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Welcome back Phil Collins, king of the breakup ballad Phil Collins is king of the breakup ballad – I’m so glad he’s back
(35 minutes later)
Phil Collins got me through the worst time of my life. Hearing the heartfelt “Don’t leave me, please don’t leave me”, songs on his 1981 album Face Value made me feel far less alone as I too went through a devastating breakup.Phil Collins got me through the worst time of my life. Hearing the heartfelt “Don’t leave me, please don’t leave me”, songs on his 1981 album Face Value made me feel far less alone as I too went through a devastating breakup.
It’s easy to mock Phil – as we’ve been reminded this week when he announced he was making his comeback. Perhaps the derision is born out of envy of his success or maybe it’s that he appeals to the “wrong” kind of music fan. Phil isn’t hip. He isn’t cool. But he is successful: Face Value – his first solo album after he left Genesis – went five-times platinum in the UK. He has sold more than 250m albums.It’s easy to mock Phil – as we’ve been reminded this week when he announced he was making his comeback. Perhaps the derision is born out of envy of his success or maybe it’s that he appeals to the “wrong” kind of music fan. Phil isn’t hip. He isn’t cool. But he is successful: Face Value – his first solo album after he left Genesis – went five-times platinum in the UK. He has sold more than 250m albums.
Related: Phil Collins confirms return to music: 'I'm no longer officially retired'Related: Phil Collins confirms return to music: 'I'm no longer officially retired'
But I think that the Phil-hating stems from something more sinister. Phil Collins appeals to women. Men aren’t supposed to write heart-on-sleeve confessional songs; they’re especially not supposed to write about how a woman broke their heart by going off with someone else. It’s supposed to be all power messages – “She’s under my thumb” and “Stay away from Runaround Sue”. It was fine for Elvis Costello on his first solo album to write breakup songs declaring that he wasn’t angry when he plainly was. Costello was cool and appealed to a niche audience; he still does. Collins is mass market, though. Popular. And what could be less cool than a popular recording artist admitting he is heartbroken?But I think that the Phil-hating stems from something more sinister. Phil Collins appeals to women. Men aren’t supposed to write heart-on-sleeve confessional songs; they’re especially not supposed to write about how a woman broke their heart by going off with someone else. It’s supposed to be all power messages – “She’s under my thumb” and “Stay away from Runaround Sue”. It was fine for Elvis Costello on his first solo album to write breakup songs declaring that he wasn’t angry when he plainly was. Costello was cool and appealed to a niche audience; he still does. Collins is mass market, though. Popular. And what could be less cool than a popular recording artist admitting he is heartbroken?
But what do I care? I just care about the music. I can forgive Phil anything for If Leaving Me Is Easy and especially for Against All Odds, which even today makes me cry with its searingly heartfelt: “How can you just walk away from me?”, “You’re the only one who ever really knew me at all,” and “There’s nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face.” It builds and it builds. One of the best power ballads ever.But what do I care? I just care about the music. I can forgive Phil anything for If Leaving Me Is Easy and especially for Against All Odds, which even today makes me cry with its searingly heartfelt: “How can you just walk away from me?”, “You’re the only one who ever really knew me at all,” and “There’s nothing left here to remind me, just the memory of your face.” It builds and it builds. One of the best power ballads ever.
In You Know What I Mean he totally captures the agony of someone broken by repeated betrayals: “Just as I’d learned to be lonely, you call up to tell me you’re not sure if you’re ready.” Because, hey, why break someone’s heart once when you can do it twice?In You Know What I Mean he totally captures the agony of someone broken by repeated betrayals: “Just as I’d learned to be lonely, you call up to tell me you’re not sure if you’re ready.” Because, hey, why break someone’s heart once when you can do it twice?
The pain Collins went through while recording Face Value is still with him – and I love him for his honesty about thatThe pain Collins went through while recording Face Value is still with him – and I love him for his honesty about that
The pain Collins went through while he was recording Face Value is still with him – and I love him for his honesty about that. In 2007, he was interviewed on the radio show This American Life and asked to explain how he writes so well about romantic disappointment. Here he is talking candidly to a young woman who wants to write her own breakup song, inspired by his work. You can still hear the pain in his voice as he remembers the rawness of being left, even years later. It was generous of him. The man’s a millionaire. He had no product to push, but he took the time anyway.The pain Collins went through while he was recording Face Value is still with him – and I love him for his honesty about that. In 2007, he was interviewed on the radio show This American Life and asked to explain how he writes so well about romantic disappointment. Here he is talking candidly to a young woman who wants to write her own breakup song, inspired by his work. You can still hear the pain in his voice as he remembers the rawness of being left, even years later. It was generous of him. The man’s a millionaire. He had no product to push, but he took the time anyway.
Phil probably doesn’t care about being mocked. The video for the Genesis hit Land Of Confusion came about after he saw a caricature of himself in the satirical puppet show Spitting Image, and commissioned the show’s creators to make puppets of the whole band.Phil probably doesn’t care about being mocked. The video for the Genesis hit Land Of Confusion came about after he saw a caricature of himself in the satirical puppet show Spitting Image, and commissioned the show’s creators to make puppets of the whole band.
If you’ve ever been left for someone else, you’re part of a community that shares a deep-down buried sorrow that never quite dies, no matter how much you may think it has. Nothing beats sharing pain with people who have been where you are. And nothing cuts straight to the heart the way music does. So Phil, welcome back and thanks for the music.If you’ve ever been left for someone else, you’re part of a community that shares a deep-down buried sorrow that never quite dies, no matter how much you may think it has. Nothing beats sharing pain with people who have been where you are. And nothing cuts straight to the heart the way music does. So Phil, welcome back and thanks for the music.