Phil Collins questions

[davver]

Firstly, what is the story behind 'In The Air', if there is one, and secondly, is there any significance to the word 'Sussudio'?

[jenstar]

The lyrics to In The Air Tonight were improvised in the studio. There is a persistent myth that it was about him witnessing a fatal accident/murder but it is just a myth.

[andy hughes]

Phil Collins composed much of his first solo album - from which 'In The Air Tonight' is taken - as therapy for his very painful first divorce. This explains a lot of the anger / pathos themes that run through the material. As far as remember, "Sussudio" is just a nonsense word - Collins often looks for lyrical angles by "Lah lah" ing and singing meaningless sounds to the music, until something comes into his head that can be worked up into a lyric, or in this case, left in because he liked trhe sound of it.

[RCP]

I heard Phil Collins being interviewed once and he said that when he was in Japan he heard a word that sounded like Sussudio and decided to use it in a song.

[darth vader]

Sussudio (probably spelled wrong) - the word comes from Phil having a laugh at a Japanese girl (an employee at a recording studio i think) who was having problems pronouncing the word "studio" properly

[froggequene]

I was always led to believe that 'In the Air tonight' was about his split from his first wife, for some reason he is incapable of an amicable split.