Philip David Charles Collins, aka Phil Collins, was playing around with his drum machine (a Roland TR-808) when he started singing the chorus of the song. He later recalled that the writing of the song was completed “very quickly.”  The song’s music video, directed by Jim Yukich, features Collins playing the piano in a downtown bar. It was filmed at a pub owned by Richard Branson in London.

Robert Hilburn of the Los Angeles Times originally disliked the song One More Night, but later praised it, saying that “Collins’ soulful but polite vocal style is also capable of capturing the pain of going through yet one more night without her”.  Isaac Guzman of the New York Daily News said that the song brought about “snuggle-inspiring tenderness”.  “Snuggle-inspiring tenderness” …  I like that!

The song did well in both the U.S. (#1) and the UK (#4).  And now, a bit of Phil …

One More Night
Phil Collins

One more night
One more night
I’ve been trying ooh so long to let you know
Let you know how I feel
And if I stumble if I fall, just help me back
So I can make you see

Please give me one more night
Give me one more night
One more night ’cause I can’t wait forever
Give me just one more night, oh just one more night
Oh one more night ’cause I can’t wait forever

I’ve been sitting here so long
Wasting time, just staring at the phone
And I was wondering should I call you
Then I thought, maybe you’re not alone

Please give me one more night, give me just one more night
Oh one more night, ’cause I can’t wait forever
Please give me one more night, oh just one more night
Oh just one more night, ’cause I can’t wait forever
Give me one more night, give me just one more night
Oh one more night, ’cause I can’t wait forever

Like a river to the sea
I will always be with you
And if you sail away
I will follow you

Give me one more night, give me just one more night
Oh one more night, ’cause I can’t wait forever
I know there’ll never be a time you’ll ever feel the same
And I know it’s only words
But if you change your mind you know that I’ll be here
And maybe we both can learn

Give me just one more night, give me just one more night
Oh one more night, ’cause I can’t wait forever
Give me just one more night, give me just one more night
Oh one more night, ’cause I can’t wait forever

Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh

Songwriters: Phil Collins
One More Night lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Concord Music Publishing LLC