what is the story behind the Phil Collins song: "I can feel it coming in the air..." something like that..

Question

it talks about some one drowning, and Phil C. sings that if it were whoever he's singing about: he "would not lend a hand.." ?

Answer 1

There are a lot of urban legends about the meaning of the song. You can read them here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Air_Tonight

Here is what Phil Collins said about the song:

Collins commented on the legends about the song in a BBC World Service interview:

"I don't know what this song is about. When I was writing this I was going through a divorce. And the only thing I can say about it is that it's obviously in anger. It's the angry side, or the bitter side of a separation. So what makes it even more comical is when I hear these stories which started many years ago, particularly in America, of someone come up to me and say, 'Did you really see someone drowning?' I said, 'No, wrong'. And then every time I go back to America the story gets Chinese whispers, it gets more and more elaborate. It's so frustrating, 'cos this is one song out of all the songs probably that I've ever written that I really don't know what it's about, you know."

Answer 2

Phil Collins Drowning Story

Answer 3

Now who doesn't have an ex-whatever whose relationship was so tempestuous as to be both addictive like crack and a relief when it was over?

Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight"

I can feel it coming in the air tonight, Oh Lord
I've been waiting for this moment, all my life, Oh Lord
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight, Oh Lord, Oh Lord

Well, if you told me you were drowning
I would not lend a hand
I've seen your face before my friend
But I don't know if you know who I am
Well, I was there and I saw what you did
I saw it with my own two eyes
So you can wipe off the grin, I know where you've been
It's all been a pack of lies

And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, Oh Lord
I've been waiting for this moment for all my life, Oh Lord
I can feel it in the air tonight, Oh Lord, Oh Lord
And I've been waiting for this moment all my life, Oh Lord, Oh Lord

Well I remember, I remember don't worry
How could I ever forget, it's the first time, the last time we ever met
But I know the reason why you keep your silence up, no you don't fool me
The hurt doesn't show; but the pain still grows
It's no stranger to you or me

And I can feel it coming in the air tonight, Oh Lord...

Answer 4

The song is called "In the Air Tonight." I've heard many an urban legend about this song, but they are just that - urban legends. Phil Collins says that the song is about the feelings he had going through his divorce from his first wife. But there are some really bizarre stories about it. You can read about them at the link below.

Answer 5

It's about phil collins' brother who drowned when they were younger. They were down by the water and his brother fell in and none of them could swim. So young phil ran up to a grup of drunk guys and told them to come and save his brother cos he was drowning, but they told him to piss off. and his brother actually died.

Apparently he tracked one of the guys down and invited him to the front row of one of his concerts and sang that song while looking straight at him. That's the story anyway, don't know how true that is. but the lyrics fit it pretty well.

Hope that helped.

Answer 6

He's talking about his bitterness and frustration with his ex wife Andrea