Wikipedia

Both Sides

This article is about a music album. For the media bias also called "bothsidesism", see false balance.

Both Sides is the fifth solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Phil Collins. Featuring an adult-oriented soft rock-based sound, released on 8 November 1993[11] by Virgin in the UK and Atlantic in the US. Collins created the album entirely by himself, without any collaborations from outside songwriters and performers. The record received generally positive critical reviews, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic stating that the album's "artistically satisfying" songs feature "troubled, haunting tales".[1]

Both Sides
Studio album by
Phil Collins
Released8 November 1993
Recorded1992–1993
StudioCollins' home studio, England; The Farm, Chiddingfold, Surrey, England
GenreArt rock[1]
Length67:10
LabelVirgin
ProducerPhil Collins
Phil Collins chronology
Serious Hits... Live!
(1990) 		Both Sides
(1993) 		Dance into the Light
(1996)
Singles from Both Sides
  1. "Both Sides of the Story"
    Released: 18 October 1993
  2. "Everyday"
    Released: 3 January 1994[2]
  3. "We Wait and We Wonder"
    Released: 25 April 1994[3]
Alternative cover
2016 reissue cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[4]
Goldmine[5]
The Irish News[6]
PopMatters[7]
Powermetal.de9/10[8]
Rolling Stone[9]
Scunthorpe Telegraph10/10[10]

The album achieved commercial success, reaching no. 1 in the United Kingdom, no. 8 in Australia, and no. 13 in the United States. Collins also went on the highly successful Both Sides of the World Tour upon its release. That effort involved over a hundred performances in a tour that went over a year.[12]

A special two-disc edition of the album, featuring the Live from the Board – Official Bootleg EP,[13] as a second disc,[14] titled Far Side... of the World: Gold Souvenir Tour Edition, was released in Southeast Asia and Australia in 1995. It peaked at no. 13 in Australia.[15] A newly remastered, two-disc deluxe edition of the album was released on 29 January 2016, as part of the Take a Look at Me Now series of Collins's studio album reissues.[16]

In a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Collins named Both Sides as his "favourite album from a songwriting and creative perspective". Collins also said: "It was very much a solo album. I played everything, the songs just streamed out of me, and as a writer, that's the kind of thing that you dream of. It was the second divorce! Personal relationships at that time were tangled, is a better way of saying it, and it all came very spontaneously."[17]

Development

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Both Sides was made by Collins entirely on his own, without usual collaborators producer Hugh Padgham, guitarist Daryl Stuermer, bassist Leland Sklar and the Phenix Horns. After recording demos at home, the album was finished in six weeks at the Farm with the help of producer/engineer Paul Gomersall. It is mistakenly thought that Phil physically played all the instruments on this album but the guitars were computer generated sounds played through a keyboard. As a result, it is seen as his most personal album. "In the end I had 17 songs, and kicked out all those that did not fit that mood. As far as performance is concerned this has more heart and soul than anything I have done before."[18]

In addition, Collins wrote sleeve notes explaining the meaning of each song, another first. Collins expresses both his feelings and personal problems and addresses political issues over the course of the album. He touches on politics and "the daily cloud of terrorism Britain seems to live under" on "We Wait and We Wonder", as well as a maturing disenchantment with the youth culture on "We're Sons of Our Fathers". The overall sound of Both Sides marked a return to the dark and melancholy style of his early albums Face Value and Hello, I Must Be Going!, which were largely grounded on the themes of relationship breakdown and loss. Mirroring the circumstances in which those albums were conceived, Collins' marriage to Jill Tavelman was also failing around the time that Both Sides was written. About the influence of his emotions on his songs, he adds: "I have reached this point. Very intimate, very private songs seem to flow easily. I suddenly felt I had a lot to say."[18]

Critical response

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Both Sides was initially met with lukewarm reviews, particularly on adult contemporary radio, being criticised for its over-reliance on slow, dark and downbeat songs. The album was preceded by the title track as the first single, reaching no. 7 in the UK and no. 25 in the US (in a disappointing chart performance considering the lead singles from his two previous albums were no. 1 hits in America). The album itself was released weeks later, reaching to no. 13 in the US, though it still went platinum there. Both Sides was a hit in other European countries such as the UK (where it was the 8th biggest-selling album of 1993, despite only being available for the final eight weeks of the year), Germany & Switzerland, reaching no. 1 all over Europe, but with a limited success, due to the lack of hit singles. The ballad "Everyday", released in early 1994, was another Top 20 hit in the UK, peaking at no. 15, and became the biggest hit single from the album in the US, reaching no. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The third and last single, "We Wait and We Wonder" — a political anthem — reached no. 45 in the UK.

However, over time the album's reputation gradually improved, and reviews for the 2016 reissue were considerably more positive, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine rated it 4 out of 5 stars and commended Collins' stepping out of big pop hooks and embracing an introspective art rock style for this album, which he saw as "quietly compelling". On Goldmine magazine's review, Patrick Prince gave the album 3.5 stars, praising the melancholic style of the album as a welcome return to material similar to Face Value, although he criticized the ballads "Everyday" and "There's a Place for Us", saying they are "as bad as any sappy movie soundtrack cut ready to be forgotten".[5]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Phil Collins, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Both Sides of the Story"6:42
2."Can't Turn Back the Years"4:40
3."Everyday"5:43
4."I've Forgotten Everything"5:15
5."We're Sons of Our Fathers"6:24
6."Can't Find My Way"5:09
7."Survivors"6:05
8."We Fly So Close"7:33
9."There's a Place for Us"6:52
10."We Wait and We Wonder"7:01
11."Please Come Out Tonight"5:46
Live from the Board – Official Bootleg bonus disc (Disc two of Far Side... of the World: Gold Souvenir Tour Edition 1995)[13]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sussudio" 7:09
2."Easy Lover" (featuring Nathan East and Arnold McCuller)
5:02
3."Separate Lives" (featuring Amy Keys and McCuller)Stephen Bishop6:15
4."My Girl"
3:48
Extra Sides bonus disc (Disc two of 2016 deluxe edition)[16]
No.TitleLength
1."Take Me with You" (B-side)5:22
2."Both Sides of the Story" (live 1994)8:11
3."Can't Turn Back the Years" (live 1994)6:54
4."Survivors" (live 1994)6:42
5."Everyday" (live 1994)6:03
6."We Wait and We Wonder" (live 2005)7:42
7."Can't Find My Way" (demo)4:48
8."I've Been Trying"5:01
9."Both Sides of the Story" (Unplugged)5:20
10."Hero" (demo)4:47

Unreleased tracks

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Several instrumental tracks were recorded and subsequently released as extra tracks on both singles for "Everyday" and "We Wait and We Wonder". These instrumental tracks include "Rad Dudeski" and "Don't Call Me Ashley". In addition, there were other various B-sides that were released from the Both Sides sessions ("Take Me with You", "For a Friend") and a few cover songs that made it on other various albums. "For a Friend" was written as a tribute to Collins's longtime friend, saxophonist Don Myrick, who was wrongfully killed by a policeman in Los Angeles while Collins was composing the album. Myrick had played sax solos on Collins's songs "If Leaving Me Is Easy", "The West Side", "One More Night" and "All of My Life".

There has been discussion about a song called "Deep Water Town". It is from the Both Sides sessions and did not make the cut, was never released nor widely circulated amongst collectors. A very early "demo" of it was released on the official fanclub website in 2011. It is more of an improvisation from which only a part of the chorus made it to the completed track. This completed track features an atmospheric drum machine, keyboard sounds (no piano) and vocals by Collins telling a story about a disaster at sea and families left behind.

In November 2004, Collins himself commented on the song on the forum of his old official website: "DEEP WATER TOWN...again I scratch my head and ask how did someone get it... I don't think it was ever released, or am I going slowly senile. It was a pretty song about a disaster at sea, and the families left behind. Obviously one of my more cheerful pre-divorce moments. Circa Both Sides...."[19]

Personnel

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Musicians

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All instruments performed by Phil Collins.

Production

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  • Produced by Phil Collins
  • Engineered by Paul Gomersall
  • Assistant engineer – Mark Robinson
  • Recorded at home on 12 tk (PC engineering) with additional overdubs recorded at The Farm (Surrey, England).
  • Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine, US).
  • Continuous surveillance by Geoff Callingham and Mike Bowen
  • Cover photography by Trevor Key
  • Artwork – Hills Archer Ink

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[51] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[52] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[53] Gold 100,000*
France (SNEP)[54] Platinum 300,000*
Germany (BVMI)[55] 3× Platinum 1,500,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[56] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[57] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[58] Platinum 15,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[59] Platinum 50,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[60] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Sweden (GLF)[61] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[62] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[63] 2× Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[64] Platinum 1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Both Sides at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Phil Collins singles".
  3. ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. 23 April 1994. p. 29.
  4. ^ Cannon, Bob (12 November 1993). "Both Sides". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 25 April 2009.
  5. ^ a b Prince, Patrick (30 September 2015). "Phil Collins' "Both Sides" is worth the reissue". Goldmine Magazine. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Albums Reviews: Phil Collins celebrates 65th with double re-release". The Irish News. 26 January 2016.
  7. ^ Sawdey, Evan (12 May 2016). "Phil Collins: 2016 Rhino Reissues (Part One)". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Collins, Phil - Both Sides". Powermetal.de. 3 March 2016.
  9. ^ McAlley, John (31 July 1997). "Phil Collins: Both Sides". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017.
  10. ^ F, Nigel (25 January 2016). "CD REVIEWS: Phil Collins, Old Dominion, Sarah Blasko, Frokedal & Balsamo Deighton". Scunthorpe Telegraph. Retrieved 25 January 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ "British album certifications - Phil Collins - Both Sides". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  12. ^ Paul Cashmere (13 May 2015). "Phil Collins Starts Work On Catalogue Remasters". Noise11.com. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  13. ^ a b "Phil Collins – Live From The Board – Official Bootleg (CD)". Discogs. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  14. ^ "Phil Collins Far Side Of The World Tour '95 Australian 2 CD album set (Double CD) (42406)". eil.com. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  15. ^ "Phil Collins – Far Side... Of The World". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  16. ^ a b Sinclair, Paul (2 September 2015). "Phil Collins / Face Value and Both Sides deluxe reissue details". Super Deluxe Edition. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  17. ^ "Phil Collins webchat – your questions answered on prog rock, self-doubt and Miami Vice". The Guardian. 19 October 2016.
  18. ^ a b Phil Collins – Both Sides – CD review. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  19. ^ Capt. Cabbage (4 July 2011). "Turn it on Again- A Genesis Forum – PC's Forum Messages 2004 to 2006". Genesisgts.conforums.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2017.[unreliable source?]
  20. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Phil Collins – Both Sides". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  21. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  22. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2318". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  23. ^ a b "Billboard Magazine: 1894 to Today". WorldRadioHistory. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  24. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  25. ^ Pennanen, Timo: Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava, 2006. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5. page: 280
  26. ^ "InfoDisc: Tous les "Chart Runs" des Albums classés depuis 1985 dans le Top Albums Officiel". InfoDisk. SNEP. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  27. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  28. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 31 May 2023. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Phil Collins".
  29. ^ "ORICON NEWS｜最新情報を発信する総合トレンドメディア". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  30. ^ "Charts.nz – Phil Collins – Both Sides". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  31. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Phil Collins – Both Sides". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  32. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  33. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Phil Collins – Both Sides". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  34. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Phil Collins – Both Sides". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  35. ^ "Phil Collins | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  36. ^ "Phil Collins Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  37. ^ "Ultratop.be – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  38. ^ "Ultratop.be – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  39. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2016. 7. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  40. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Phil Collins – Both Sides". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  41. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2332". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  42. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1993". DutchCharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  43. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrecharts". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  44. ^ "Top 100 Albums 1993" (PDF). Music Week. 15 January 1994. p. 25. Retrieved 21 May 2022 – via World Radio History.
  45. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1994". Austrian Charts (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  46. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2686". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  47. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1994". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  48. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrecharts". Offizielle Deutsche Charts (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  49. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1994". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  50. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1994". Billboard. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
  51. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1994 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  52. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  53. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
  54. ^ "French album certifications – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in French). InfoDisc. Select PHIL COLLINS and click OK. 
  55. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Phil Collins; 'Both Sides')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  56. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 25 July 2012. Select 1995年5月 on the drop-down menu
  57. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 5 October 2012. Enter Both Sides in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  58. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Phil Collins – Both Sides". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  59. ^ "Norwegian album certifications – Phil Collins – Both Sides" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
  60. ^ "Spanish album certifications – Phil Collins – Both Sides". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  61. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
  62. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Both Sides')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  63. ^ "British album certifications – Both Sides of the Story". British Phonographic Industry.
  64. ^ "American album certifications – Both Sides". Recording Industry Association of America.

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