Phil Collins - Another Day In Paradise
“Another Day in Paradise” is a song written and recorded by Phil Collins, released in October 1989 as the lead single from his fourth solo album, …But Seriously. The track was produced by Collins along with Hugh Padgham and marked a significant departure from his previous dance-pop sound. The song addresses the issue of homelessness, similar to his earlier Genesis track “Man on the Corner”, representing a more socially conscious direction for the artist. Collins was inspired to write the song after witnessing people sleeping on heating grates near Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and encountering homeless individuals asking for help. Collins later explained that the song essentially “wrote itself” when he sat down at the piano, with the words coming out naturally rather than being a deliberate effort to write about homelessness. The song features backing vocals from David Crosby, who Collins had met at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert, adding a subtle folk-protest sensibility to the track.
“Another Day in Paradise” became a massive commercial success. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 43 in November 1989 and reached number one seven weeks later on December 23, 1989, becoming Collins’ seventh and final number-one hit. The song stayed at number one for four weeks, making it the last number-one hit of the 1980s and the first of the 1990s. The track also topped charts in multiple countries and earned significant accolades, including the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and the BRIT Award for Best British Single. Despite its success, the song provoked controversy and was widely criticized, with some finding the wealthy Collins unqualified to sing about poverty and others accusing him of profiteering from homelessness. Collins defended himself by stating that having money doesn’t mean being “out of touch with reality” and that he saw the same things everyone else did when driving down the street. Nevertheless, the song’s impact endured, and it has since been covered by numerous artists and remains a powerful commentary on social indifference to homelessness.
Phil Collins Another Day In Paradise Lyrics
She calls out to the man on the street
"Sir, can you help me?
It's cold and I've nowhere to sleep
Is there somewhere you can tell me?"
He walks on, doesn't look back
He pretends he can't hear her
He starts to whistle as he crosses the street
She's embarrassed to be there
Oh, think twice, it's just another day for
For you and me in paradise
Oh, think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it
She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she's been cryin'
She's got blisters on the soles of her feet
She can't walk but she's tryin'
Oh, just think twice, it's just another day
For you and me in paradise
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it, just think about it
Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do?
Oh Lord, there must be something you can say
You can tell by the lines on her face
You can see that she's been there
Probably been moved on from every place
'Cause she didn't fit in there
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you and me in paradise
Oh, yes think twice, it's just another day
For you, you and me in paradise
Just think about it, just think about it
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me in paradise
It's just another day
For you and me
It's another day
For you and me
It's another day
For you and me in paradise
In paradise