

It is the first of six songs by Collins written specifically for a film soundtrack to appear on the Hot 100. It replaced "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, and was replaced by Lionel Richie's "Hello". Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, from 15 April to. I couldn't believe it." It peaked at number 2 in the UK upon its release as a single in 1984 and became Collins' third top ten single there, and it peaked at number 1 on the U.S. The mixes were done by phone and the song went to Number 1. According to Collins in a 1985 interview with Dan Neer: "We recorded the song in two days: One day in New York, the other in Los Angeles. Rob Mounsey played piano and keyboard bass, Collins sang and played the drums with his (and Hugh Padgham's) trademark gated reverb sound, and a string arrangement by Mardin completed the production. It has been covered by several artists.Originally titled "How Can You Just Sit There?", the song was initially from the sessions for Collins' debut solo album Face Value (1981), and it was one of about a dozen written for his first wife, who had left him.Phil Collins released the song on the soundtrack to the film Against All Odds, and it was produced by Arif Mardin.


It is a ballad in which its protagonist implores his/her ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds", but also knowing that he or she must try. The song was the main theme for the 1984 film of the same name, and first appeared on its soundtrack. "Against All Odds" by Phil Collins "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (also simply titled "Against All Odds") is a song originally written and recorded by British singer Phil Collins.
