Some additional thoughts/corrections: 1) Maybe a little inaccurate to describe the man from the story in the intro as a "killer", but "manslaughterer" doesn't sound as good and that man doesn't exist anyway so he can't sue me for slander. (There's also lots of variations on the story, including some that are much darker than the one I told, so depending on which one you're telling, killer might be the right word anyway.) 2) As some of you may know, the hi-hat/tom pattern of the main beat was actually from a preset on the CR-87 called Disco 2. Collins erased the kick and snare, then added his own kicks back in. It's transformed enough that the origin didn't feel worth mentioning, but in case you were looking for an acknowledgment of it, here you go. 3) I honestly don't know if other people hear the vocals as high, I just know that when I first heard this, my trained-baritone brain was like "oh, that sounds annoying to hit" and then I was surprised at how not-annoying it actually was. Dunno if that experience generalizes, but it's the one I had. 4) The point about Collins having an accented note on the chord changes in the verses is a bit muddied by the panning thing, where the exact moment of the chord change is a little hard to hear, but it's still true from a metric standpoint. 5) I notated the little Rhodes melody in the second verse slightly wrong: the last attack should be an 8th note earlier. 6) By "Melodyne got mad at me", I mean it used its percussive algorithm by default and when I asked it to do melodic instead it wouldn't give me pitches. 7) Technically, compression makes the loud parts quieter, not the quiet parts louder, but that's done to allow for more gain across the whole track, so the end result is still the quiet parts getting louder. That's the point of compression, if not the mechanism. 8) This was a hard one to decide what to do with, because it seems unlikely to me that the framing Collins has presented is a fair or accurate one so I don't want to repeat it uncritically, but also it doesn't really sound like anyone was a monster, so I didn't feel like the work shouldn't be talked about either. Tried to walk that fine line where I acknowledge and appreciate the art for what it is without reinforcing the harmful narrative it represents. Hopefully I did an alright job? Anyway, you can read more about Bertorelli's side here: www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3045045/No-Phil-didn-t-run-away-decorator-broke-vows-cashing-divorce-Genesis-star-s-wife-breaks-silence-35-years-split.html (Yes, I know the Daily Mail doesn't have a great reputation as a news source, but as far as I've been able to confirm the interview is legitimate, and maps with other things she's said and done.)
The interview with Bertorelli was quite interesting, and it seemed to me that her version of the fundamental facts wasn't particularly different from his. She was more providing context, and explaining how the events affected her. The examples she gives of Collins "lying" seem kind of like splitting hairs, like him saying she said she wouldn't be around when he got back, and her saying that she had really said that she didn't think she could last that long alone with him gone. These are essentially the same thing, it's just that he interprets it as a threat or an ultimatum, while she meant it as a plea. And she implicitly concedes that Collins wasn't wrong in his interpretation, as she wasn't really there when he got back, that she had already decided to leave by then. I think the fundamental gripe that she's trying to address is having been portrayed as the "bad guy." But in breakups like this, I don't think there really are good guys and bad guys. She married a rock star, and should have known what she was getting into, but apparently didn't realize what it really meant. Rock stars go on the road, and spend lots of time away from their families. He went home at every break in the tour, and she and the children periodically visited him. He tried to make it work. But this was his job, and he was the band leader, so he had a responsibility to the others. Rock bands have short shelf lives, and you have to strike while the iron is hot. It was unrealistic for her to expect him to just walk away from his career, just as it was heating up, in order to be with her constantly. But similarly, he should have understood how difficult this would have been for her. Perhaps a shorter tour, focused on Europe, and only shorter visits elsewhere might have been a workable compromise. My takeaway from her story was that the fundamental thing that she couldn't get over was his short temper. That's certainly a legitimate reason for leaving a relationship. But it also seems quite reasonable for Collins to feel angry and betrayed, especially when she makes it clear that he tried very hard to make things work after he came back from the tour, and she just categorically rebuffed it all. I don't think either of them is the bad guy. It's just a relationship that didn't work.
I seem to remember listening to a Phil Collins interview where he said the song almost didn't have the kicks, his producer convinced him to add them at the last minute so "the kids" would know where the beat was, and so Collins went back to the studio and just recorded the kicks on top of the rest of the track. I don't know if they add that much to the song, but it's interesting we almost didn't get them
If Collins used a concert as an elaborate Sting operation to try and get somebody arrested, when The Police showed up I think everybody would just be confused...
The Peter Gabriel song is "Intruder," Steve Lilywhite was the producer, Gabriel was the one who suggested they mic the talkback channel, Padgham jumped on it, they all deserve proper credit for the most annoying drum sound of the 80's.
I appreciate your including Andrea’s perspective. The linked article was illuminating. They obviously has a complex, ultimately unhealthy relationship, and any outsider who proclaims they know what happened is lying. As a musician/composer, Collins is . I love his music. As a man, well, let’s just say I wouldn’t want my children to model their behavior after him … even if I take into consideration only the part where he continued to drag her name through the mud years after their relationship was over.
I know people were waiting for the fill, but I was waiting for the "I REMEMBAH". To me, thats the real climax of the song, the point if no return before everything starts to finally build
"We're going to get to the drum fill, but I'm going to make you work for it." I don't think any single line in the entire 12tone series has made me laugh as hard as that one. Keep up the good work.
I feel like there is absolutely no problem with Phil writing this song as a simple outlet for his pain and anger and whatever other emotions he was dealing with regardless of whether he was the "good guy" or "bad guy" in the divorce. I don't feel like the character in the song is even trying to portray himself as a victim, he's just expressing that pain, anger, and regret towards nothing specific. It feels different than pop artists who name drop their ex in their lyrics trying to be the good guy, my feeling just from the song and the context from the beginning is that he probably knew darn well that he hadn't been a very good husband and now he was paying for it, trying to figure out how to go on. Divorces usually have multiple contributing factors, rarely is one person a perfectly innocent victim. So I'm gonna say it's still valid for him to feel pain and to write a song expressing it even if the pain was the result of him making bad choices. Hopefully he learned from the experience, but either way it's still a great example of an emotional journey with minimal narrative contribution.
Probably not, Phil was married three times, all three ended up in a divorce. I do agree with what you said though, you don't have to be a good guy to make a good song
Its hard to say if good is even the issue here. As far as i know he was just not ready for a serious relationship. Maybe hes just not the type to get along with long twrm like that doesnt have to be a fault thing
I would add that you can't expect an artist to do anything other than express their, first person, perspective without the work potentially loosing its honesty.
I find all the judging on Collins not being there for his family or his relationship pretty arsh man. Like Genesis were not THAT popular back in the 70ies and this song and the solo album was what got a lot of people interested in the band. So Phil not being there because he was touring 70% of the time, recording 10% of time with like an album almost every year from the middle to the end of the 70ies, yeah you can't sadly have a stable relationship. Even more with our point of view today when you don't message your girlfriend for a whole day, it's like terrible. It's hard to judge. He was a musician touring and producing, the labels would ask to tour or make an album to sell, they had a contract to keep up. And it wasn't that much money. Genesis was a prog rock group, and not a big one like Yes or Pink Floyd. So, he had to work, and his work made a relationship fucking ridiculous to keep when you think by our standard. Plus, talking about « I didn't found any abusive allegation », man, it doesn't happen at every divorce or breakup... Plus Collins later stated he was just angry and in pain, alcoholic and had a lot of time to compose, and made this song, he just went out on his emotion, and it wasn't even mean to be the massive hit it became.
Accidental “in the air tonight” is a whole genre on TH-cam. Be it the deer stumbling on a kids slide or a guy breaking a chair or closing kitchen cabinets, it’s a testament to the power of that fill/Phil.
I work as a cook. Most times we have "she who must not be named" playing music from the 80's and 90's. I will not lie to you, every time this song comes on (I do mean EVERY time) at the moment the fill comes up, I stop whatever I'm doing and bash it out to the song on whatever is around me. Been there for a few years now, so no matter what I'm doing or where I am, I know what to smack to get that proper descent. Fucking amazing song.
The summer after high school (‘81) I was hanging out with friends at someone’s house when one of my friends said he had an idea. He told us to all lie on our backs on the carpet, turned off the lights, and played this song on the stereo, nice and loud. First time I had ever heard it, and the best first listening experience I’ve ever had to a song. Very immersive and hard to describe. One of my best memories from high school, as we all prepared to go off to different colleges in the fall.
This song is a masterpiece, but I will always remember it for what it inspired. The final scenes of the first episode of Miami Vice in 1984 used this song, and it's also extremely well done. There was nothing on TV like this before Miami Vice, and while I was never a fan, I can appreciate how unique this was to have on television in 1984: th-cam.com/video/-aMCzRj3Syg/w-d-xo.html And to further add to this, the channel "Lasagna Cat" did a shot-for-shot spoof (including a spoof of the song) in one of their videos as well: th-cam.com/video/6_NeqMAAsBk/w-d-xo.html So for better or for worse, this song will always remind me of Garfield.
Every time you said "fill" my brain automatically changed it to "Phil" and then quickly added "Collins" I'll be honest, I don't know much at all about music but I REALLY love your videos.
As a drummer myself this fill is simultaneously awesome and one of the most disproportionately overinflated fills of all time relative to what it is. It doesn't have its power because of what it is as a fill, because there are a billion more interesting fills in terms of the notes played. It's not even very unique either, heck Aynsley Dunbar played a rather similar fill on Journey's "Wheel in the Sky" in almost the same spot (before the final chorus/coda of the song) which predates this song. What makes it iconic in In the Air Tonight is that it transitions the song from a haunting and brooding piece of music into its climactic rock portion with intensity and thunderousness. The abruptness and timing coupled with its sheer sonic qualities (reverb, acoustics, etc.) are what make it what it is. Anybody can play it, you don't even need to be a drummer to learn how to do it in a couple minutes. But it takes a deft hand to utilize it the way this song does in composition. It's sorta like how the most basic rock beat of all time is perhaps most famous in Michael Jackson's Billie Jean; the notes aren't what's special, but how they're used in the song to give it the feel.
Even Phil himself has a weird relationship with the drum fill, as he agrees with you on a technical level. He says he was just knocking out random fills for that part of the song, and that’s the one they went with for no particular reason. It’s not a hugely difficult or complex or interesting sequence from a drummers point of view, but as part of the song it becomes much more. He’s referred to it as “seals” cause he thinks it sounds like seals barking….together with people always asking him what’s it’s about when he has no real idea, his relationship with his most famous song has gone through plenty of ups and downs over the years.
Over on the Drumeo channel, I think, they talked a bit about that "barking seal" sound a bit more. The sound is created when someone hits a tom very hard, and the tom head is not particularly tight. (It's not tuned particularly high, for that sized tom.) The hit itself tightens the head enough that the drum's pitch is raised fairly dramatically, but only at the beginning of the note. Then the pitch drops down again as the drum rings out. You get kind of a "a-ooh" bark. Phil liked that sound.
"Home By The Sea" is so dark, you cannot buy a copy of it without affirming that you are not Anish Kapor, or buying the record on Anish Kapor's behalf.
For me this song will always be linked to "Miami Vice"; IIRC it was first episode. The slow build of tension to the climax perfectly matches what is happening in the show. It marks a moment in television history since the original performance was used; the usual practice at the time was to use sound-alikes. The way the song was used made it almost a third character riding in the car with Crockett and Tubbs; the people didn't need to speak because the music carried the emotional weight. It was much more than just "background" music. Fun fact: Phil Collins appeared as a guest star in a later episode, and more of his music was used in that episode. To me "The Air Tonight" is the most iconic though.
Man I really wish Nebula had a comment system. Fucking amazing video, thank you for all the hard work and breaking down super dense musical theory in accessible ways. This song was just a monster when it came out, and I think your conclusion of "the listener finds the meaning in it" is really the best interpretation. I can't tell you what it means to me, and it has NOTHING to do with Phil, his divorce, his shitty marriage, or anything but what I've personally lived through. And the end, that's what great art is supposed to do. It's supposed to be a mirror where we can look at ourselves and parts we may not want to, and reevaluate our lives. I'mma go give this song a new listen! Thank you again! ❣
A good horror or comedy are both stronger if you've already seen it - you sit there, knowing how strong the twist/punchline is, waiting for it, knowing it's coming, every moment asking yourself if it's happening yet. You keep tensing yourself, getting ready for the moment - you can't quite remember properly when it happens, so you keep jumping/laughing a little early, and kicking yourself when you realize you're early. And then when it does happen, you've been on the edge of your seat for the whole time. And In The Air tonight is the same - every time I listen to this song, it catches me like a gut punch.
I think the reason why this song has endured so well and had so many reactions is because after the first time you hear it you add to that anticipation of the drum fill. That slow build still works even when you know what the pay off is. And watching reaction videos or someone who hasn’t heard it before adds to that anticipation because you know it’s going to blow them away like it did you. You can feel it coming, just like the lyrics say. It’s simple and yet iconic.
Grateful when you add in mentioning the production/editing/effects audio engineering that make the recording alongside the music theory because both those aspects can be difficult to understand why a something sounds like a *particular* something if you don't have the words for it.
I was in high school when this song came out. It was one of those iconic songs that completely defined the era - the 1970s were over and we were in for something new. As a professional classical musician, I can’t say that the early ‘80s were the greatest era in music history, but I can say that it’s my favorite era to listen to. Everything from the new wave sound of Duran Duran and the Human League to the groundbreaking work of Prince, Quincy Jones, and Nile Rodgers was simply incredible. Phil Collins is part of that pantheon of gods who ruled the first half of the 1980s.
As someone who is not a student of music, I am constantly amazed at how your analysis can make me feel a lot more emotion than the songs themselves did before I heard your analysis. This one in particular just had a neat ambiance but while I got that there was emotion in his voice, I neither knew nor cared what it was. It's easy to ignore the emotions experienced decades ago by someone who made a lot of money singing about them the same way we ignore a desperately crying child when we know the child's mother is with them. We assume it's a solved problem and don't get involved. And of course that loses something with music. It lets it be background noise, which is a little sad. But even knowing it's supposed to be there, I don't really have the tools or the time to unpack most music I listen to. I appreciate you sharing the fruits of your mental music analysis tools with those of us without that.
The build up in this song is so incredible, and so subdued. In a way, very “un-80ish”, when everyone was trying to be massive all the time. He just keep building. And Collins vocals here are, of course, excellent. I’ve always loved that live version when he comes up on stage going in the direction of the drum set while singing, as the visual representation of that slow burning climax. We are all waiting for him to sit on the drums, and it takes forever. But for all of the to work, the payoff has to be HUGE, and that drum fill…. Yeah, it deliveres. Ps: I saw your drawing nod there, and arguably the most famous use of gated reverb ever is Born in The USA
I still remember one of the first times I've heard this song. Still a small kid in the eighties, sitting with my dad in the car with him driving. 'In the air tonight' on the radio. His hand resting on the gear stick, fingers close to the volume knob of the radio... Ever since then I just have to turn up the volume for just that drum fill.
I have a family member that has always called this song really boring. Which is kind of true, because most of it feels empty, but at the same time the buildup and release is performed so perfectly that I still have to listen to the whole thing any time it comes on. Like sure, there's not a whole lot going on, but that's kind of the very thing that makes it work. It reminds me about a video that... I think it was Sideways did about how quick and often the resolution is in modern four chord melodies, almost desensitizing you to it. For comparison, he used an example from classical music that spends the entire song building up to and dancing around a single melodic resolution, but never actually giving it until the very end, and how much more satisfying that resolution feels when it does finally come.
i’m pretty sure it was sideways, and i think looking at the difference between how much tension a song builds can tell you a _lot_ about a song’s goals. the difference between a song like this and an axis progression song is that one is trying to create a consistent soundscape, and one is trying to create a sudden shift in its soundscape. very cool shift in perspective.
I will still remember the day i was in traffic playing the radio, as i didn't have BT in car at this time. In the Air Tonight plays. I'm doing my thing singing a long kinda jamming as you do. The the fill hits. I, as you do, air drummed the fill. But the thing that will stick with me was the fact that I saw 4 other people in different cars ALSO air drumming the fill. The way music connects people can sometimes be silly, but is always magical.
I don't have any formal training in music theory, nor do I play any instrument beyond a couple years in my youth where I tried cello and piano. But I do have to say that I think this is one of your most enjoyable analyses you've done. I laughed out loud at a couple of moments, most notably "[In the Air Tonight] is a drum fill wearing a song as a hat." Chef's kiss.
I was 16, when the song was released, I had to run to my record dealer in Vienna Downtown to get my copy of the single and it drove me crazy. By then I was playing the drums for some years. As far as I remember, I addes a couple of bongos (yes, two pairs) of top of my toms and timbales to the left of my hihat in order to get some decent timbre extension on the toms. It worked. What a time to discover new sounds and possibilities. There was no youtube to teach me, never enough money to buy gear or place to set it up and at the end probably the lack of talent made me shift away from the idea of becoming a professional musician. But Genesis, Pink Floyd, ELP, Santana, Peter Gabriel, Sting,... tought me to listen. So, thank you for breaking this song down, explaining it so well, love the job you do for all of us.
I've never noticed your videos taking the song's form to your own, but I love that you did it here. And after this invigorating analysis, I'm off to watch the live version of the song, when he takes adds to the lead up by taking a three-minute stroll up the stairs to the waiting kit you didn't even see until right when he plays it. The weekend can start - thanks 12tone!
I've always loved the drum machine part in the first half of the song. It's very nuanced for a drum machine. Probably because it was programmed by a master drummer.
For me in the early 80s, this song came out at an interesting junction of the introduction of commercial FM radio broadcasting in Australia, and the episodic playback of Jeff Wayne's "War of the Worlds". While being generally haunted by "War of the Worlds", having this song come on after the latest episode had played still gives me shivers of delight to this day!
Which radio station? I'm curious. I was born in 76, so I was probably too young to remember, but my dad used to play that album at least once a week. The Martian "Ulla" used to scare the shit out of me as kid.
I saw that Counterspell drawing. Nice. I also appreciate the effort to make the video mirror the song's buildup and big moment. One of your best videos in ages.
I think what I like the best about your videos is that i don't speak your language. I barely understand key changes. When you talk about what note is supposed to resolve to some other note...I don't have a clue. I get by on the vibes. I enjoy listening to people talk intellectually and passionately about something they have some level of expertise in. So when you say something like "A drum fill wearing a song as a hat"... I know what you mean. I couldn't express it that way, but I get it.
This song has always reminded me of that western movie "Once Upon a Time in The West". One of my favorite movies and also a masterclass in storytelling. I've felt the song lyrics fit a narrative of a protagonist that's eager to get revenge on an old enemy that has convinced everyone to see him as the hero, but his past has now come to bite him.
Mama has a similar style to this build up, but without the fakeouts, it does build a little bit at time. But similar to ItAT, you've conceded the fact that this synth drums is the best you get...until it happens. Its not even a drum fill, just the best snare sound ive ever heard! Edit: I had forgotten that Mama was by Genesis lol
I think Mama was hugely influenced by In The Air Tonight. Mama is less about a singular moment and more about the constant intensification. And the laugh, of course. The drums are revealed before the fill, that's a big change. I think Mama is a glimpse of what Genesis could have done with this song if they had decided to record it.
Watching a live video of this song it seemed pretty epic. Phil walking around on stage eventually making his way to the drums. Even knowing the song the build up intense. One of my favorite reaction videos is TwinsthenewTrend doing a listen to this song. When the Phil hits seeing their reaction is pure joy.
@19:04 It's just "Intruder", singular. It's also a great song! XTC was recording around the same time and they use their drummers (Terry Chambers) kit to work the sound details.
slowly worked up the mountain. Only to find out, once there. That, the mountain, was a volcano. I don't know if you (invented) that description. Cuz, I've never heard that before. But, that is "such" an awesome , vivid description. Those words can communicate a feeling of a situation. So very, very clearly. I'm gonna say that is genius. Sure, it's very subtle (like the story the song tells). I guess that was your "point" for using such a metaphor at that EXACT time. Again, genius. Or, if those are to strong of a words. At least (very clever). I could be content if all I got to say was (very clever), cheerio.
These little elephant videos became your day time job because they are that good. Thank you. We could discuss this over a glass of wine for hours, listening to music, talking about it, etc. Not gonna happen though.
to me, that first distorted chord sounds like a guitar played in a fog somewhere... you can't see it, but you feel it. the drum machine is a heartbeat the music itself is waiting for what is coming there's a lot of tension in the initial vocals What a gorgeous arrangement!
One of the things that I've always loved the most about this song is the ambiguity of the downbeat. Even today I count the one beat as the moment the bass drum comes in, NOT when the electronic drum actually begins. The fact that this downbeat confusion is encouraged by the distorted electric guitar and the ambiguous vocals means that even when I hear the synths come in off-beat I don't think I'm counting wrong.
Thanks for this video. I love this song, and the way it channels his pain and anger in such a powerful way. I’ve been working on an interpretation that reflects my own im struggles with the same issues, and this video will definitely inform that.
I've seen a vid of him playing this in concert on piano, with no drums or other instruments. It's magical to see that as well, as it just maintains the hummmm the whole time - intense start to finish. Definitely a great way to perform the song as well, although it would never have gotten airplay.
The story I had always heard, which may, however, be apocryphal, is that part of the reason the drum fill sounded like it did in this song is that they were recording the drums in a stone room in an old castle.
I really dig your content. Even though I have zero musical talent, skill or education. Something about how you explain songs resonates with me. Especially ones that I like.
The most interesting thing for me about this song is that the drum machine beat can be heard two different ways. When the song begins, the accent appears to be on the "and" of beat 3, but when the vocals begin, the accented beat sounds like the 4 beat, but it's the same beat. Whenever the song comes on, I try to hear it with the 4, but that pickup that opens the song always throws me off. Sometimes if I manage to listen without listening, I can hear it on the 4 before the vocals kick in. I guess it's like the sonic equivalent of staring at the image of a candlestick and then seeing two faces.
One thing I also want to mention about this song is that it's widely sampled in hip hop. "Starin at the World Through My Rearview" by Tupac is probably the most famous example. It's not just rhythmically strong, which helps with sampling, but the longing synths provide so much potential for ruminating on bad memories and regrets.
I've heard this called "rock's greatest drum fill" for years now. The people who do this are, by and large, NOT drummers. Don't get me wrong--it's the perfect fill for that song, and it takes everyone by surprise the first time they hear the song. But without even trying hard, I can think of at least 20 Phil Collins drum fills that are more interesting, more technically demanding, and more tasteful than this one. I really enjoyed your analysis of the song. As always, you de-constructed it beautifully, with the illustrations providing some great laughs along the way. But I truly do bristle when I hear people say that it's the greatest drum fill in the history of rock music. Thanks for all the great work you do!
the 1976 the cinema show version with Bill Bruford is incredible! And Phil during some of those albums is just a monster. My personal favourite is Duke's end!
@@MarceloKatayama Well, Bruford is, hands-down, my favorite drummer of all time, and yes, he's another who has an almost bottomless collection of fascinating, beautiful licks. So many more drummers have also done amazing, memorable things.
Don't stop what your doing... I love how you break down songs. I look to you for music theory and this video has showed me nuances that I would of never considered. Listing to this video is like listing to a language interpreter. you sir have translated music into a story with context. I have not seen this type of "translation" in others. Love your elephants too! I will always subscribe to you because no one has been able to copy what you do (and I don't think they have the ability "Jimi Hendrix".... you just get it). I can not...
Im not sure if you watched Drumeo's video where they interview Phil's son, Nic. Part of it involved how the drums were and should be played (as per Phil) for this song.
Snorlax, Inception, rig and mix discussions = another genius effort. The layer development here reminds me of "Würm" from Yes, and the instrumentation reminds me of Genesis' own "Mama". But you did diss on Phil's later fills in the outro, which feel atypical to me - not complicated, but almost anticlimactic
Regarding the competing versions of the divorce narrative, Phil Collins - at least for the last couple of decades - has admitted that the failure of the marriage was at least as much on him as on his ex. He talks about how he had always had trouble choosing between his wife and the girlfriend that he had had even before getting married, and in some ways was a bit of a polygamist, trying to have his cake and eat it too. (Oo-er!) So, however he might have framed it back in the day, he seems to have come clean since then. He has also spoken about his ex's resentment in that he got a global audience to air "his side", whereas his ex didn't get that opportunity. Regardless of the unfair reality of one being a famous musician and the other not, the feeling of resentment is still there.
I'm not a huge Collins fan, I have never heard him interviewed on the subject and I don't care enough to look one up. That said... There isn't really a contradiction between two viewpoints here. The song is about/inspired by Phil's feelings in a particular moment. It's not a careful analysis of the situation; it's a report/reproduction of a moment of emotional pain. Emotions aren't fair. Breakups hurt, regardless of whose fault they were, and the arrival of consequences that you see coming from a long way off can still feel like a sudden shock when they arrive. To put it another way, the song is about watching as the last fibers holding a Damoclean sword finally let go and then feeling the inevitable stab. Asking who hung the sword up there in the first place misses the point, I think.
Another thing I find noteworthy about this song is its relation to Genesis, as Phil Collins and Tony Banks have two seemingly conflicting stories. Phil presented the band with some of his solo songs to include on the Duke album, which Genesis were writing at the time. The songs that ended up on the album were Misunderstanding and Please Don't Ask. Tony Banks, Genesis' keyboard player and unofficial dictator, insisted In The Air Tonight wasn't among the songs Phil presented, or he would have put it on the album. Phil insists that it was, and that Tony rejected it. I believe that they are both right. Phil recorded his Face Value album mostly alone in his home. He did a lot of different versions of In The Air Tonight, all with a different buildup and fill. That the one that he ended up using was the one with the legendary fill was a result of happenstance, or so Phil says. I suspect that the version Phil played to Tony was a different one, without that memorable fill. Phil didn't realize how important the fill was, and Tony rejected it, then forgot. Of course, this is all merely speculation on my part. It's interesting to contemplate what Genesis might have done with this song. No doubt they would have made it bigger, filling in a lot more of that space. I suspect it would have lost something. Strangely, this song ended up influencing the direction of Genesis more than the other way around.
You did a great job on this analysis! I think it is my favorite of your videos...the drawings were particularly clever and you captured how I felt when I first heard this on the radio as a kid. It always felt spooky and I would get chills when the vocoder swell would hit. Such a great song. Cheers!
Some additional thoughts/corrections:
1) Maybe a little inaccurate to describe the man from the story in the intro as a "killer", but "manslaughterer" doesn't sound as good and that man doesn't exist anyway so he can't sue me for slander. (There's also lots of variations on the story, including some that are much darker than the one I told, so depending on which one you're telling, killer might be the right word anyway.)
2) As some of you may know, the hi-hat/tom pattern of the main beat was actually from a preset on the CR-87 called Disco 2. Collins erased the kick and snare, then added his own kicks back in. It's transformed enough that the origin didn't feel worth mentioning, but in case you were looking for an acknowledgment of it, here you go.
3) I honestly don't know if other people hear the vocals as high, I just know that when I first heard this, my trained-baritone brain was like "oh, that sounds annoying to hit" and then I was surprised at how not-annoying it actually was. Dunno if that experience generalizes, but it's the one I had.
4) The point about Collins having an accented note on the chord changes in the verses is a bit muddied by the panning thing, where the exact moment of the chord change is a little hard to hear, but it's still true from a metric standpoint.
5) I notated the little Rhodes melody in the second verse slightly wrong: the last attack should be an 8th note earlier.
6) By "Melodyne got mad at me", I mean it used its percussive algorithm by default and when I asked it to do melodic instead it wouldn't give me pitches.
7) Technically, compression makes the loud parts quieter, not the quiet parts louder, but that's done to allow for more gain across the whole track, so the end result is still the quiet parts getting louder. That's the point of compression, if not the mechanism.
8) This was a hard one to decide what to do with, because it seems unlikely to me that the framing Collins has presented is a fair or accurate one so I don't want to repeat it uncritically, but also it doesn't really sound like anyone was a monster, so I didn't feel like the work shouldn't be talked about either. Tried to walk that fine line where I acknowledge and appreciate the art for what it is without reinforcing the harmful narrative it represents. Hopefully I did an alright job? Anyway, you can read more about Bertorelli's side here: www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3045045/No-Phil-didn-t-run-away-decorator-broke-vows-cashing-divorce-Genesis-star-s-wife-breaks-silence-35-years-split.html (Yes, I know the Daily Mail doesn't have a great reputation as a news source, but as far as I've been able to confirm the interview is legitimate, and maps with other things she's said and done.)
The interview with Bertorelli was quite interesting, and it seemed to me that her version of the fundamental facts wasn't particularly different from his. She was more providing context, and explaining how the events affected her. The examples she gives of Collins "lying" seem kind of like splitting hairs, like him saying she said she wouldn't be around when he got back, and her saying that she had really said that she didn't think she could last that long alone with him gone. These are essentially the same thing, it's just that he interprets it as a threat or an ultimatum, while she meant it as a plea. And she implicitly concedes that Collins wasn't wrong in his interpretation, as she wasn't really there when he got back, that she had already decided to leave by then. I think the fundamental gripe that she's trying to address is having been portrayed as the "bad guy."
But in breakups like this, I don't think there really are good guys and bad guys. She married a rock star, and should have known what she was getting into, but apparently didn't realize what it really meant. Rock stars go on the road, and spend lots of time away from their families. He went home at every break in the tour, and she and the children periodically visited him. He tried to make it work. But this was his job, and he was the band leader, so he had a responsibility to the others. Rock bands have short shelf lives, and you have to strike while the iron is hot. It was unrealistic for her to expect him to just walk away from his career, just as it was heating up, in order to be with her constantly. But similarly, he should have understood how difficult this would have been for her. Perhaps a shorter tour, focused on Europe, and only shorter visits elsewhere might have been a workable compromise. My takeaway from her story was that the fundamental thing that she couldn't get over was his short temper. That's certainly a legitimate reason for leaving a relationship. But it also seems quite reasonable for Collins to feel angry and betrayed, especially when she makes it clear that he tried very hard to make things work after he came back from the tour, and she just categorically rebuffed it all. I don't think either of them is the bad guy. It's just a relationship that didn't work.
I seem to remember listening to a Phil Collins interview where he said the song almost didn't have the kicks, his producer convinced him to add them at the last minute so "the kids" would know where the beat was, and so Collins went back to the studio and just recorded the kicks on top of the rest of the track. I don't know if they add that much to the song, but it's interesting we almost didn't get them
If Collins used a concert as an elaborate Sting operation to try and get somebody arrested, when The Police showed up I think everybody would just be confused...
The Peter Gabriel song is "Intruder," Steve Lilywhite was the producer, Gabriel was the one who suggested they mic the talkback channel, Padgham jumped on it, they all deserve proper credit for the most annoying drum sound of the 80's.
I appreciate your including Andrea’s perspective. The linked article was illuminating.
They obviously has a complex, ultimately unhealthy relationship, and any outsider who proclaims they know what happened is lying.
As a musician/composer, Collins is . I love his music.
As a man, well, let’s just say I wouldn’t want my children to model their behavior after him … even if I take into consideration only the part where he continued to drag her name through the mud years after their relationship was over.
"A drum fill wearing a song as a hat." That's....the best description of this song I have ever heard.
Yes, that line struck me too. Perfect.
That's the best description of any song ever.
That’s what I got out of this video haha..no, but it does sum up the iconic drum fill in this song and its place in pop culture
Came to say exactly this. The perfect description!
And the end is a "victory lap"!
I know people were waiting for the fill, but I was waiting for the "I REMEMBAH". To me, thats the real climax of the song, the point if no return before everything starts to finally build
That part used to freak me out in the best possible way when I was a kid and that song was far, far closer to a new song than it is today.
@Ryker-Volt idk either, all I know is that the staccato of his pronunciation will always stick in my mind
To me it changes the feeling of the song from "Is it coming?" to "It IS coming." letting you mentally hype yourself up for the fill.
@Ryker-Voltand the reversed intro
"We're going to get to the drum fill, but I'm going to make you work for it." I don't think any single line in the entire 12tone series has made me laugh as hard as that one. Keep up the good work.
I feel like there is absolutely no problem with Phil writing this song as a simple outlet for his pain and anger and whatever other emotions he was dealing with regardless of whether he was the "good guy" or "bad guy" in the divorce. I don't feel like the character in the song is even trying to portray himself as a victim, he's just expressing that pain, anger, and regret towards nothing specific. It feels different than pop artists who name drop their ex in their lyrics trying to be the good guy, my feeling just from the song and the context from the beginning is that he probably knew darn well that he hadn't been a very good husband and now he was paying for it, trying to figure out how to go on. Divorces usually have multiple contributing factors, rarely is one person a perfectly innocent victim. So I'm gonna say it's still valid for him to feel pain and to write a song expressing it even if the pain was the result of him making bad choices. Hopefully he learned from the experience, but either way it's still a great example of an emotional journey with minimal narrative contribution.
Probably not, Phil was married three times, all three ended up in a divorce. I do agree with what you said though, you don't have to be a good guy to make a good song
This is such a great analysis
Its hard to say if good is even the issue here. As far as i know he was just not ready for a serious relationship. Maybe hes just not the type to get along with long twrm like that doesnt have to be a fault thing
I would add that you can't expect an artist to do anything other than express their, first person, perspective without the work potentially loosing its honesty.
I find all the judging on Collins not being there for his family or his relationship pretty arsh man. Like Genesis were not THAT popular back in the 70ies and this song and the solo album was what got a lot of people interested in the band. So Phil not being there because he was touring 70% of the time, recording 10% of time with like an album almost every year from the middle to the end of the 70ies, yeah you can't sadly have a stable relationship. Even more with our point of view today when you don't message your girlfriend for a whole day, it's like terrible. It's hard to judge. He was a musician touring and producing, the labels would ask to tour or make an album to sell, they had a contract to keep up. And it wasn't that much money. Genesis was a prog rock group, and not a big one like Yes or Pink Floyd. So, he had to work, and his work made a relationship fucking ridiculous to keep when you think by our standard. Plus, talking about « I didn't found any abusive allegation », man, it doesn't happen at every divorce or breakup... Plus Collins later stated he was just angry and in pain, alcoholic and had a lot of time to compose, and made this song, he just went out on his emotion, and it wasn't even mean to be the massive hit it became.
Accidental “in the air tonight” is a whole genre on TH-cam. Be it the deer stumbling on a kids slide or a guy breaking a chair or closing kitchen cabinets, it’s a testament to the power of that fill/Phil.
I work as a cook. Most times we have "she who must not be named" playing music from the 80's and 90's. I will not lie to you, every time this song comes on (I do mean EVERY time) at the moment the fill comes up, I stop whatever I'm doing and bash it out to the song on whatever is around me. Been there for a few years now, so no matter what I'm doing or where I am, I know what to smack to get that proper descent. Fucking amazing song.
The summer after high school (‘81) I was hanging out with friends at someone’s house when one of my friends said he had an idea. He told us to all lie on our backs on the carpet, turned off the lights, and played this song on the stereo, nice and loud. First time I had ever heard it, and the best first listening experience I’ve ever had to a song. Very immersive and hard to describe. One of my best memories from high school, as we all prepared to go off to different colleges in the fall.
This song is a masterpiece, but I will always remember it for what it inspired.
The final scenes of the first episode of Miami Vice in 1984 used this song, and it's also extremely well done. There was nothing on TV like this before Miami Vice, and while I was never a fan, I can appreciate how unique this was to have on television in 1984:
th-cam.com/video/-aMCzRj3Syg/w-d-xo.html
And to further add to this, the channel "Lasagna Cat" did a shot-for-shot spoof (including a spoof of the song) in one of their videos as well:
th-cam.com/video/6_NeqMAAsBk/w-d-xo.html
So for better or for worse, this song will always remind me of Garfield.
Don't forget the gorilla drumming to this! Can't for the life of me remember what the ad was for.
I totally thought you were going to talk about the Mike Tyson cameo in The Hangover.
@@gemmachaosCadbury’s chocolate! Which I only remember because of how hard they pushed their association with the colour purple.
Thank you... ?
nice to see our fellow NotJustBikes youtuber appreaciating these musical masterpiece
Every time you said "fill" my brain automatically changed it to "Phil" and then quickly added "Collins"
I'll be honest, I don't know much at all about music but I REALLY love your videos.
As a drummer myself this fill is simultaneously awesome and one of the most disproportionately overinflated fills of all time relative to what it is.
It doesn't have its power because of what it is as a fill, because there are a billion more interesting fills in terms of the notes played. It's not even very unique either, heck Aynsley Dunbar played a rather similar fill on Journey's "Wheel in the Sky" in almost the same spot (before the final chorus/coda of the song) which predates this song. What makes it iconic in In the Air Tonight is that it transitions the song from a haunting and brooding piece of music into its climactic rock portion with intensity and thunderousness. The abruptness and timing coupled with its sheer sonic qualities (reverb, acoustics, etc.) are what make it what it is. Anybody can play it, you don't even need to be a drummer to learn how to do it in a couple minutes. But it takes a deft hand to utilize it the way this song does in composition.
It's sorta like how the most basic rock beat of all time is perhaps most famous in Michael Jackson's Billie Jean; the notes aren't what's special, but how they're used in the song to give it the feel.
Even Phil himself has a weird relationship with the drum fill, as he agrees with you on a technical level. He says he was just knocking out random fills for that part of the song, and that’s the one they went with for no particular reason. It’s not a hugely difficult or complex or interesting sequence from a drummers point of view, but as part of the song it becomes much more. He’s referred to it as “seals” cause he thinks it sounds like seals barking….together with people always asking him what’s it’s about when he has no real idea, his relationship with his most famous song has gone through plenty of ups and downs over the years.
Agreed. Aynsley Dunbar > Phil Collins
Over on the Drumeo channel, I think, they talked a bit about that "barking seal" sound a bit more. The sound is created when someone hits a tom very hard, and the tom head is not particularly tight. (It's not tuned particularly high, for that sized tom.) The hit itself tightens the head enough that the drum's pitch is raised fairly dramatically, but only at the beginning of the note. Then the pitch drops down again as the drum rings out. You get kind of a "a-ooh" bark. Phil liked that sound.
Yeah but so it left footed 😂
"A drum fill wearing a song as a hat" might be one of the most perfect encapsulations of a song you've ever landed. Fantastic piece.
Phil Colins is a tricky artist to figure out. Most of the time he’s bright and pop, but when he goes dark he really goes dark.
It’s surprising how dark it is. It’s dark, but it’s not THAT dark, but because of that, it’s
D A R K
I too am waiting for Understanding Mama by Genesis.
"Home By The Sea" is so dark, you cannot buy a copy of it without affirming that you are not Anish Kapor, or buying the record on Anish Kapor's behalf.
@@autographedcat 🖤🖤🖤
@@autographedcatthat’s a Tony Banks creation
I remember this song bringing a chill to my spine, and I still feel that way with that drum fill. Sometimes one bar of music really makes a song.
I've been waiting for this! 3 seconds of drums propelled this into the cultural zeitgeist forever.
For me this song will always be linked to "Miami Vice"; IIRC it was first episode. The slow build of tension to the climax perfectly matches what is happening in the show. It marks a moment in television history since the original performance was used; the usual practice at the time was to use sound-alikes. The way the song was used made it almost a third character riding in the car with Crockett and Tubbs; the people didn't need to speak because the music carried the emotional weight. It was much more than just "background" music. Fun fact: Phil Collins appeared as a guest star in a later episode, and more of his music was used in that episode. To me "The Air Tonight" is the most iconic though.
Get outta my head!
I jokingly tell people this is "best song of the 80's" but honestly...I think it's close. So well written.
Maybe better said that this song represents the 80s.
Man I really wish Nebula had a comment system. Fucking amazing video, thank you for all the hard work and breaking down super dense musical theory in accessible ways. This song was just a monster when it came out, and I think your conclusion of "the listener finds the meaning in it" is really the best interpretation. I can't tell you what it means to me, and it has NOTHING to do with Phil, his divorce, his shitty marriage, or anything but what I've personally lived through.
And the end, that's what great art is supposed to do. It's supposed to be a mirror where we can look at ourselves and parts we may not want to, and reevaluate our lives. I'mma go give this song a new listen! Thank you again! ❣
This song is a masterpiece in not only building to an incredibly satisfying moment, but specifically building *tension*. It's just so good.
A good horror or comedy are both stronger if you've already seen it - you sit there, knowing how strong the twist/punchline is, waiting for it, knowing it's coming, every moment asking yourself if it's happening yet. You keep tensing yourself, getting ready for the moment - you can't quite remember properly when it happens, so you keep jumping/laughing a little early, and kicking yourself when you realize you're early. And then when it does happen, you've been on the edge of your seat for the whole time.
And In The Air tonight is the same - every time I listen to this song, it catches me like a gut punch.
I think the reason why this song has endured so well and had so many reactions is because after the first time you hear it you add to that anticipation of the drum fill. That slow build still works even when you know what the pay off is. And watching reaction videos or someone who hasn’t heard it before adds to that anticipation because you know it’s going to blow them away like it did you. You can feel it coming, just like the lyrics say. It’s simple and yet iconic.
9:30 what a nice representation of "responding"
Grateful when you add in mentioning the production/editing/effects audio engineering that make the recording alongside the music theory because both those aspects can be difficult to understand why a something sounds like a *particular* something if you don't have the words for it.
I was in high school when this song came out. It was one of those iconic songs that completely defined the era - the 1970s were over and we were in for something new. As a professional classical musician, I can’t say that the early ‘80s were the greatest era in music history, but I can say that it’s my favorite era to listen to. Everything from the new wave sound of Duran Duran and the Human League to the groundbreaking work of Prince, Quincy Jones, and Nile Rodgers was simply incredible. Phil Collins is part of that pantheon of gods who ruled the first half of the 1980s.
As someone who is not a student of music, I am constantly amazed at how your analysis can make me feel a lot more emotion than the songs themselves did before I heard your analysis.
This one in particular just had a neat ambiance but while I got that there was emotion in his voice, I neither knew nor cared what it was. It's easy to ignore the emotions experienced decades ago by someone who made a lot of money singing about them the same way we ignore a desperately crying child when we know the child's mother is with them. We assume it's a solved problem and don't get involved. And of course that loses something with music. It lets it be background noise, which is a little sad. But even knowing it's supposed to be there, I don't really have the tools or the time to unpack most music I listen to. I appreciate you sharing the fruits of your mental music analysis tools with those of us without that.
The build up in this song is so incredible, and so subdued. In a way, very “un-80ish”, when everyone was trying to be massive all the time.
He just keep building. And Collins vocals here are, of course, excellent.
I’ve always loved that live version when he comes up on stage going in the direction of the drum set while singing, as the visual representation of that slow burning climax. We are all waiting for him to sit on the drums, and it takes forever.
But for all of the to work, the payoff has to be HUGE, and that drum fill…. Yeah, it deliveres.
Ps: I saw your drawing nod there, and arguably the most famous use of gated reverb ever is Born in The USA
I still remember one of the first times I've heard this song. Still a small kid in the eighties, sitting with my dad in the car with him driving. 'In the air tonight' on the radio. His hand resting on the gear stick, fingers close to the volume knob of the radio...
Ever since then I just have to turn up the volume for just that drum fill.
I have a family member that has always called this song really boring. Which is kind of true, because most of it feels empty, but at the same time the buildup and release is performed so perfectly that I still have to listen to the whole thing any time it comes on. Like sure, there's not a whole lot going on, but that's kind of the very thing that makes it work.
It reminds me about a video that... I think it was Sideways did about how quick and often the resolution is in modern four chord melodies, almost desensitizing you to it. For comparison, he used an example from classical music that spends the entire song building up to and dancing around a single melodic resolution, but never actually giving it until the very end, and how much more satisfying that resolution feels when it does finally come.
Barber's Adagio comes to mind. The piece winds up the tension higher and higher until it finally releases shortly before it ends.
i’m pretty sure it was sideways, and i think looking at the difference between how much tension a song builds can tell you a _lot_ about a song’s goals. the difference between a song like this and an axis progression song is that one is trying to create a consistent soundscape, and one is trying to create a sudden shift in its soundscape. very cool shift in perspective.
I will still remember the day i was in traffic playing the radio, as i didn't have BT in car at this time. In the Air Tonight plays. I'm doing my thing singing a long kinda jamming as you do. The the fill hits. I, as you do, air drummed the fill. But the thing that will stick with me was the fact that I saw 4 other people in different cars ALSO air drumming the fill. The way music connects people can sometimes be silly, but is always magical.
I don't have any formal training in music theory, nor do I play any instrument beyond a couple years in my youth where I tried cello and piano. But I do have to say that I think this is one of your most enjoyable analyses you've done. I laughed out loud at a couple of moments, most notably "[In the Air Tonight] is a drum fill wearing a song as a hat." Chef's kiss.
I love spotting new doodles, the hat tile!
Stereo separation is straight up magic for making a soundspace feel full
I was 16, when the song was released, I had to run to my record dealer in Vienna Downtown to get my copy of the single and it drove me crazy. By then I was playing the drums for some years. As far as I remember, I addes a couple of bongos (yes, two pairs) of top of my toms and timbales to the left of my hihat in order to get some decent timbre extension on the toms. It worked. What a time to discover new sounds and possibilities. There was no youtube to teach me, never enough money to buy gear or place to set it up and at the end probably the lack of talent made me shift away from the idea of becoming a professional musician. But Genesis, Pink Floyd, ELP, Santana, Peter Gabriel, Sting,... tought me to listen. So, thank you for breaking this song down, explaining it so well, love the job you do for all of us.
I've never noticed your videos taking the song's form to your own, but I love that you did it here. And after this invigorating analysis, I'm off to watch the live version of the song, when he takes adds to the lead up by taking a three-minute stroll up the stairs to the waiting kit you didn't even see until right when he plays it. The weekend can start - thanks 12tone!
I've always loved the drum machine part in the first half of the song. It's very nuanced for a drum machine. Probably because it was programmed by a master drummer.
For me in the early 80s, this song came out at an interesting junction of the introduction of commercial FM radio broadcasting in Australia, and the episodic playback of Jeff Wayne's "War of the Worlds". While being generally haunted by "War of the Worlds", having this song come on after the latest episode had played still gives me shivers of delight to this day!
JWMVOTWOTW (Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds) is such a great, underrated album. Too bad that JWMVOTWOTW:TNG was succh a letdown.
Which radio station? I'm curious. I was born in 76, so I was probably too young to remember, but my dad used to play that album at least once a week. The Martian "Ulla" used to scare the shit out of me as kid.
I saw that Counterspell drawing. Nice. I also appreciate the effort to make the video mirror the song's buildup and big moment. One of your best videos in ages.
I think what I like the best about your videos is that i don't speak your language. I barely understand key changes. When you talk about what note is supposed to resolve to some other note...I don't have a clue. I get by on the vibes. I enjoy listening to people talk intellectually and passionately about something they have some level of expertise in.
So when you say something like "A drum fill wearing a song as a hat"...
I know what you mean. I couldn't express it that way, but I get it.
This song has always reminded me of that western movie "Once Upon a Time in The West". One of my favorite movies and also a masterclass in storytelling. I've felt the song lyrics fit a narrative of a protagonist that's eager to get revenge on an old enemy that has convinced everyone to see him as the hero, but his past has now come to bite him.
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.
Mama has a similar style to this build up, but without the fakeouts, it does build a little bit at time. But similar to ItAT, you've conceded the fact that this synth drums is the best you get...until it happens. Its not even a drum fill, just the best snare sound ive ever heard!
Edit: I had forgotten that Mama was by Genesis lol
Whereas this song has the drum fill, Mama has "the laugh" as it's hook. Both very memorable.
I think Mama was hugely influenced by In The Air Tonight. Mama is less about a singular moment and more about the constant intensification. And the laugh, of course. The drums are revealed before the fill, that's a big change. I think Mama is a glimpse of what Genesis could have done with this song if they had decided to record it.
Watching a live video of this song it seemed pretty epic. Phil walking around on stage eventually making his way to the drums. Even knowing the song the build up intense.
One of my favorite reaction videos is TwinsthenewTrend doing a listen to this song. When the Phil hits seeing their reaction is pure joy.
@19:04 It's just "Intruder", singular. It's also a great song! XTC was recording around the same time and they use their drummers (Terry Chambers) kit to work the sound details.
Vox Earworm did a great video on Gated Reverb, and plays a good chunk of "Intruder", and yeah, it rips.
You had me at “gated reverb”. Also, for we elderly Gen X, this song is inseparable from Miami Vice.
My entire life I've believed Collins was saying "hold on" not "my lord". I feel like everything has been a lie.
"Oh lord" is one of his catch phrases. Listen to enough Phil and Genesis and you'll notice he says it all the time. Especially when ad libbing.
Omg same. Like wtf...
@@egg_bun_ There's dozens of us! Dozens!
It'll forever be "hold on" in my heart.
For the longest time, I thought he was singing "Oh Laura."
@@rattlesnake0577 I can see that too
9:30 "In response" 😂
Didn't know you were a MtG fan, that's so cool!
slowly worked up the mountain. Only to find out, once there. That, the mountain, was a volcano. I don't know if you (invented) that description. Cuz, I've never heard that before. But, that is "such" an awesome , vivid description. Those words can communicate a feeling of a situation. So very, very clearly. I'm gonna say that is genius. Sure, it's very subtle (like the story the song tells). I guess that was your "point" for using such a metaphor at that EXACT time. Again, genius. Or, if those are to strong of a words. At least (very clever). I could be content if all I got to say was (very clever), cheerio.
IDK how much of a 70s Genesis fan he is, but I like to think it was an homage to the Genesis song Dance On A Volcano.
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
These little elephant videos became your day time job because they are that good. Thank you. We could discuss this over a glass of wine for hours, listening to music, talking about it, etc. Not gonna happen though.
to me, that first distorted chord sounds like a guitar played in a fog somewhere... you can't see it, but you feel it.
the drum machine is a heartbeat
the music itself is waiting for what is coming
there's a lot of tension in the initial vocals
What a gorgeous arrangement!
One of the things that I've always loved the most about this song is the ambiguity of the downbeat. Even today I count the one beat as the moment the bass drum comes in, NOT when the electronic drum actually begins. The fact that this downbeat confusion is encouraged by the distorted electric guitar and the ambiguous vocals means that even when I hear the synths come in off-beat I don't think I'm counting wrong.
Thanks for this video. I love this song, and the way it channels his pain and anger in such a powerful way. I’ve been working on an interpretation that reflects my own im struggles with the same issues, and this video will definitely inform that.
I've seen a vid of him playing this in concert on piano, with no drums or other instruments.
It's magical to see that as well, as it just maintains the hummmm the whole time - intense start to finish.
Definitely a great way to perform the song as well, although it would never have gotten airplay.
Feeling and longing are the motive forces behind all human endeavor and human creations.
The story I had always heard, which may, however, be apocryphal, is that part of the reason the drum fill sounded like it did in this song is that they were recording the drums in a stone room in an old castle.
Nope. He did it in his home.
zeppelin did that on iv, though!
I've been hoping for this video for so long, but didn't think you'd actually do it :) Thank you!
Oh Lord Oh Lord
This one is next level. I think you’ve perfected your unique art form.
"It sounds pretty and I like it and that's what music theory is about"
Love the counterspell reference. ❤
Voters made a good choice this round. I particularly liked your drawings on this one too.
I really dig your content. Even though I have zero musical talent, skill or education. Something about how you explain songs resonates with me. Especially ones that I like.
The most interesting thing for me about this song is that the drum machine beat can be heard two different ways. When the song begins, the accent appears to be on the "and" of beat 3, but when the vocals begin, the accented beat sounds like the 4 beat, but it's the same beat.
Whenever the song comes on, I try to hear it with the 4, but that pickup that opens the song always throws me off. Sometimes if I manage to listen without listening, I can hear it on the 4 before the vocals kick in.
I guess it's like the sonic equivalent of staring at the image of a candlestick and then seeing two faces.
Wow. Thanks. I have a whole new appreciation for this song.
So many good nerdy references. Never thought a Punch-Out character would be used to teach music theory
15:51 "But it's just another trick" I had to pause the goshdang video when you drew Mr. Satan there. I just *burst out laughing*.
One thing I also want to mention about this song is that it's widely sampled in hip hop. "Starin at the World Through My Rearview" by Tupac is probably the most famous example. It's not just rhythmically strong, which helps with sampling, but the longing synths provide so much potential for ruminating on bad memories and regrets.
My favorite of your so far! You do great work!
In the opening line there’s a gentle sliding around on “coming” he slides the note up and then back down as he starts on “in the air tonight”
I was going through the same few videos for today, and I clicked on this, thinking it's an old vid, but boy, was I wrong.
Regardless, great vid.
So happy you analyzed this song. Loved it since the beginning
This is OUTSTANDING!! Thank you so much for all the hard work. Great video.
THAT WAS AMAZING analysis! I am most amazed by your mature, honest tackling the topic of the background and the message of the song.
It could be argued that he's lyrically telegraphing his intent via the chorus - a long, slow burn of building anticipation.
When you see him in concert it makes more sense because it takes the whole intro for him to get to the drum kit, just in time for the payoff.
I've heard this called "rock's greatest drum fill" for years now. The people who do this are, by and large, NOT drummers. Don't get me wrong--it's the perfect fill for that song, and it takes everyone by surprise the first time they hear the song. But without even trying hard, I can think of at least 20 Phil Collins drum fills that are more interesting, more technically demanding, and more tasteful than this one. I really enjoyed your analysis of the song. As always, you de-constructed it beautifully, with the illustrations providing some great laughs along the way. But I truly do bristle when I hear people say that it's the greatest drum fill in the history of rock music.
Thanks for all the great work you do!
the 1976 the cinema show version with Bill Bruford is incredible!
And Phil during some of those albums is just a monster. My personal favourite is Duke's end!
@@MarceloKatayama Well, Bruford is, hands-down, my favorite drummer of all time, and yes, he's another who has an almost bottomless collection of fascinating, beautiful licks. So many more drummers have also done amazing, memorable things.
He shifts the first C to its relative minor and the resolving C to the base chord's relative major. Nice.
I love this 80s song! Thank you for explaining it with theory and the story behind it!
Best explanation of gated reverb I’ve heard 👏👏👏
Collins wrote a fill so iconic he named himself after it
I just love the doodle at 9:33.
I too prefer that art of counterspell
I feel like "I Don't Care Anymore" is a "Part 2" to "In The Air Tonight" - but perhaps not as well known.
In terms of fascinating explanations, metaphors and just provoking my thinking in general, this is your best video yet.
I don't always know what all of the pictograms you draw are referencing, but I do like that at 9:30 you affirm all us 90s Magic: the Gathering nerds.
Don't stop what your doing... I love how you break down songs. I look to you for music theory and this video has showed me nuances that I would of never considered. Listing to this video is like listing to a language interpreter. you sir have translated music into a story with context. I have not seen this type of "translation" in others. Love your elephants too! I will always subscribe to you because no one has been able to copy what you do (and I don't think they have the ability "Jimi Hendrix".... you just get it). I can not...
That drum fill is the Supa Hot Fire of the drum world.
That thumbnail is solid 10/10 dad joke level comedy
Im not sure if you watched Drumeo's video where they interview Phil's son, Nic. Part of it involved how the drums were and should be played (as per Phil) for this song.
Such an epic song.
How exciting - one of my favorite songs!
Snorlax, Inception, rig and mix discussions = another genius effort. The layer development here reminds me of "Würm" from Yes, and the instrumentation reminds me of Genesis' own "Mama". But you did diss on Phil's later fills in the outro, which feel atypical to me - not complicated, but almost anticlimactic
The blinking lights of the antenna tower came into focus just as I heard a loud snap.
I love the interrupting cow reference
Best episode ever. :) Even with the superfluous "s" (Intruder). You nailed your parallel of the song's buildup and payoff.
The video I’ve waited for
Regarding the competing versions of the divorce narrative, Phil Collins - at least for the last couple of decades - has admitted that the failure of the marriage was at least as much on him as on his ex. He talks about how he had always had trouble choosing between his wife and the girlfriend that he had had even before getting married, and in some ways was a bit of a polygamist, trying to have his cake and eat it too. (Oo-er!) So, however he might have framed it back in the day, he seems to have come clean since then.
He has also spoken about his ex's resentment in that he got a global audience to air "his side", whereas his ex didn't get that opportunity. Regardless of the unfair reality of one being a famous musician and the other not, the feeling of resentment is still there.
I'm not a huge Collins fan, I have never heard him interviewed on the subject and I don't care enough to look one up. That said...
There isn't really a contradiction between two viewpoints here. The song is about/inspired by Phil's feelings in a particular moment. It's not a careful analysis of the situation; it's a report/reproduction of a moment of emotional pain. Emotions aren't fair. Breakups hurt, regardless of whose fault they were, and the arrival of consequences that you see coming from a long way off can still feel like a sudden shock when they arrive.
To put it another way, the song is about watching as the last fibers holding a Damoclean sword finally let go and then feeling the inevitable stab. Asking who hung the sword up there in the first place misses the point, I think.
I borrow this drum fill for the last chorus when my band plays "Mary Jane's Last Dance".
Another thing I find noteworthy about this song is its relation to Genesis, as Phil Collins and Tony Banks have two seemingly conflicting stories.
Phil presented the band with some of his solo songs to include on the Duke album, which Genesis were writing at the time. The songs that ended up on the album were Misunderstanding and Please Don't Ask. Tony Banks, Genesis' keyboard player and unofficial dictator, insisted In The Air Tonight wasn't among the songs Phil presented, or he would have put it on the album. Phil insists that it was, and that Tony rejected it.
I believe that they are both right. Phil recorded his Face Value album mostly alone in his home. He did a lot of different versions of In The Air Tonight, all with a different buildup and fill. That the one that he ended up using was the one with the legendary fill was a result of happenstance, or so Phil says. I suspect that the version Phil played to Tony was a different one, without that memorable fill. Phil didn't realize how important the fill was, and Tony rejected it, then forgot. Of course, this is all merely speculation on my part.
It's interesting to contemplate what Genesis might have done with this song. No doubt they would have made it bigger, filling in a lot more of that space. I suspect it would have lost something. Strangely, this song ended up influencing the direction of Genesis more than the other way around.
I find it very sad that Banks says he would have included it instead of either of the Phil songs. I love Please don't ask a lot.
You did a great job on this analysis! I think it is my favorite of your videos...the drawings were particularly clever and you captured how I felt when I first heard this on the radio as a kid. It always felt spooky and I would get chills when the vocoder swell would hit. Such a great song. Cheers!
Glad to see Kid Cosmic getting some love!
Great analysis as always :)
Can we take a moment to appreciate how good that sketch of zuko from avatar is? That was an unexpected delight