Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)

Album

Against All Odds

Label

Atlantic Records

Genre

Stage & Screen

Composer(s)

Phil Collins

Entered Chart

Feb 25, 1984

Peak Date

Apr 21, 1984

Released

February 1984 (US) 26 March 1984 (UK)[1]

Recorded

1983

Catalog #

Atlantic 89700 A

B-Side

N/A

Director Taylor Hackford asked Collins to write a song for the film Against All Odds, so Collins went back to a song that didn't make it onto his Face Value album called "How Can You Sit There" and adapted it to fit the movie. Collins recalled to Mojo in 2015: "Against All Odds was written in the same misery that the rest of Face Value came from, but I wasn't drawn to it initially. I didn't like it as much as 'You Know What I Mean,' and I thought there was only room for one of those on the album. I don't know what would have happened to it if Taylor Hackford hadn't got in touch." This was the first of seven US solo #1 hits for Collins, all of which charted in the '80s. He was still charting hits with Genesis during this time as well, including the #1 "Invisible Touch" in 1986. This resulted in a bit of Phil Collins fatigue and somewhat of a backlash in the '90s, when some critics and targeted him as a symbol of schlocky pop music. In a 2010 interview with Rolling Stone, Collins admitted that the criticism hurt, and said it contributed to some suicidal thoughts. In the article, he pointed out that he wasn't the one playing his songs over and over - he was just making the music. A few months later, Collins announced his retirement, but seemed to be in a better place, encouraged by the words of his fans that offered support. Wrote Collins: "I am stopping so I can be a full time father to my two young sons on a daily basis." In a 2007 story on the National Public Radio show This American Life, Phil Collins explained how he did not write songs with Genesis, but was motivated to write solo material to deal with the pain of his personal life. Said Collins: "That song was written during my first divorce. My first wife and the kids had gone and I was left there. The song was written out of experience as opposed to a 'what if' song. If that personal stuff had not happened to me at the time, I probably would never have made an album, and if I was to have made an album eventually, it probably would have been a jazz/rock thing. Without that stuff I wouldn't have felt the stuff I felt sitting at a piano night after night, day after day writing stuff." This won Collins the 1984 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance. It was nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar, but lost to "I Just Called To Say I Love You." Collins did win the award in 1999 for "You'll Be In My Heart," which he wrote for Tarzan. In the UK, two cover versions were #1 hits, first a duet by Westlife and Mariah Carey, then a version by Steve Brookstein, who won the TV talent show X Factor and released it as his first single. "Lady Marmalade" is the only other song in the rock era to accomplish this feat. Collins had about 10 million good reasons to adapt this song for the film. Reflecting on the decision in 2016, he told Rolling Stone, "It was basically like saying, 'Here's $10 million. Would you want it?' I had already written the lyrics, before I saw the film. When I think about the movie, the first thing that comes to mind is the size of Rachel Ward's breasts. I thought they were fantastic. I like Jeff Bridges, too." Mark Feehily of Westlife told female first that one of the highlights so far of his career was working on their version of this song with Mariah Carey. He explained: Over the years we've spent quite a bit of time with her - not a lot of time, I don't want to exaggerate - but if I was to tell my 10 to 15 year old self that I was to meet her, never mind collaborate with her and hang out with her at her house, I think I would have literally crumbled into ash on the floor to be honest. She was really really friendly and there was no sort of power thing going on where she was like 'I'm Mariah and your Westlife and you're lucky to be here' sort of thing. It was a lot of hanging out and going for dinner and being mates. I mean we weren't liking up to her and in a world where she is surrounded by people that lick up to her and brown nose her I don't know if she just thought it was nice to have a genuine time hanging out with a bunch of lads or whatever. Against All Odds director Taylor Hackford also helmed the music video, which has Collins performing in front of a wall of rainwater that alternates colors to represent the characters and introduce scenes from the movie. Taylor Hackford later complained that Phil Collins seemed intent on singing "against the odds" instead of "all." Collins explained: "It just tripped off the tongue easier."

How can I just let you walk away
Just let you leave without a trace?
When I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh ooh
You're the only one who really knew me at all

How can you just walk away from me
When all I can do is watch you leave?
'Cause we've shared the laughter and the pain
And even shared the tears
You're the only one who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Ooh, Take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against the odds
And that's what I've got to face,

I wish I could just make you turn around
Turn around and see me cry
There's so much I need to say to you
So many reasons why
You're the only one who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now
Well there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face

Now Take a look at me now
'Cause that's just an empty space
But to wait for you is all I can do
And that's what I've got to face

Take a good look at me now
'Cause I'll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds
It's the chance I've got to take
Take a look at me now