Sussudio - Phil Collins

'Sussudio' was released as a single from Phil Collins' 1985 album 'No jacket required'. The main lyric came about as Collins was improvising lyrics to a drum machine track he had programmed: 'Suss-sussudio' was a wording that scanned improperly. After trying to find an alternative word to fit the rhythm, the singer decided to keep 'Sussudio' as the song title and lyric. The song is about a normal crush that a schoolboy may have on a girl and that by saying 'suss-sussudio' may raise speculations about the boy having a stutter.

The single reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 17 in Germany and number 12 both in the UK and the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 5159
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Sussudio' / 'The man with the horn'

Do you remember? (live) - Phil Collins

'Do you remember?' was originally a track on Phil Collins's 1990 album 'But Seriously'. Shortly after the release of that album, Collins released 'Serious hits... live!', an album with live versions of his best songs. A live version of 'Do you remember?' was released as a single in the UK and Europe and managed to reach number 57 in the UK singles chart.

The song was written by Collins and produced by Collins and Hugh Padgham. Singer-songwriter Stephen Bishop is a backing vocalist on the track. The B-side features a live version of one of the Eighties' most accomplished love songs, 'Against all odds'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5158
Found: Chelsea Records, Antwerpen, June 9, 2011
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Do you remember (live)' / 'Against all odds (live)'

In the air tonight ('88 remix) - Phil Collins

Phil Collins' debut solo single 'In the air tonight' was re-released in 1988 as a remix. The remix was made by Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham, although a more accomplished remix by Ben Liebrand existed (and was included on 12" and cd-single versions of this single).

The re-release could not give the song a higher chart placing than the original release from 1981, but still it did well: peaking at number 4 in the UK singles chart and at number 3 in the German singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 5077
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, April 9, 2011
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'In the air tonight ('88 remix)' / 'I missed again'

If leaving me is easy - Phil Collins

Phil Collins debuted as a solo artist in 1981 with his album 'Face value'. Three singles were taken from the album, of which 'If leaving me is easy' was the last one. The single was released in a limited edition poster cover, and featured the demo version of 'In the air tonight' - Phil's very successful debut single - on the B-side.

'If leaving me is easy' reached number 17 in the UK singles chart and also charted in several European countries.

My collection: 7" single no. 4909
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received May 28, 2010
Cost: 2,5 euro
Tracks: 'If leaving me is easy' / 'Drawing board (In the air tonight)'

Both sides of the story - Phil Collins

'Both sides of the story' was the first single from Phil Collins' 1994 album 'Both sides'. It was one of his socially conscious lyrics, trying to make a case for listening to both sides of a story before making a judgement.

The single reached number 25 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 4 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2008
Found: Virgin Megastore, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Both sides of the story' / 'Always (live)'

Something happened on the way to heaven - Phil Collins

'Something happened on the way to heaven' was written by Phil Collins and Daryl Stuermer for the movie 'War of the roses', but was ultimately not used. Instead, Collins recorded it on his album 'But seriously'.

The single reached number 5 in the Dutch Top 40, number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 15 in the UK singles chart. This copy is part of a limited edition featuring a booklet with photographs from Phil Collins' live tour.

My collection: 7" single no. 1246
Found: Free Record Shop, June 14, 1990
Cost: 7 guilders
Tracks: 'Something happened on the way to heaven' / 'I wish it would rain (demo)'

I wish it would rain down - Phil Collins

'I wish it would rain down' was released in 1989 as the second single from Phil Collins' album 'But seriously'. Phil Collins commented that it was as close as he had ever gotten at the time to writing a blues song. He asked Eric Clapton to provide the guitar playing throughout the song. As Collins recalls, 'I said 'Eric, have I never asked you to play? Come on, I've got a song right up your street'.

The song was a top ten hit in many countries, including Canada where it topped the chart. In the USA and the Netherlands, the single reached number 3, while peaking at number 7 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1174
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, February 17, 1990
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'I wish it would rain down' / 'Homeless (Another day in paradise - demo)'

Another day in paradise - Phil Collins

Released as the first single from his 1989 album 'But seriously', 'Another day in paradise' was written to bring attention to the problem of homelessness. It all sounded slightly pompous coming from a man who was so rich that he could easily buy a building and shelter all the homeless people in the UK. But I guess Collins didn't think about that when he wrote the song.

The single became a number 1 hit in various countries around the world, including the USA, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. In the UK, the single peaked at number 2.

My collection: 7" single no. 1091
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, November 4, 1991
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Another day in paradise' / 'Heat on the street'

Two hearts - Phil Collins

'Two hearts' was written by Phil Collins and Lamont Dozier (of Motown's Holland-Dozier-Holland) for the 1988 crime comedy film 'Buster'. It won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song alongside the Carly Simon song 'Let the river run' from 'Working girl'.

Released as the second single from the 'Buster' soundtrack album, the single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in 1988. The single reached number 5 in the Dutch Top 40 and number 6 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2435
Found: August 19, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Two hearts' / 'The robbery (excerpt)'

You can't hurry love - Phil Collins

Unlike many of the earlier Supremes records, 'You can't hurry love' has inspired many different cover versions. The most notable of these was released in late 1982 as a single by Phil Collins from his second solo album, 'Hello, I must be going'.

Sounding rather retro, his version was immensely popular and reached number 1 in the UK and the Netherlands. Although Collins had previously done covers as album tracks (of Genesis' 'Behind the lines' and the Beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows' on his debut album 'Face value'), 'You can't hurry love' was the first cover he released as a single.

My collection: 7" single no. 4703
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'You can't hurry love' / 'I cannot believe it's true'

I missed again - Phil Collins

Everybody remembers Phil Collins' debut single 'In the air tonight' of course, but can you also name the single that followed it up? Released just two months after that classic single, 'I missed again' was the second single taken from Collins' debut album 'Face value'. The song, like many on that album, is about Collins' anger and frustration about his first wife leaving him.

The single reached number 14 in the UK singles chart. In the USA, where 'I missed again' was actually released as Phil Collins' debut single, it peaked at number 19 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4701
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, March 13, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'I missed again' / 'I'm not moving'

That's just the way it is - Phil Collins

'That's just the way it is' was written by Phil Collins as an anti-war ballad, about the conflict in Northern Ireland, The Troubles. Collins commented: 'It's about Northern Ireland as far as I am concerned. (...) If you are living in England and you just sort of constantly people getting blown to smithereens because this thing that's been going on for the last twenty years. You see newsreels of kids throwing petrol bombs because their brothers throw them and then their dads throw them and their dads dads and it's just bred, inbred now this violence. I just thought someone somewhere, and it's got to be from both sides, has got to say 'Hang on, life means more than this. This has got to stop.''

The B-side of the single is 'Broadway chorus', a demo version of the previous hit single from the album, 'Something happened on the way to heaven'. The single reached number 26 in the UK singles chart and number 10 in the Dutch Top 40 in the summer of 1990.

My collection: 7" single no. 4598
Found: Velvet Vinyl Outlet, Leiden, February 26, 2010
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'That's just the way it is' / 'Broadway chorus'

Don't lose my number - Phil Collins

Phil Collins has said that 'Don't lose my number' was actually written during the recording sessions for his debut solo album 'Face value'. It turned up four years later on his third album 'No jacket required'. The lyric of the song was partly improvised, and Collins admitted that he does not fully understand what they mean.

The single was not released in the UK, but was in most of Europe and in the USA. It reached number 4 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1564
Found: All that music, Leiden, January 2, 1992
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Don't lose my number' / 'We said hello goodbye'

Sussudio - Phil Collins

According to Phil Collins, 'Sussudio' is the result of an improvisation. He was just playing around with a drum machine, and the lyric 'sus-sussudio' was what came out of his mouth. 'So I kinda knew I had to find something else for that word, then I went back and tried to find another word that scanned as well as 'sussudio', and I couldn't find one, so I went back to 'sussudio',' Collins explained. The lyrics are about a schoolboy crush on a girl at school.

The single reached number 3 in the Dutch Top 40, number 12 in the UK singles chart and number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 4452
Found: Kringloop, Lisse, January 23, 2010
Cost: 0,7 euro
Tracks: 'Sussudio' / 'The man with the horn'

A groovy kind of love - Phil Collins

'A groovy kind of love' was written by Toni Wine and Carol Bayer Sager. It is heavily based on the Rondo movement of Sonatina in G major, op. 36 no. 5 by Muzio Clementi. The song was first recorded by Diane & Annita in 1965.

Phil Collins recorded his cover of the song in 1988. He decided to record it when he took a starring role in the film 'Buster', which had a Sixties setting. The song first appeared on the soundtrack of the movie, while it was also released as a single. It hit number 1 in the USA, the UK and the Netherlands.

My collection: 7" single no. 799
Found: Melody Maker, Den Haag, April 17, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'A groovy kind of love' / 'Big noise (instrumental)'

Separate lives - Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin

Stephen Bishop wrote 'Separate lives'. He reportedly recorded the song himself as a duet with Kim Wilde, but in the end, it appeared as a duet between Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. They recorded the track for the soundtrack of the movie 'White nights'.

'Separate lives' reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 4 in the UK singles chart. The song was subsequently nominated for an Oscar for 'Best original song'. It lost to Lionel Richie's 'Say you, say me' from the same movie.

My collection: 7" single no. 1416
Found: April 7, 1991
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Separate lives' / 'I don't wanna know'

One more night - Phil Collins

Phil Collins was playing around with a drum machine when he started saying the chorus of 'One more night'. He later recalled that 'the rest of the song was written very quickly'.

The track was recorded for Collins' 1985 album 'No jacket required' and released as its second single. It reached number 4 in the UK singles chart and number 15 in the Dutch Top 40. My copy was made in France and turned up in a record shop discount bin four years after its release.

My collection: 7" single no. 713
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, January 5, 1989
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'One more night' / 'I like the way'

Take me home - Phil Collins

The song 'Take me home' is not to be taken literally: it's not about a man going home. Phil Collins has explained that the song lyric refers to a patient in a mental institution, and that the song is based on the novel 'One flew over the cuckoo's nest'. The song features Sting, Peter Gabriel and Helen Terry on backing vocals.

The song was released as a single in the UK in July 1985 and in the US in March 1986. It peaked at number 19 in the UK and number 7 in the USA.

My collection: 7" single no. 4262
Found: Record fair, Utrecht, November 21, 2009
Cost: 1 euro
Tracks: 'Take me home' / 'We said hello goodbye'

It don't matter to me - Phil Collins

While in the UK 'Why can't it wait til morning' was released as a single, mainland Europe preferred the more uptempo 'It don't matter to me'. With this rather simplistic sleeve, it still didn't manage high chart placings.

As a result, this was the last single release from Phil Collins' 1982 album 'Hello, I must be going!'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2316
Found: June 3, 1995
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'It don't matter to me' / 'Why can't it wait til morning'

Why can't it wait 'til morning - Phil Collins

'Why can't it wait 'til morning' was the fifth single taken from Phil Collins' second solo album 'Hello, I must be going!'. It was only released in the UK, but it was not successful: the single did not chart, despite the fact that it is actually quite a great ballad.

The B-side was also taken from the album. The lyric of 'Like china' is about an infatuated teenager attempting to convince his girlfriend to sleep with him by saying he will treat her as gently like china. I wonder if she fell for it...

My collection: 7" single no. 3202
Found: Record fair, September 30, 2000
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Why can't it wait 'til morning' / 'Like china'