Studio Album · No. 1

Face Value Songwriting Credits by Phil Collins

1981 Virgin / Atlantic 12 tracks 47 min

Produced by Phil Collins, Hugh Padgham  ·  Engineered by Hugh Padgham, Nick Launay, Karen Siegel

Virgin / Atlantic Pop RockBlue-Eyed SoulR&BArt Rock
92%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 11 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 11 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Phil Collins carries a lyricist or composer credit.

92%
11 trackswritten by Phil Collins 1 trackoutside writers
Phil Collins's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist92%
Composer92%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
5
Lyricists
2
Producers
12 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1981
Released
Data Insight

Phil Collins wrote or co-wrote nearly all of Face Value himself, his debut solo record made after the breakdown of his first marriage. The opener 'Behind the Lines' is a reworking of a Genesis track co-written with Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, while 'In the Air Tonight' and the rest are Collins originals. He co-produced the album with engineer Hugh Padgham, whose gated-reverb drum sound on 'In the Air Tonight' became a signature of Collins' solo work.

Face Value is Phil Collins' debut solo album, released February 13, 1981. Written largely during his divorce from his first wife, it debuted at #1 in the UK. The opening track 'In the Air Tonight' became one of the most iconic songs of the era, featuring Hugh Padgham's pioneering gated reverb drum sound. Collins wrote 10 of the 12 standard tracks; the album also includes a cover of the Beatles' 'Tomorrow Never Knows'.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
In the Air Tonight #19
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals, Drums)
2
This Must Be Love
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
3
Behind the Lines
Tony BanksPhil CollinsMike Rutherford Tony BanksPhil CollinsMike Rutherford Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
4
The Roof Is Leaking
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
5
Droned
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Drums)
6
Hand in Hand
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
7
I Missed Again #19
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
8
You Know What I Mean
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
9
Thunder and Lightning
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
10
I'm Not Moving
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
11
If Leaving Me Is Easy
Phil Collins Phil Collins Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)
12
Tomorrow Never Knows
John LennonPaul McCartney John LennonPaul McCartney Phil CollinsHugh Padgham Phil Collins (Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 6 contributors

PC
Phil Collins
Writer · Producer · Vocals
On this album11 written
JL
John Lennon
Writer
On this album1 written
MR
Mike Rutherford
Writer
On this album1 written
PM
Paul McCartney
Writer
On this album1 written
TB
Tony Banks
Writer
On this album1 written
HP
Hugh Padgham
Producer
On this album12 produced

More from Phil Collins

1982 90%
Hello, I Must Be Going!
Virgin / Atlantic
10 tracksProd. Phil Collins
1985 100%
No Jacket Required
Virgin / Atlantic
10 tracksProd. Phil Collins
1989 100%
...But Seriously
Virgin / Atlantic
12 tracksProd. Phil Collins
1993 100%
Both Sides
Virgin / Atlantic
11 tracksProd. Phil Collins
1996 92%
Dance into the Light
Face Value / Atlantic
13 tracksProd. Phil Collins
2002 92%
Testify
Face Value / Atlantic
12 tracksProd. Phil Collins
2010 0%
Going Back
Atlantic
18 tracksProd. Phil Collins

Frequently Asked Questions Face Value

Did Phil Collins write Face Value himself?
Phil Collins wrote or co-wrote nearly every track on Face Value himself. The one shared credit is the opener 'Behind the Lines,' a reworking of a Genesis song he co-wrote with Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. The album grew directly out of his divorce, and the lyrics throughout are his own.
What is Face Value by Phil Collins?
Face Value is Phil Collins' 1981 debut solo studio album, released on Virgin in the UK and Atlantic in the US. It contains 12 tracks and reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. It has sold over 12 million copies worldwide.
How did Phil Collins create the drum sound on In the Air Tonight?
The famous drum break on 'In the Air Tonight' came from the gated-reverb technique developed with engineer Hugh Padgham. Collins has said the song's chords and vocal melody were largely improvised after he turned the microphone on. The track peaked at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
Who produced Face Value?
Phil Collins co-produced Face Value with Hugh Padgham, who also engineered the record. Padgham's work on the album, particularly the processed drum sound, became a defining feature of Collins' solo catalog. Nick Launay and Karen Siegel served as assistant engineers.
What singles were released from Face Value?
The lead single was 'In the Air Tonight,' which reached number 2 in the UK and number 19 on the US Billboard Hot 100. 'I Missed Again' and 'If Leaving Me Is Easy' followed. 'In the Air Tonight' remains the album's signature song.
Was Face Value influenced by Phil Collins' divorce?
Yes, Face Value was written largely in the aftermath of Collins' first divorce in 1980. He has described writing many of the lyrics spontaneously during that period. The emotional weight of that time runs through tracks like 'In the Air Tonight' and 'If Leaving Me Is Easy.'
How successful was Face Value commercially?
Face Value topped the UK Albums Chart and reached number 7 on the US Billboard 200. It is certified 5x Platinum in both the US and UK, and Diamond in Canada. Total worldwide sales exceed 12 million copies.
Data note: Track 13 is a hidden unlisted 30-second snippet of 'Over the Rainbow' (Harburg/Arlen) and is omitted from the track list.

Sources

Wikipedia: Face Value Wikipedia: In the Air Tonight MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: Face Value by Phil Collins