Both Sides of the Story

"Both Sides of the Story"
Single by Phil Collins
from the album Both Sides
B-side	"Always" "Rad Dudeski"
Released	18 October 1993 (UK) 4 November 1993 (US)
Format	7", CD, cassette
Recorded	1993
Genre	Pop[1]
Length	6:43 (Album Version) 5:31 (Radio Edit)
Label	Atlantic, Virgin, WEA
Writer(s)	Phil Collins
Producer(s)	Phil Collins
Phil Collins singles chronology
"Hero" (1993) "Both Sides of the Story" (1993) "Everyday" (1994)
American cover

"Both Sides of the Story" is a song performed by Phil Collins and released in 1993 as the lead single from the album Both Sides.

Song history

The song reached #7 on the UK Singles Chart, but was Collins' first lead single since "Thru These Walls" to not hit the top ten in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, reaching #25 spot.

Its B-side varied, as copies of the single included either "Always" or "Rad Dudeski".

Music video

The video, mainly shot in New York, follows the lyrics of the song. The first section cuts between Collins singing and images of a gutter and homeless people. The second section shows Collins inside a house, sitting on the stairs. He watches a married couple arguing, while their children watch. After the chorus, a military unit is shown patrolling a town while children spray-paint the walls. The final section portrays the story of a confrontation with a ghetto kid threatening another man with a gun. (This scene was inspired by the 1991 Lawrence Kasdan film Grand Canyon.)^[2] The video ends with shots of New York and the people, cutting like the first section, again with Collins singing the closing lyrics.

Due to the length of the video, it didn't receive much airplay on MTV.

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)[3]	41
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[4]	22
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[5]	7
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	2
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6]	20
France (SNEP)[7]	30
Germany (Media Control Charts)	12
Ireland (IRMA)	21
Italy (FIMI)[8]	3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	8
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[9]	31
United Kingdom (The Official Charts Company)	7
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	25
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	10
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	24
Zimbabwe Singles (ZIMA)[10]	7

Personnel

• Phil Collins – lead & backing vocals, drums, keyboards, guitars, bass, drum machine

References

1. http://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/14/arts/recordings-view-two-romantics-explore-old-wounds-to-the-heart.html
2. Kot, Greg. "Pop: Phil Collins, Regular Guy: And Like Regular Guys, He's Worried About His Kids," Chicago Tribune (7 Nov. 1993).
3. "Australian-charts.com – Phil Collins – Both Sides Of The Story". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
4. "Austriancharts.at – Phil Collins – Both Sides Of The Story" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
5. "Ultratop.be – Phil Collins – Both Sides Of The Story" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
6. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
7. "Lescharts.com – Phil Collins – Both Sides Of The Story" (in French). Les classement single.
8. "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: C". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
9. "Swedishcharts.com – Phil Collins – Both Sides Of The Story". Singles Top 100.
10. • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics