Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Another Day in Paradise

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Released
  
23 October 1989 (UK)

Recorded
  
1989

Format
  
7" CD cassette

Writer(s)
  
Phil Collins

Length
  
4:47 (single version) 5:22 (album version)

Label
  
Atlantic Virgin WEA Legacy

"Another Day in Paradise" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Phil Collins. Produced by Collins along with Hugh Padgham, it was released as the first single from his number-one album ...But Seriously (1989). As with his song for Genesis, "Man on the Corner", the track has as its subject the problem of homelessness; as such, the song was a substantial departure from the dance-pop music of his previous album, No Jacket Required (1985).

Contents

Collins sings the song from a third-person perspective, as he observes a man crossing the street to ignore a homeless woman, and he implores listeners not to turn a blind eye to homelessness because, by drawing a religious allusion, "it's just another day for you and me in paradise". Collins also appeals directly to God by singing: "Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do? Oh Lord, there must be something you can say?"

The song was Collins' seventh and final Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, and the first number-one single of the 1990s. It was also a worldwide success, eventually becoming one of the most successful songs of his solo career. It won Collins and Padgham the Grammy Award for Record of the Year at the 1991 awards ceremony, while it was also nominated for Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male and Best Music Video, Short Form. "Another Day in Paradise" also won an award for Best British Single at the 1990 BRIT Awards. Despite the awards gained following its release, the song also generated controversy over its subject matter and has received a largely negative reaction from music critics.

Collins and David Crosby's live performance of the song at the 1991 Grammy Awards was released on the 1994 album Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume I. In 2009, Collins's version was listed at 86th on Billboard's Greatest Songs of All Time. "Another Day in Paradise" has since been covered by several artists, including Brandy, her brother Ray J, Jam Tronik, Axxis, Novecento, and Hank Marvin.

Chart performance

The song was another massive hit for Collins. On 23 December 1989, it became his seventh (and to date, final) No. 1 single in the U.S. The song was also the final No. 1 song of the 1980s in the U.S., and remained at No. 1 for four weeks, which classifies the song as a hit from the 1990s as well. This song is notable for keeping Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" from ever reaching number one. It also saw out the 1980s and saw in the 1990s at the top of the German singles chart. The song had already reached No. 2 in the UK in November of that year. The single version is slightly different from the album version in that it uses a shorter intro. David Crosby also appears performing backing vocals.

Reception

Popular music historian Colin Larkin wrote that "Another Day in Paradise" had been widely criticised. Collins addressed the criticism from the English rock press at the time of its release, who found him unqualified to sing about the poor due to his wealth, by saying: "When I drive down the street, I see the same things everyone else sees. It's a misconception that if you have a lot of money you're somehow out of touch with reality."

Singer-songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg was scathing of the song in an interview in 2000, drawing a contrast between Collins and an act he admired, the Clash, stating: "Phil Collins might write a song about the homeless, but if he doesn't have the action to go with it he's just exploiting that for a subject." In 2003, Andrew Collins described the song as a "bland redress" for the subject of homelessness in the New Statesman. Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian dismissed the track in 2007 as "a song that addressed the issue of homelessness with the same insight as Sporty Spice's 'If That Were Me'". Writing for the BBC in 2010, David Sheppard described the song's lyrics as "cringe-worthy" and gave it as an example of Collins "painting the bull’s-eye on his own forehead" when it came to his negative status with music critics.

Writing for MSN in 2013, Hugh Wilson contrasted Collins's concern for the homeless in the song with his concern as a multimillionaire at the prospect of the UK's election of a tax-raising socialist government. Referring to Collins's statement that he would consider leaving the UK with the election of a Labour government, Wilson noted that the song led to "accusations of hypocrisy" because Collins had "bemoaned the plight of the homeless" in it. Wilson also said Collins became "an easy target when future elections came round".

Personnel

  • Phil Collins – keyboards, vocals, drums
  • David Crosby – vocals
  • Leland Sklar – bass
  • Dominic Miller – guitars

    • Formats and track listings

    12" single
    1. "Another Day in Paradise" (album version) – 5:22
    2. "Another Day in Paradise" (radio edit) – 4:04
    CD maxi single
    1. "Another Day in Paradise" – 5:15
    2. "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" – 1:25
    3. "Heat on the Street" – 3:59
    7" single
    1. "Another Day in Paradise" – 4:48
    2. "Heat on the Street" – 3:59
    3" CD Single
    1. "Another Day In Paradise" 5:19
    2. "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" 1:26
    3. "Heat on the Street" 4:00

    Virgin - VSCD1233 (Martin H)

    Jam Tronik version

    Less than six months after the release of the original Phil Collins version, a cover version by dance act Jam Tronik was released in the UK. In April 1990, it peaked at number 19 on the UK Singles Chart. Sampled in this version is the drum loop from the 1988 Raze song "Break 4 Love".

    Brandy and Ray J version

    In 2001, siblings Brandy and Ray J covered the song for the Phil Collins tribute album Urban Renewal. Produced by Guy Roche and released as the album's lead single, the cover version became a top ten success in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the UK, receiving gold certifications in Australia (35,000), Germany (150,000), France (100,000) and Switzerland (25,000). In 2002, this version of the song was included on the European edition of Brandy's Full Moon album.

    Formats and track listings

    These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of the 2001 version of "Another Day in Paradise".

    CD maxi single
    1. "Another Day in Paradise" (R&B-Version) – 4:32
    2. "Another Day in Paradise" (Stargate Mix) – 4:19
    3. "Another Day in Paradise" (Stargate Classic Club) – 4:22
    4. "Another Day in Paradise" (Knee Deep Remix) – 6:28
    5. "Another Day in Paradise" (Black Legend VS. J-Reverse Club Mix) – 7:54
    CD single
    1. "Another Day in Paradise" (R&B-Version) – 4:32
    2. "Another Day in Paradise" (Stargate Mix) – 4:19
    The Remixes - 12" maxi
    1. "Another Day in Paradise" (Knee Deep Remix) – 6:28
    2. "Another Day in Paradise" (Black Legend vs. J-Reverse Club Mix) – 7:54

    Other covers

  • In 1990, the song was covered by the London Symphony Orchestra on their album Soft Rock Symphonies, Vol. II.
  • In 1990, Turkish singer Cengiz Coşkuner covered it as "Yok Olmaz" (also included instrumental version) in his Seni Gidi Seni & Kapris Yapma album.
  • In 1992, Dennis Brown included a version of the song on his album "Another Day in Paradise".
  • In 1992, Hank Marvin did an instrumental version of the song on his solo album Into the Light.
  • In 2001, Serbian hip hop group CYA sampled this song for their song "To je samo život", which means "That's just life".
  • In 2002, German singer Max Raabe and his Palast Orchester did a version of the song in cabaret style.
  • In 2003, the song was covered by indie rock band Copeland on their EP "Know Nothing Stays the Same".
  • In 2004, the song was sung on the fourth season of Australian Idol by eventual runner-up Jessica Mauboy on the Final 9 Year They Were Born show.
  • In 2005, the song was covered by Korean rock band Jaurim on their remake album Cheongchunyaechan (Viva the Youthness).
  • In 2006, Turkish singer Ahmet Koç played this song by baglama in his "Sağanak" album as instrumental.
  • In 2006, the song was remixed unofficially as a dance music bootleg by DJ Solstice and promoted as a free promo to DJs, later appearing on YouTube under the name Aftershock Promotions.
  • In 2006, the song was sampled by dance band Supafly for their song "Moving too fast".
  • In 2007, the song was covered by ska-punk band Reel Big Fish on their album Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free.
  • In 2008, the song was covered by Big Daddy Weave, a CCM band, on their album What Life Would Be Like.
  • In 2008, American Idol Season 7 Runner-Up David Archuleta sang the song during the Top 18 Week (Theme: 1980s).
  • In 2011, the song was covered by the charity ensemble Les Enfoires, translated to French and entitled d'Un jour de Plus au Paradis, at their concert Dans l'oeil des Enfoires. It was later released as a single.
  • In 2012, an accapella version of the song was performed by Brad Arnold, lead singer of American rock band 3 Doors Down, at the Manchester Academy show of the band's Time of My Life world tour. On the last show of the European segment of the tour, lead singer of Seether, Shaun Morgan, joined Arnold on stage at the Hammersmith Apollo in London to perform an acoustic cover of the song.
  • Argentinian singer Miguel Mateos recorded a version of the song that was included on "La 100 FM"'s album.
  • Rapper Berner sampled this song for his early 2013 release "Paradise" featuring Wiz Khalifa.
  • The Voice contestant Jonny Gray of Austin, Texas, covered the song with an indie tone on 11 November 2013 while also playing acoustic guitar.
  • In 2015, The Voice UK contestant Emmanuel Nwamadi sang a cover of the song.
  • In 2016, the song was covered by Remady & Manu-L. Ronan Keating also performed a version of the song on the Chris Evans Radio 2 show.
  • On September 18, 2016 Sam Padallio backed by the band John & Jacob covered the song to close out his 3rd and Lindsley performance that was broadcast by the Nashville radio station Lightning100.

    • References

    Another Day in Paradise Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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