Songs I Can't Stand #9 - "Another Day in Paradise"

@teamfreak16 (43451)
Denver, Colorado
February 13, 2017 3:49pm CST
When I started this yesterday, I stated that I would be taking on the pop music community as well as the Classic Rock crowd, so how about a guy who actually belongs to both: #9 in my Songs I Can't Stand series is "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins. The sappy ballad "Another Day in Paradise" was a HUGE smash hit from Collins' 1989 #1 album ...But Seriously. Just how huge? The song hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it reached either Top 5 or Top 10 in the rest of the world (other than Australia, where it stalled at #11.) It was also certified either Gold, Silver, or Platinum in numerous countries. It won a Grammy for Record of the Year, and a BRIT Award for Best British Single. David Crosby even performed vocals on the tune. Should be pretty damn good, right? After all, a song calling attention to the plight of the homeless should be showered with such acclaim. Except that it was Sinead O'Connor's version of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" (a far superior song) that "Another Day in Paradise" beat out for that Grammy (MC Hammer was also nominated in the category that year, but still.) In fact, in 1982, Phil Collins did a song with his band, Genesis, called "Man on the Corner," which dealt with the same subject matter, that was a much better song. I have actually spent a good amount of time around homeless people, and I even worked at a homeless shelter for a year. Homeless people need programs that provide necessities such as food, shelter, health, and mental health care. There just isn't enough of that out there for them. What they don't need is some multimillionaire cashing in on their situation by writing a song about them. I was unable to find any evidence that Collins donated any of his profits from "Another Day in Paradise" to any homeless related charities. (If I'm wrong, please feel free to point it out, but I did look.) Which makes not exactly mind blowing lyrics such as "Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do?" sound empty. Come on, Phil, at least give the guy a sandwich! (Info verified by Wikipedia)
“Another Day In Paradise” was the first single to be released from Phil Collins’ number-1 1989 album ‘...But Seriously’. Buy Phil's autobiography "Not Dead Y...
10 people like this
12 responses
@crossbones27 (48336)
• Mojave, California
13 Feb 17
That is the thing that frustrates me most about this world. So much of it is cosmetic. Most of it seems like a dog and pony show to look good. The ones that need the help the most hardly ever get more than a few crumbs to keep their miserable lives going, nothing substantial enough to actually lift themselves out of their current situation. Meanwhile, the well off people who may or may not have good intentions get rewarded 10 to 100 times more than the people they are supposed to be helping. Why I never understood why so many hate the poor and homeless because so many become rich off their back. Good job of calling a spade a spade with this song.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
14 Feb 17
@teamfreak16 -- I agree. Like that opening verse of another superior song, "The Way It Is" by Bruce Hornsby (hope it doesn't end up on your list ), "just for fun he says, 'get a job.'" I think the issue is we've gone from the "me" generation to the "I, me, my" generation. There's a proposal here for a new VA hospital, but the people where the hospital is going to be built don't want it...they say it'll hurt their property values. I guess they don't realize they wouldn't have any property if it weren't for the veterans....
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
14 Feb 17
@FourWalls - Ooh, well said! (And no, Bruce isn't on the list!)
1 person likes this
@msiduri (5687)
• United States
13 Feb 17
"What they don't need is some multimillionaire cashing in on their situation by writing a song about them." Amen, brother. Because I live in a part of the country that has mild winters, I see many homeless wandering this way. And for some reason, it's gotten noticeably worse just in the last twelve months or so. They tend to congregate in river beds because there's so little water. That is, until this part month. I don't have the answer. No human being should have to live like that.
2 people like this
• Mojave, California
14 Feb 17
@msiduri It has where I live also and not mention they say business is booming in Skid Row Of Los Angeles. Meaning Skid Row just keeps getting bigger.
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@msiduri (5687)
• United States
14 Feb 17
@crossbones27 I'm in Orange County. It's sad to see people living in the riverbed.
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@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Feb 17
I have known some that actually like living like that, but the vast majority don't, and cannot get out of it.
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@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
14 Feb 17
That's what my minister says, "don't pray for the guy to get a sandwich, buy the guy a sandwich!!!" There are a lot of Phil songs that I do like ("Take Me Home" is a guilty pleasure, and so's the band's "Invisible Touch"), but he did to Genesis what Steve Perry did to Journey (turned them into a formulaic pop band)...except Phil can sing better.
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@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
14 Feb 17
Even though it's extremely overplayed, I never get tired of "In the Air Tonight." But this? Yuck.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (61328)
• United States
14 Feb 17
@teamfreak16 -- or the "bald Phil" alternative: "I am losing all my hair tonight oh lord, oh lord, I've been waiting for some Rogaine for all my life."
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@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
14 Feb 17
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (133787)
• Roseburg, Oregon
13 Feb 17
I like that song Another day in paradise.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Feb 17
Oh, I understand. That's the beauty of music, we can't all like the same stuff.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
13 Feb 17
I do remember t his one.I only have one album by him and not sure of the title.I do remember this one
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Feb 17
It did get played on the radio a lot. I had to play it on there lots and lots of times myself.
1 person likes this
• United States
13 Feb 17
One of those songs always playing in stores on musak adult contemporary
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@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Feb 17
I know. Which is even worse!
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@Orson_Kart (6001)
• United Kingdom
13 Feb 17
I am with you on this as I don't like the guy. I remember him threatening to leave the country if Labour won back in the Kinnock years. They didn't but he became a tax exile as he thought all those millions he 'earned' were his and not to be shared. So I am not surprised he hasn't given to the homeless. It's also a travesty that Sinead didn't win that year because she sung that song with such emotion. Shame she has had such a troubled life as she could have been one of the greats. So yeah, move over Phil, Sinead should have been up there receiving that award, not you, as she is a far greater person, and singer.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Feb 17
Well, she boycotted the show, but she still should have won.
• Preston, England
13 Feb 17
I don't think this is a bad song - true that its sentiments may not be in tandem with Phil's lifestyle, - another Jenny From The Block style tune, but it is a decent song for me
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Feb 17
I understand. I don't expect everyone to agree with me. I'm actually surprised so many people did on "We are the World."
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Feb 17
It would have been nice if he'd donated part of the proceeds.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
14 Feb 17
From what I could find, which was nothing, if he did so, it was done in secret.
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@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Feb 17
This is a #1 song I have no recollection of having heard before. After hearing this dreary thing, there's a reason why my ears were buried in alternative radio and not in mainstream.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Feb 17
I had no choice. I worked at a mainstream radio station. We played the hell out of this.
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@Chellezhere (5367)
• United States
13 Feb 17
If I never hear "Every Breath You Take" by the Police again, I will be a very happy camper.
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@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
13 Feb 17
What's funny is that people think that's a romantic love song, when in reality, it's written from the point of view of a stalker.
• United Kingdom
3 Sep 17
I'm with you on this. Horrible song. Didn't know Crosby was involved. I like vintage CSN but that Phil Collins song makes my skin crawl
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@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
5 Sep 17
I was surprised by David Crosby's participation myself. Kind of an odd pairing.