example.

Another Day In Paradise lyrically talks about a man who sees a homeless woman on the street and just turns a blind eye to her. Depressingly, that is such a case in real life. How many of us have ignored homeless people who call out for help? So not only does the song touch on a very real subject, it's a very relevant subject that still carries meaning even in this day and age, which only adds to the song's timeless appeal. For reasons I'll never understand, Phil got a lot of flack for the song's message because...he's rich? Just because he's rich, doesn't mean he can't tackle the subject of homelessness, that's like saying you can't review movies because you don't make them. If anything, I applaud Phil for actually tackling such a heavy subject and bringing attention to it with this song. It shows he actually cares about the world around him, unlike a lot of rich twits these days who are so rich they really are out of touch with reality.

Anyway, the song itself is a great listen from beginning to end regardless of its subject matter. It's very easy on the ears, the drumming is infectious to listen to as ever and the lyrics are well-written and easy to sing along to, especially the chorus part. I like how the song has a slow, quiet, somewhat ominous sounding opening and then once the drumming begins, it picks up and begins proper. It's like we're slowly being eased into the song and we're wondering what to expect with it.

With lovely vocals, great instrumentation, well-written lyrics and a very relevant subject matter, Another Day In Paradise is a Phil Collins classic and one I feel has been unfairly treated by music critics. It's a great song and one we really need in this day and age for how important its message is...

Number 9: Something Happened On The Way To Heaven

This is my brother's favourite Phil Collins song, and I really can't blame him as it's a damn good tune.

Interestingly, the song itself was written for the 1989 movie War of the Roses. I haven't seen the movie, but apparently there's a divorce that occurs in it, and this song lyrically definitely sounds like it's about a divorce, so I guess it fits. Phil Collins has been through many divorces in his life, so it's not really a surprise that a lot of his songs talk about that. This song especially covers the subject with lines such as "How many times can I say I'm sorry?" and "We had our life, we had our love, but you don't know what you got til you lose." Not the happiest of subjects to sing about for sure, but it's one that many people, especially those who have been through a divorce, can relate to.

And yet contrasting the depressing subject matter, the song itself is actually really lively, bouncy and jazzy. It's like Phil's trying to sing about a sad subject in a fun way to make it more enjoyable to listen to. Like being "Happily sad" or something. XD As is, the song really is catchy with its enjoyable jazz instruments, Phil's sensational drumming and even the lyrics themselves are pretty fun to sing out loud, especially the chorus part. Funny enough, despite the song's title, it's only ever said once in the entire song. You'd think the song is actually called "How many times can I say I'm sorry?" instead. Regardless, this is still a really enjoyable song and I never get tired of hearing it.

Sad subject matter contrasted with uplifting vocals and catchy music, this is a tune that I always have a fun time with. No wonder my brother considers this his favourite...

Number 8: Against All Odds

Once again, Phil Collins sings about a break-up, and unlike the previous title, this one does NOT sound cheerful in the slightest.

Like the previous song, this song was also written for a movie...which was also called "Against All Odds". I guess that's why the song has the same title. Phil would also say it was at the time of writing this song that he transformed from a musician to a lyricist for he penned the song some time after he broke up with his first wife. And I have to say, the lyrics to the song sound like they really came from the heart. The chorus part especially carries a lot of raw pain and emotion when Phil says "Take a look at me now, cause there's just an empty space. There's nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face". Damn, really trying to make listeners cry, aren't you Phil? While it may not be the happiest of tunes to listen to, I feel the more emotional lyrics and vocal performance still makes this a great listen. This is what a real song with real emotions behind its lyrics and vocals sounds like and it's some powerful stuff.

The instrumentals compliment the song beautifully too. The song opens up with a mournful piano ballad that sets the tone. The moment we hear that opening piano, we know that this isn't going to be a cheerful song. Even the use of Phil's drums somehow manage to sound emotionally weighty. It all comes together to make an emotional power ballad that I'm damn sure makes a lot of people cry when they listen to it. A good song is one that truly makes you feel powerful emotions when you hear it, and this is one of them.

It's no wonder Phil won an award for this song as it's such a fantastic track. It's emotional, it's powerful and it really sticks with you when you've listened to it. Forgetting about this song is against all odds if you ask me...

Number 7: Two Hearts

Yet again, another Phil Collins song that was featured in a movie, and one he himself acted in no less. The song plays during the end credits of the 1988 movie Buster (Which I recommend watching by the way. It's good!), and needless to say, it's a great way to finish off the movie.

Phil Collins did a lot of romance songs and this one is no exception. He did another romantic song titled "Groovy Kind Of Love", which was also featured in Buster. That's a lovely tune too, but out of the two I prefer Two Hearts, and it's why it's on the list. I just adore the song for its bouncy tune, catchy lyrics and romantic content. It also fits the theme of the movie it's from too since Buster is at its heart a romance movie as much as it's a historical biopic based on the actual life of one of the Great Train Robbers. Lyrically, it's about how two hearts believe in just one mind and beat together until the end of time, which is no doubt what it feels like for a lot of romantic couples. It's just a sweet song to listen and sing along to, especially if you have a romantic partner yourself.

It really helps that the song's really catchy too. Seriously, you'll be humming it for weeks when it's over. It's a lot bouncier and livelier than most Phil Collins songs which tend to sound slow and sombre, which really shows the range of this man's musical talents. He can either have you dancing on the spot or feeling like you're about to cry depending on the song. Two Hearts is one of those Phil Collins songs you could have a dance to with its catchy beat and toe-tapping rhythms. I especially find myself remembering those backing vocals going "Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo" a couple of times near the end of the song. Why those stick with me, I don't know.

Fun, catchy, bouncy, romantic and enjoyable, this is a song for two hearts believing in just one mind to dance together to...

Number 6: Two Worlds

I would honestly put the entire Tarzan soundtrack on the list, but I wanted to include more of Phil's discography than just his Tarzan work, so I will only pick one for the list. If I can name any Phil Collins song from Tarzan that's my favourite, it's this one with "Son of Man" as a close second.

If any song deserves an award for being the "Hardest Opening Song To A Movie", it's unquestionably this one. This song combined with the visuals to the movie make for an unforgettable opening scene that told practically everyone watching that Tarzan was going to be an awesome movie. But we're only talking about the song itself here. So removed from context, how is the song by itself? Still an absolute banger, that's what! Even if you listen to it by itself without context from the movie, it's still clear the song tells some kind of story about two worlds coming together. Naturally, it fits the theme of Tarzan beautifully as we have the gorilla and human worlds coming together. It's just a well-written song that sort of tells its own little story and makes for a great listen as a result.

The instrumental accompaniment is great too with the music having a notoriously more "tribal" sound to it as if we're listening to this in the middle of an African jungle, which also fits the setting of the movie it comes from. The drumming is sensational and adds a lot of grandiosity to the song that makes it sound more epic than it has any right to be. This is a song that will certainly stick in your head by the time its over and you won't forget it anytime soon.

What more can I say? The entire Tarzan soundtrack is full of masterpieces, and this made for a fantastic opening song to the movie. Even on its own, its a fantastic listen. It's powerful, it's catchy, it has an epic feel and it tells the story of the movie in its own way. Two Worlds came together to form one epic single...

Number 5: True Colours (Rehearsal Version)

Curiously enough, there's two different recordings of this song available. There's the actual track itself, and then there's this Rehearsal Version which you can hear on his Hits album. I don't know why two versions of this exist, but here we are. While his take on True Colours is of course wonderful, I personally prefer the Rehearsal Version myself, hence why that's the one I've included here.

As any music fan will tell you, Phil Collins didn't do the song originally. That was Cyndi Lauper who first recorded it. Phil Collins merely did his own cover, and personally I think his take is superior to Cyndi's (no offence to her of course), especially the Rehearsal version. Phil's soothing vocals do the song a lot of justice and make for a very relaxing and pleasant listen. The song itself has a lovely message behind it, and one that we could all do with taking onboard: that we shouldn't be discouraged in an unforgiving world and we should let our "true colours" shine through. We shouldn't be afraid to let our true selves shine through as that what makes us special and makes us who we are. In a world such as the one we live in, uplifting messages like this are always important to take onboard, otherwise we'll be stuck with nothing but cynicism and misery, and that in turn makes the song's message even more important in this day and age.

The song isn't just pleasant to listen to for its soft vocals and lovely message, it's also easy on the ears thanks to the equally as soft backing vocals and the instrumental accompaniment. To add to the relaxing nature of the song, the music itself is very soft and is mostly just wind instruments and gentle saxophone music (or at least I assume it's a saxophone). There's also some kind of ticking sound you hear throughout the song. A metronome perhaps? I dunno, but I think it goes well with the song too.

Whether it's the rehearsal version or the official version, Phil does a splendid cover on a sweet song and I love hearing either version, but the rehearsal version is still my favourite of the two. This song will inspire anyone and everyone to let their true colours shine through...

Number 4: We Wait And We Wonder

Now this one's an interesting tune to talk about.

Released in 1994, We Wait And We Wonder was a song with a very poignant message behind it. Why is that? Because Phil Collins actually wrote the song in response to a multitude of terrorist attacks happening in Britain during the 90s. The lyrics themselves are pretty vague in that regard, not referring to any specific incident, but you can see where Phil's coming from when he gives us lines like "We wait and we wonder how this happened" and "killing the old, the innocent, the young". Lyrically, the song more dives into the thoughts of what the people going through these incidents must be feeling like and how they live under such circumstances. It's pretty heavy stuff, and insanely topical too, thus making the song extremely timely, especially in this day and age. The fact the lyrics make the subject matter clear, yet are vague enough to allude to any terrorist attack also gives the song a timeless feel as it's not talking about a specific moment in history. You could pretty much connect the lyrics to any terrorist attack and it'd fit just as perfectly. A timeless message told in a timeless way is the best way to get it across.

Funny enough, despite the song's weighty subject matter, the song itself doesn't sound all that depressing. With its catchy drumbeats, electric guitar rifts and more, it sounds pretty upbeat and gets you nodding along with it. There's a particular recurring riff throughout the song done on a synthesizer which to me sounds like a bagpipe solo. I remember when my mum heard it, she described it as sounding like a Scottish marching band. XD Even if it isn't actually done with bagpipes, that synthesizer bit is insanely catchy and has me humming it over and over when the song's over. It's such an earworm, let me tell you! In any case, it only adds to the song's strengths. After all, if you want to give an important message, then what better way than to tell it via a song that'll get stuck in people's heads for years?

Insanely relevant, incredibly timeless, very weighty and infectiously catchy, We Wait And We Wonder is one of Phil's most memorable tunes and easily one of his best. No need to wait or wonder about this great song...

Number 3: Going Back

This is another song that was done previously. I haven't heard the original version, or any other covers of it, only the Phil Collins version. While I'm sure Going Back is great no matter who covered it, I'm convinced this'll be the best version in my eyes.

Going Back is a very personal sounding tune that lyrically laments about loss of innocence that comes with adulthood and wanting to recapture that childhood feeling. As someone who misses his childhood too, this song feels like it was made for me. The lyrics really give a very nostalgic feel because of this and may cause the listener to reflect on their own youths. I know the line "I'd rather see my world the way it used to be" speaks so many volumes. I sure wish I could see my world the way it used to be... The accompanying music video even has scenes of Phil looking thoughtful and contemplative as videos of his own childhood fade in and out on the screen. Fitting imagery for a song like this I say.

It's also another song that's pleasant and easy on the ears too. We have Phil's soothing vocals, very little instrumentation and soft backing vocals to make for a very pleasant listen. This is the kind of song you could sit back and wind down to after a busy day or a stressful time. I'd even say the song being as gentle as it is fits the nostalgic reflection of childhood as childhood memories for some of us are a means of comfort in order to deal with life's problems. In that case, why not make a song about going back to your youth sound comforting? It certainly works here and makes an already lovely song even better.

With its nostalgic lyrics, soft and pleasant vocals and music and a desire to go back to one's youth, this song always has me going back again for another listen...

Number 2: In The Air Tonight

Let's get this out of the way first: NO. Phil Collins did NOT witness a murder or see somebody drowning. The song was NOT meant to be about any of that stuff. It's just an urban legend made up by people who read way too deeply into song lyrics. The song was actually written when Phil was going through a divorce at the time, so the lyrics are likely based on that. He sang them spontaneously and he's admitted even he's not entirely sure what the song's about, but it's definitely NOT about witnessing a murder or someone drowning. END OF STORY!

Now let's talk about the song proper. This song is Phil Collins's signature song and the one that catapulted him into stardom after he began his solo career. And you know what? It's easy to see why. There's just no other song like it. Lyrically, as I said earlier, the song is NOT about what people think it's about, but I think I see where the urban legends came from. I mean just take in these lines and tell me they don't sound sinister:

But if you told me you were drowning

I would not lend a hand

I've seen your face before my friend

And I don't know if you know who I am

But I was there and I saw what you did

I saw you 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

Seriously, those lyrics sound really freaking creepy and are just ripe for interpretation. That only makes the song even more fascinating to listen to as you wonder just what exactly it's about. Even the song's recurring chorus of "I can feel it coming in the air tonight" sounds pretty sinister too and can invite all kinds of interpretations of what it's about. Some of the best media is the ones that are incomprehensible and have us continuously guessing what it's about, and In The Air Tonight is no exception.

But of course, the absolute best thing about the song is that iconic drum break. The moment you hear it, that's when the song suddenly shifts from great to incredible. Everybody remembers it and everybody loves it, me included. It's some of the most incredible sounding drumming ever recorded and just really gets you pumped up once you hear it. The solo song itself is so iconic and famous for that drum break alone that the famous chocolate maker Cadbury actually did an advert involving a gorilla playing the drum solo while the song plays in the background. No, I'm serious! I doubt Phil could've guessed this would be his legacy, eh? Not sure what a gorilla playing the drums has to do with Cadbury's chocolate, but eh, the advert was a hit with everyone and I reckon it's solely because this song was in it. They did another version with Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" instead and it...it's just not the same.

With its creepy lyrics that are open to interpretation, amazing drum solo and incredible vocal work for Phil Collins, this song always as us feeling it coming in the air tonight...oh lord.

Now you might be wondering "How could you possibly put Phil's most famous song at only Number 2 on this list?" Simple, there's at least one more Phil Collins song I love slightly more.

And my Number 1 Favourite Phill Collins song is: You Can't Hurry Love

Ironically, my Number 1 Favourite Phil Collins song is actually one he didn't cover originally. Nah, the song was originally recorded and sung by The Supremes, and while that's a fine song in and of itself, Phil's version is just better. Yes, I'm probably being biased, but that's just what I think.

The song itself is a sheer delight and insanely fun to listen to. Lyrically, it talks about someone who is clearly out for love but has to remember advice their mother gave them, namely that you can't hurry love and you just have to wait. Sound advice for anyone pursuing romance if you ask me. The subject matter does give us a very catchy and quotable chorus that adds to the song's appeal and memorability. How many of us sometimes find ourselves randomly singing "You can't hurry love, no you'll just have to wait" for no real reason? It's not just me, I'm sure. XD I find the song a lot of fun to sing along to and the lyrics are easy to remember, which only makes it more fun to sing along to.

It's not just the lyrics that are infectious either. The song itself is one massive earworm with its bouncy rhythm and catchy music too. It makes use of guitars, bass guitars, pianos, vibraphones and more and it all comes together to make for a great sounding song. Interestingly, Phil hoped to recapture that 60's feel when recording the song and while I'm no expert on the sound of 60's music, I'd say he captured that well enough. I know I could've believed this was a 60's tune if I didn't know what year it came from (1982 in case you're wondering). Yet I'd say this song still sounds very timeless if you ask me. We're in 2025 and it still sounds great. A lot better than the trash we hear on the radio these days...

With memorable lyrics, a bouncy tune and a timeless feel, You Can't Hurry Love is unquestionably my Number 1 Favourite Phil Collins song...

And those are my favourite Phil Collins songs. I hope you enjoyed the list and gave the songs a listen to. I'd also love to hear your comments down below. Which Phil Collins songs are YOUR favourites? Do tell me.

Next week I'll be starting off a two-part essay in where I give Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V a huge rewrite. See you then for the first part everybody!

Honourable Mentions

Both Sides of the Story

Take Me Home

Look Through My Eyes

On My Way

Groovy Kind Of Love

Strangers Like Me

Separate Lives

Sussudio

Testify