# Phil Collins/ In the air Tonight **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [October 28, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051 "2011-10-28T07:25:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ROCKNROLLJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e36b37/32.png) [@ROCKNROLLJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ROCKNROLLJ)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/1 "2011-10-28T07:25:43Z")
TESTAMENT…It did happen…!! 1979 Huntington Beach Ca…I was there…A church group of college age kids…about 12 guys and girls…temp of the water was about 52 degrees…A young Phil Collins ran up to our group yelling he’s drowning …I need some help…several of us got up … but couldn’t see him…he kept yelling he’s there.!! Just before we did see him …he was about a 1/4 mile out…None of us could get in that water…It was too damn cold…WE got witnesses…IT did happen…Years later I got my degree in Lasers-Electro Optics…Light shows and then went on to the Transit Authority in Portland for 16 years…Our response to Phil was …Don’t worry…at the time…but no lifeguards were anywhere…Years later …HE did track two of the kids back…to a bar in ARCADIA CA…near Santa Anita Race track…and near Spectors place…I know cause I lived in Altadena…Ca…and …Collins did sing that song …in a bar that sat 50 people on a Friday night…and they were sitting at the Bar…I was there… My father was the Preacher at the First Baptist Church of Pasadena Ca…So for anyone to say …INCLUDING Phil Collins…It Didn’t Happen…!!! Is an outright LIE…Sincerely…James Lane * * * LINK TO STAFF REPORT: [What’s the story behind Phil Collins’ song “In the Air Tonight”? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1850/whats-the-story-behind-phil-collins-song-in-the-air-tonight) ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/2 "2011-10-28T08:08:26Z")
No, it didn’t: [In the Air Tonight | Snopes.com](http://www.snopes.com/music/songs/intheair.asp) ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/3 "2011-10-28T09:35:29Z")
That is the oddest fascination with ellipsis I have ever seen in my life. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/4 "2011-10-28T10:34:31Z")
> [@](#): > > That is the oddest fascination with ellipsis I have ever seen in my life. I’m guessing either he’s having trouble breathing or it’s a very distant memory? 😃 [Link to column.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1850/whats-the-story-behind-phil-collins-song-in-the-air-tonight) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/5 "2011-10-28T11:17:04Z")
“Young” Phil…would have been…28 in 1979…no idea…whether he was…in California…that year…I really can’t be bothered…to look it up… \…\…\… ---
**Author:** ![pinqy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a3d4f5/32.png) [@pinqy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinqy)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/6 "2011-10-28T11:57:16Z")
Oh, well if this guy posting on the internet says it’s true it must be. Why would we need actual evidence? And he was not only at the original event, he was also there completely coincidentally at the singing reveal. How could anyone possibly doubt it??? Obviously Phil Collins decided to lie and all the other witnesses, except this one brave soul, were hushed. It all makes perfect sense. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/7 "2011-10-28T12:34:01Z")
At first I thought somebody saved Phil Collins from drowning well before the peak of his career, and I was thinking, I hope you burn in hell for that. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/8 "2011-10-28T14:51:48Z")
> [@tnetennba](#): > > at first i thought somebody saved phil collins from drowning well before the peak of his career, and i was thinking, i hope you burn in hell for that. Yes! In lieu of a “Like” button, you get: 🙂 🙂 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/9 "2011-10-28T14:56:10Z")
> [@jonesj2205](#): > > That is the oddest fascination with ellipsis I have ever seen in my life. You haven’t met my mother, then. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/10 "2011-10-28T15:20:34Z")
> [@pinqy](#): > > Oh, well if this guy posting on the internet says it’s true it must be. Why would we need actual evidence? And he was not only at the original event, he was also there completely coincidentally at the singing reveal. How could anyone possibly doubt it??? Obviously Phil Collins decided to lie and all the other witnesses, except this one brave soul, were hushed. > > It all makes perfect sense. And he’s got a degree in Lasers-Electro Optics - he MUST know what he is talking about! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/11 "2011-10-28T15:40:23Z")
> [@](#): > > You haven’t met my mother, then. Maybe she just likes morse snakes?../…/… (.-.. — .-..) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/12 "2011-10-28T17:09:52Z")
Got to say it… No, can’t… Too stupid… No, gotta… Can’t hold back. Lasers-Electro Optics. Band name! ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/13 "2011-10-28T17:38:58Z")
You guys are ingnoring all the pertinent facts, it’s a secret message! TESTAMENT… 1979…12… 52 degrees…1/4 mile…WE…IT… Lasers-Electro Optics…Transit Authority…Portland… 16 years…HE … ARCADIA CA…Santa Anita Race …Spectors…Altadena…Ca… 50…Friday …Bar…Preacher…First Baptist Church…Pasadena Ca…INCLUDING…LIE…James Lane. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/14 "2011-10-28T21:09:24Z")
> [@jonesj2205](#): > > That is the oddest fascination with ellipsis I have ever seen in my life. That’s the pause every time he takes a hit. > [@pinqy](#): > > And he was not only at the original event, he was also there completely coincidentally at the singing reveal. How could anyone possibly doubt it??? According to the description given, he was apparently one of the people who didn’t do anything. Now he feels justified for not doing anything - couldn’t see the drowner, the drowner was 1/4 mile out, the water was too cold, etc. But no wonder he was there for the song reveal - he was the target! The spotlight was on _him_. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/15 "2011-10-28T21:23:53Z")
> [@ROCKNROLLJ](#): > > … My father was the Preacher at the First Baptist Church of Pasadena Ca… The only one who could ever teach us…about Phil Collins…is the son of a preacher man… ---
**Author:** ![TheChileanBlob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thechileanblob/32/435_2.png) [@TheChileanBlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheChileanBlob)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/16 "2011-10-30T16:11:30Z")
OK, I’m sorry, but I have to point this out. > [@](#): > > Originally posted by **Cecil** > Just like Eminem (who obviously did not drown, contrary to the above lyrics), Collins was using a metaphor. It’s not Eminem who’s drowning, it’s Stan. As you were. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight/601051/17 "2011-10-30T19:42:01Z")
Also, it’s not **Cecil** who wrote the column, but **Songbird**.