♫ That’s All ♫

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, music, History

This is not the first song that comes to mind when I think of Phil Collins, but it is one of my favourites anyway!   The opening notes get my toes tapping and I hope they will yours as well!

One of my all-time favourite singers is Phil Collins, who got his start with British rock band Genesis.  Genesis keyboard player Tony Banks was one of the first to use an Emulator, which was one of the first digital samplers (it was introduced in 1981). Banks would record his bandmate Mike Rutherford as he noodled around on his instruments, then play around with those samples to craft a track, which is how this song developed.  Says Banks …

“We were just improvising in the studio and Mike was playing a bit on guitar.  With the Emulator, I was able to sample bits and pieces as we were going along. I sampled this bit of Mike’s, which didn’t sound very good, so I actually slowed it down to about half or quarter speed, and it sort of played a suggestion of the riff that became ‘That’s All.’ It wasn’t quite the same, but it had a suggestion of it.

I played it on the piano like that, and I thought, this is really good. Phil went at it with a sort of ‘Rocky Raccoon’ style drumming on it, which made it something it hadn’t really been at all in the first place. Then I just wanted to keep it simple, chord-wise, and let it go where it would, rather than trying to combine it with another bit, which is sometimes what we used to do. We really let the song develop in itself, and I was pleased with that. That’s a simpler Genesis song, but one that really works.”

That’s All was Genesis’ first Top 10 hit in the U.S., setting the stage for their tremendous success the rest of the decade as they adapted their sound from obtuse progressive rock to tighter pop songs.  This song went to #6 in the U.S., #14 in Canada, and #16 in the UK.

Until I first played this back in 2020, I did not realize that the Mike Rutherford of Genesis is also the Mike in Mike and the Mechanics!  See, I’m not too old to learn new things!

That’s All
Genesis

Just as I thought it was going alright
I find out I’m wrong, when I thought I was right
It’s always the same, it’s just a shame, that’s all
I could say day, you’d say night
Tell me it’s black when I know that it’s white
It’s always the same, it’s just a shame, that’s all

I could leave but I won’t go
Though my heart might tell me so
I can’t feel a thing from my head down to my toes
So why does it always seem to be
Me looking at you, you looking at me
It’s always the same, it’s just a shame, that’s all

Turning me on, turning me off
Making me feel like I want too much
Living with you’s just putting me through it all of the time
Running around, staying out all night
Taking it all instead of taking one bite
Living with you’s just putting me through it all of the time

I could leave but I won’t go
It’d be easier I know
I can’t feel a thing from my head down to my toes
But why does it always seem to be
Me looking at you, you looking at me
It’s always the same, it’s just a shame, that’s all

Truth is I love you
More that I wanted to
There’s no point in trying to pretend
There’s been no-one who
Makes me feel like you do
Say we’ll be together till the end

I could leave but I won’t go
It’d be easier I know
I can’t feel a thing from my head down to my toes
But why does it always seem to be
Me looking at you, you looking at me
It’s always the same, it’s just a shame, that’s all

Just as I thought it was going alright
I find out I’m wrong, when I thought I was right
It’s always the same, it’s just a shame, that’s all
I could say day, you’d say night
Tell me it’s black when I know that it’s white
It’s always the same, it’s just a shame, that’s all – that’s all

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Tony Banks / Phil Collins / Michael Rutherford
That’s All lyrics © Concord Music Publishing LLC

35 thoughts on “♫ That’s All ♫”

  1. Reminds me of that time in high school lunch when we went nostalgia about our favorite TV shows. We were fourteen same as network TV. Good times! I don’t watch TV much anymore. 😦

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Jill, it is interesting to me that Genesis, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins all had successful acts. It just reveals the talent of the principals. Keith

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  7. I preferred Genesis when they were giving us ‘obtuse progressive rock’ rather than the pop pap they turned to. That’s probably why I like Peter Gabriel’s solo stuff so much. Something like Follow You, Follow Me was a much better example of what they could do even without PG.

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  9. Oooh. Do I have to add to the bad reviews? I love the music, really love it. But to listen to one side of an ongoing argument that has no conclusion , or solution, just does nothing for me. Sorry, Jill. 👎

    Liked by 1 person

      • I would disagree with your thought. Most of what you play is enjoyable to most of your readers. But music, like anything else, is a personal matter — we all have our likes and dislikes. I wasn’t even going to comment on this was, i was just going to let it slide. But after reading the other two comments before mine something pushed me to give you my truth.
        But don’t take it personally, more often than not our musical tastes coincide. Sometimes, though, they don’t. It is no reflection on you.

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  10. No wonder they made it in the charts statewise. The rythm and piano during the verses sounds very American. It reminded me of Carole King and even a tiny bit of Steely Dan.

    Of course they had to fuk it all up in the weak poppy refrain, which wasn’t helped by Collins’ thin voice. Once Peter Gabriel left the band they were dead for most of us.

    Liked by 1 person

    • I love Carole King, and this one is just about my favourite, I think! I had all but forgotten that one by Steely Dan, so thanks for reminding me … not my favourite, but not bad in my view.

      It seems many agree with you about Peter Gabriel.

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      • Ya, Steely Dan had so many great songs, before and after they changed their style. One of the all-time greats. It was more the general feeling of the Beatles’ opening and first verse that reminded me on those two acts.

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      • Of course they agree with me. They be good peeps and know what’s better for them. 🙂

        Or they grew up with the legendary Genesis and loved them for their progrock genius. A band I never got and liked as a teenager; they were too artsy fartsy, theatrical and plainly didn’t rawk. 😦 They died in beauty while me and friends had street fights against da fascist police and listened to highly politicised punk and ska. In much later years I learned to accept them and their contribution to British music overall. Still not a fan tho. 😐

        Liked by 2 people

        • 🤣 Oh yeah, I forgot you wield da power!

          Yeah, I think the life one is living probably DOES make a difference in the music that strikes a chord with them. Hard to feel much for the beautiful happy-go-lucky or touchy-feely tunes when one is fighting for survival.

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