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Tonight, Tonight, Tonight

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"Tonight, Tonight, Tonight"
Single by Genesis
from the album Invisible Touch
B-side"In the Glow of the Night"
Released29 January 1987 (US)[1]
9 March 1987 (UK)[2]
Recorded1985
StudioThe Farm (Surrey)
Length8:50 (Album Version)
4:32 (7" Version)
11:46 (12" Mix)
4:28 (New edit – 1999)
6:18 (Music Video Version)
LabelAtlantic (US)
Virgin (UK) – GENS 4
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Genesis singles chronology
"Land of Confusion"
(1986) 		"Tonight, Tonight, Tonight"
(1987) 		"Throwing It All Away"
(1987)

"Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" is the second track on the 1986 album Invisible Touch by the English rock band Genesis, released in January 1987 as the fourth single from the album. It peaked at No. 3 in the US and No. 18 in the UK.

Background and composition

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In a video documentary on the making of the album Invisible Touch,[3] the song was based around a drum pattern written by Phil Collins on a LinnDrum drum machine. Keyboardist Tony Banks accompanied this with an ominous sounding chord progression which set up the dark atmosphere of the song, which lead to the creation of lyrics – which deal with a drug addict trying to make contact with his dealer to get his next fix. Mentioned in the words are the struggle with addiction ('a load on your back that you can't see', 'shake it loose', 'let it go', 'just get it away from me'), increasingly desperate attempts to get hold of the dealer ('I've got to get it (the money) to you', 'I keep calling but you're never home'), with the middle eight culminating in a final explosive release of anger and an anguished plea for help ('but now I'm in too deep', 'please get me out of here!'), with Collins' overdubbing a series of powerful drum fills using his trademark gated reverb sound. The album version runs for almost nine minutes due to a long refrain and keyboard solo in the middle, which was omitted for the single version and radio play.

The song's working title was "Monkey, Zulu".[citation needed]

Versions

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The single included an edited version (at 4:32) and the first part of "Domino" ("In the Glow of the Night") as the B-side. A new edit of the single version was released on the 1999 compilation Turn It On Again: The Hits (as well as its "sequel" The Tour Edition) and later on The Platinum Collection. This revised edit features a different cross fade and different edit points as compared to the original 1987 edit version. Some singles that included the full version of the song included the second part of "Domino" ("The Last Domino") as the B-side. Other releases contained the song "Paperlate" and a 12" remix of "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight". The full live version from the Live at Wembley Stadium video was included as a B-side on the "Never A Time" CD single.

The song was performed on the Invisible Touch Tour. A shorter version (which segued into "Invisible Touch") was played on the We Can't Dance, Turn It On Again, and The Last Domino? tours, albeit transposed down a key to account for the deepening of Phil Collins's voice.[citation needed]

Reception

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Cash Box said it has a "remote, eery...ambiance that features Phil Collins' emotional singing and propulsive drumming."[4]

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The song was used in a commercial for Michelob, who sponsored the Invisible Touch Tour. In 2019, Andy Greene of Rolling Stone remarked, "You don't hear the 1986 Genesis song 'Tonight Tonight Tonight' very often these days, but back then it was absolutely inescapable. This was a weird period of time where seemingly half the songs on the radio were either by Genesis or one of the many offshoot acts like Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Mike and the Mechanics, or GTR."[5]

Music video

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The music video for the song was shot in the Bradbury Building in Los Angeles.[citation needed]

Track listing

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7": Virgin / GENS 4 United Kingdom

  1. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (Edit) – 4:32
  2. "In The Glow of the Night"

12": Virgin / GENSG 4–12 United Kingdom

  1. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (Edit) – 4:32
  2. "In The Glow of the Night"
  3. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (12" Potoker Remix)
  • gatefold sleeve

12": Virgin / GENS 4–12 United Kingdom

  1. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (Edit) – 4:32
  2. "In The Glow of the Night"
  3. "Paperlate"
  4. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (12" Potoker Remix)

CD: Virgin / CDEP1 United Kingdom

  1. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (Edit) – 4:32
  2. "In The Glow Of The Night" (Domino 'Part One')
  3. "Paperlate"
  4. "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (12" Potoker Remix)

Note: A rare withdrawn UK CD-single contained "Invisible Touch" (Extended Remix)" instead of "Paperlate"

Personnel

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Genesis

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1987) Peak
position
Australia (Australian Music Report)[6] 93
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 40
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 19
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[9] 15
Ireland (IRMA)[10] 9
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 42
UK Singles (OCC)[12] 18
US Billboard Hot 100[13] 3
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[14] 8
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[15] 9
West Germany (GfK)[16] 23

Year-end charts

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Chart (1987) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[17] 68

References

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  1. ^ "FMQB" (PDF). p. 52.
  2. ^ Aldous, Steve (2020). The Songs of Genesis: A Complete Guide to the Studio Recordings. McFarland & Company. p. 238. ISBN 978-1-476-681382.
  3. ^ "Genesis - Invisible Touch (Documentary)". YouTube. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 14 February 1987. p. 9. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  5. ^ Greene, Andy (4 June 2019). "Flashback: Michelob Uses a Genesis Song about Drug Addiction to Sell Beer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  6. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. ^ "Genesis – Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  8. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0804." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  9. ^ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 4, no. 13. 4 April 1987. p. 12. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  10. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Tonight Tonight Tonight". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Genesis – Tonight, Tonight, Tonight". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  13. ^ "Genesis Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  14. ^ "Genesis Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  15. ^ "Genesis Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  16. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Genesis – Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  17. ^ "1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 99, no. 52. 26 December 1987.
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