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Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)
Encyclopedia
"Against All Odds" (also simply titled "Against All Odds") is a song by British singer Phil Collins
recorded for soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying. The single, while it reached number two in the United Kingdom, peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100
, the first for Collins.
The song has been covered by several singers, some of which versions have been successful in both the US and UK markets. One of the most notable versions was the pairing of Mariah Carey
and boyband Westlife
, whose single peaked at number one in the United Kingdom in September 2000.
group Genesis
, being its vocalist. Director Taylor Hackford
flew in to Chicago to catch one of the concert's venues. Collins watched the movie on a videocassette recorder
in his hotel room, and thereafter agreed to appear on the soundtrack.
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. Collins wrote the entire song, while arranger
Arif Mardin produced it. The strings and piano tracks were recorded in New York to accommodate the tour, while Mardin did the vocals and drums 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.
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. The mixes were done by phone and the song went to Number 1. I couldn't believe it." On 24 August 2007, Collins discussed the song in a phone interview as an example for break-up songs. The song was first included on a Collins album on the 1998 compilation Hits
, and it also appeared on his compilation Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New
(2004). A live performance of the song also appears on the Serious Hits… Live!
album. The live version was recorded in 1990 on the B-side of the single "Do You Remember?
".
, planned the same for the neo-noir
1984 film Against All Odds, which is a remake of Out of the Past
. When he signed with Atlantic Records
, he was provided with a roster of artists, among of whom Collins was chosen to render the film's theme song based on the quality of his voice. Hackford said that it was a "textbook case of designing a song to reflect what the film is". The song appears in the movie as background music during the closing credits.
Writing for the soundtrack's review, Allmusic editor Heather Phares claimed that the movie is best remembered for the inclusion of Collin's "classic theme song". Phares added that the songs "remains not only one of Collins' definitive singles, but one of the 1980s' best love songs". Director Hackford also had the same view, stating that it "decidedly" helped the film: people identified the song with the film and came to watch it. When the single went top five, it contributed to the increased box office sales of the movie.
for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
in 1985, and it was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song
. Collins was the only nominee in the category not invited to sing his song on stage, and sat in the audience as Ann Reinking
performed it.
When another song Collins performed for a movie, "Separate Lives
", was being nominated for an Academy Award, in interviews about the original snub by the Academy for "Against All Odds", Collins would jokingly say "the hell with him - I'm going up too", referring to what he would do if the Stephen Bishop written song were to win the award. Collins lost to the Stevie Wonder
song "I Just Called to Say I Love You
".
for three weeks in the spring of 1984.
It is the first of six songs by Collins written specifically for a film soundtrack that would appear on the Hot 100. It also became Collins' only number 1 single on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart as a solo artist, although he would achieve two other number ones on this chart with his band, Genesis
.
and produced by Jeffrey Abelson. Hackford was paid US$
20,000 for a complete Collins clip. The music was released alongside the single on the last week of February 1984. A number one MTV video for several weeks, MTV
ranked it as number 4 in its 1984 year-end top 20 video countdown.
The music video is an early example of a highly conceptual approach to creating hybrid movie/music-videos that producer Abelson pioneered. Echoing the love triangle
theme of the film, Collins is seen performing in front of a wall of rainwater that is alternately lit red, blue, and green—each colour representing one of the three main characters in the film. It is this colour schematic that is used as an organic segue to and from character-specific scenes in the movie. The final scene pulls back from Collins to reveal him standing in the middle of a water-filled triangle formed from neon tubes
in the same three colours—completing the visual concept as the three main characters are superimposed around the neon triangle's three sides. The concept for the video was created by Keith Williams, a Welsh-born writer who had already worked with Abelson on the video for "Dancin' With Myself" (Billy Idol
), and who would go on to also create concepts for "Holding Out for a Hero
" (Bonnie Tyler
) and "Ghostbusters" (Ray Parker, Jr.
) for the same producer as well as "Say You Say Me" (Lionel Richie
) from White Nights, which Taylor Hackford also directed.
co-produced her version of the song with David Foster
for her sixth studio album Rainbow
. Carey co-produced the single edit of the song with Steve Mac
.
Although the song was promoted as part of Carey's Rainbow in the United States, it was not released as a commercial or radio single there. It was initially released in some markets in early 2000. This was also the last single with her then label Columbia
. The song reached top twenty in several countries. The highest peak of the song was number two in Norway.
The video for the Carey version of the song, directed by Paul Misbehoven, consists of a montage of clips of Carey singing the song from her various Rainbow World Tour
stops to cullings from her Homecoming special.
European CD maxi-single
Japanese CD single
later re-released "Against All Odds" as a duet with Irish boyband Westlife
. This version was released as the first single from Westlife's second album Coast to Coast. The song was released in September 2000, a few months after Carey's solo version. Carey did not re-record her vocals for the duet, however, the instrumental track was reproduced with a more organic sound complete with violins.
The single was more successful than the original in the UK and Ireland where it peaked at number 1, giving Westlife their sixth consecutive number one. It also gave Carey her second number 1 single in the UK. The song has sold 375,000 copies in the total in the UK. The music video shows Carey and Westlife recording the song and exploring the island of Capri
by boat. The UK version of the single includes a limited edition Enhanced CD with video, poster and Westlife-only version and CD with Westlife video interview and picture sleeves.
CD1
CD2
Cassette
winner Steve Brookstein
. It was released in 2004 by S Records. The single charted at number 1 in the UK and number 11 in Ireland.
In 2004, Brookstein won the televised UK talent competition The X Factor, and recorded a cover of "Against All Odds" as his debut single. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 2 behind "Do They Know It's Christmas?
", it then climbed to Number 1 a position it held for one week from 2 January 2005 to 8 January 2005. It replaced "Do They Know It's Christmas?
" by Band Aid 20
, and was replaced by Elvis Presley
's "Jailhouse Rock
." It was later included on Brookstein's debut album Heart and Soul
.
. No original footage was recorded for the video.
. It is also downloadable content for the game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore.
episode 'Break Up'. The segment featured an interview with Collins, as well as narration from a woman who listened to the song to get over a break-up and vowed to write her own break-up song.
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
recorded for soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name. It is a power ballad in which its protagonist implores an ex-lover to "take a look at me now", knowing that reconciliation is "against all odds" while considering it worth trying. The single, while it reached number two in the United Kingdom, peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, the first for Collins.
The song has been covered by several singers, some of which versions have been successful in both the US and UK markets. One of the most notable versions was the pairing of Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
and boyband Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
, whose single peaked at number one in the United Kingdom in September 2000.
Background and writing
Collins was approached to write a title song to the film Against All Odds when the latter was still in its "rough cut form". While the soundtrack was being completed, Collins was on tour with British progressive rockProgressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
group Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
, being its vocalist. Director Taylor Hackford
Taylor Hackford
Taylor Edwin Hackford is an American film director, and the current president of the Directors Guild of America.-Early life:Hackford was born in Santa Barbara, California, the son of Mary , a waitress, and Joseph Hackford...
flew in to Chicago to catch one of the concert's venues. Collins watched the movie on a videocassette recorder
Videocassette recorder
The videocassette recorder , is a type of electro-mechanical device that uses removable videocassettes that contain magnetic tape for recording analog audio and analog video from broadcast television so that the images and sound can be played back at a more convenient time...
in his hotel room, and thereafter agreed to appear on the soundtrack.
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. Collins wrote the entire song, while arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
Arif Mardin produced it. The strings and piano tracks were recorded in New York to accommodate the tour, while Mardin did the vocals and drums in Los Angeles. Rob Mounsey
Rob Mounsey
Rob Mounsey is an award-winning composer, music producer, and musician. He was born in Berea, Ohio and grew up in Seattle, Washington and several Ohio towns. At the age of 17, he was awarded a BMI Student Composer's Award in New York. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1971 to 1975...
played piano and keyboard bass, Collins sang and played the drums with his (and Hugh Padgham
Hugh Padgham
Hugh Padgham is a British record producer. He has won many awards, including four Grammys, with Producer of the Year and Engineer of the Year. A 1992 poll in Mix magazine voted him one of the world's Top Ten Most Influential Producers....
's) trademark gated reverb
Gated reverb
Gated reverb is an audio processing technique that is applied to recordings of drums to make the drums sound powerful and "punchy," while keeping the overall mix clean and transparent-sounding...
sound, and a string arrangement by Mardin completed the production.
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. The mixes were done by phone and the song went to Number 1. I couldn't believe it." On 24 August 2007, Collins discussed the song in a phone interview as an example for break-up songs. The song was first included on a Collins album on the 1998 compilation Hits
Hits (Phil Collins album)
-Track notes:*Track 1 features David Crosby on backing vocals.*Track 2 features Babyface on backing vocals, keyboard and drum programming, and Sheila E on percussion.*Track 3 features Philip Bailey on vocals.*Track 6 features Eric Clapton on guitar....
, and it also appeared on his compilation Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New
Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New
Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New is a compilation album by British musician Phil Collins. The album was released by Atlantic Recording Corporation and Rhino Entertainment on 28 September 2004...
(2004). A live performance of the song also appears on the Serious Hits… Live!
Serious Hits… Live!
Serious Hits... Live! is the name of Phil Collins' 1990 live album with a CD as well as the DVD video recording of that concert. The songs on the CD version are taken from various concerts during the Serious Hits! tour, though it sounds as if the CD was recorded over one entire...
album. The live version was recorded in 1990 on the B-side of the single "Do You Remember?
Do You Remember? (Phil Collins song)
"Do You Remember?" is a single performed by Phil Collins released in 1990 from his album ...But Seriously. The song had minor success in European countries, but went to number one on the Adult Contemporary chart and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that same year.A live...
".
Use and Association with the Film
Accordingly, "Against All Odds" was created explicitly for the movie. Hackford, who previously used a song for the 1982 American drama film An Officer and a GentlemanAn Officer and a Gentleman
A Officer and a Gentleman is a 1982 American drama film that tells the story of a U.S. Navy aviation officer candidate who comes into conflict with the Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who trains him. It was written by Douglas Day Stewart and directed by Taylor Hackford...
, planned the same for the neo-noir
Neo-noir
Neo-noir is a style often seen in modern motion pictures and other forms that prominently utilize elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in films noir of the 1940s and 1950s.-History:The term Film Noir was coined by...
1984 film Against All Odds, which is a remake of Out of the Past
Out of the Past
Out of the Past is a 1947 film noir directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. The film was adapted by Daniel Mainwaring , with uncredited revisions by Frank Fenton and James M...
. When he signed with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, he was provided with a roster of artists, among of whom Collins was chosen to render the film's theme song based on the quality of his voice. Hackford said that it was a "textbook case of designing a song to reflect what the film is". The song appears in the movie as background music during the closing credits.
Writing for the soundtrack's review, Allmusic editor Heather Phares claimed that the movie is best remembered for the inclusion of Collin's "classic theme song". Phares added that the songs "remains not only one of Collins' definitive singles, but one of the 1980s' best love songs". Director Hackford also had the same view, stating that it "decidedly" helped the film: people identified the song with the film and came to watch it. When the single went top five, it contributed to the increased box office sales of the movie.
Reception
"Against All Odds" won the Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was awarded between 1966 and 2011...
in 1985, and it was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
. Collins was the only nominee in the category not invited to sing his song on stage, and sat in the audience as Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking is an American actress, dancer, and choreographer. She has worked extensively in musical theatre, both as a dancer and choreographer, as well as appearing in film.-Biography:...
performed it.
When another song Collins performed for a movie, "Separate Lives
Separate Lives
"Separate Lives" is a 1985 song recorded by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin and featured on the soundtrack to the motion picture White Nights. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts as well as in Canada. It reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.Songwriter Stephen...
", was being nominated for an Academy Award, in interviews about the original snub by the Academy for "Against All Odds", Collins would jokingly say "the hell with him - I'm going up too", referring to what he would do if the Stephen Bishop written song were to win the award. Collins lost to the Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
song "I Just Called to Say I Love You
I Just Called to Say I Love You
"I Just Called to Say I Love You" is a song, produced, written and performed by Stevie Wonder. It was one of Wonder's most commercially successful singles....
".
Commercial performance
"Against All Odds" peaked at number one upon its release as a single in 1984 and became Collins' third top-ten single in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
for three weeks in the spring of 1984.
It is the first of six songs by Collins written specifically for a film soundtrack that would appear on the Hot 100. It also became Collins' only number 1 single on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart as a solo artist, although he would achieve two other number ones on this chart with his band, Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
.
Music video
The single's music video was directed by Taylor HackfordTaylor Hackford
Taylor Edwin Hackford is an American film director, and the current president of the Directors Guild of America.-Early life:Hackford was born in Santa Barbara, California, the son of Mary , a waitress, and Joseph Hackford...
and produced by Jeffrey Abelson. Hackford was paid US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
20,000 for a complete Collins clip. The music was released alongside the single on the last week of February 1984. A number one MTV video for several weeks, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
ranked it as number 4 in its 1984 year-end top 20 video countdown.
The music video is an early example of a highly conceptual approach to creating hybrid movie/music-videos that producer Abelson pioneered. Echoing the love triangle
Love triangle
A love triangle is usually a romantic relationship involving three people. While it can refer to two people independently romantically linked with a third, it usually implies that each of the three people has some kind of relationship to the other two...
theme of the film, Collins is seen performing in front of a wall of rainwater that is alternately lit red, blue, and green—each colour representing one of the three main characters in the film. It is this colour schematic that is used as an organic segue to and from character-specific scenes in the movie. The final scene pulls back from Collins to reveal him standing in the middle of a water-filled triangle formed from neon tubes
Neon lamp
A neon lamp is a miniature gas discharge lamp that typically contains neon gas at a low pressure in a glass capsule. Only a thin region adjacent to the electrodes glows in these lamps, which distinguishes them from the much longer and brighter neon tubes used for signage...
in the same three colours—completing the visual concept as the three main characters are superimposed around the neon triangle's three sides. The concept for the video was created by Keith Williams, a Welsh-born writer who had already worked with Abelson on the video for "Dancin' With Myself" (Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
), and who would go on to also create concepts for "Holding Out for a Hero
Holding Out for a Hero
"Holding Out for a Hero" is a song written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford, originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler. It was released in 1984 on the soundtrack to the film Footloose. It later appeared on Tyler's Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire album. It hit #96 for the first time in UK in 1984,...
" (Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
) and "Ghostbusters" (Ray Parker, Jr.
Ray Parker, Jr.
Ray Erskine Parker, Jr. , is an American guitarist, songwriter, producer and recording artist. Parker is known for writing and performing the theme song to the motion picture Ghostbusters, for his solo hits, and performing with his band Raydio as well as the late Barry White.-Early life and...
) for the same producer as well as "Say You Say Me" (Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Since 1968, he has been a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records...
) from White Nights, which Taylor Hackford also directed.
Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
1 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 12 |
| German Singles Chart | 9 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
Mariah Carey version
American singer Mariah CareyMariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
co-produced her version of the song with David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
for her sixth studio album Rainbow
Rainbow (Mariah Carey album)
Rainbow is the seventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey, released on November 2, 1999, by Columbia Records. The album followed the same pattern as Carey's previous album, Butterfly , in which she began her transition into the R&B market. Rainbow contains a mix of...
. Carey co-produced the single edit of the song with Steve Mac
Steve Mac
Steve Mac , is a songwriter, record producer and owner of Rokstone Studios in London.He has produced more than 22 number one singles in the UK and had several multi-million selling albums worldwide...
.
Although the song was promoted as part of Carey's Rainbow in the United States, it was not released as a commercial or radio single there. It was initially released in some markets in early 2000. This was also the last single with her then label Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. The song reached top twenty in several countries. The highest peak of the song was number two in Norway.
The video for the Carey version of the song, directed by Paul Misbehoven, consists of a montage of clips of Carey singing the song from her various Rainbow World Tour
Rainbow World Tour
The Rainbow World Tour was a worldwide arena concert tour in the year 2000 by American R&B artist Mariah Carey.-History:Carey had released her ninth album Rainbow in November 1999 and decided to go on tour to promote it. Unlike her previous outing, the Butterfly World Tour, marked Carey's first...
stops to cullings from her Homecoming special.
Track listings
European CD single- "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)"
- "CrybabyCrybaby (song)"Crybaby" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on July 20, 2000 by Columbia Records as a double A-side with "Can't Take That Away ". It was written by Carey and Snoop Dogg, and produced by the former and Damizza for Carey's seventh studio album, Rainbow...
" (featuring Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
)
European CD maxi-single
- "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)"
- "Crybaby" (featuring Snoop Dogg)
- "Thank God I Found YouThank God I Found You"Thank God I Found You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It features guest vocals from R&B singer Joe and American boy band 98 Degrees. Written and produced by Carey along with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the song was released on January 25, 2000, through Columbia...
" (Stargate Radio Edit featuring JoeJoe (singer)Joseph Lewis Thomas , usually credited simply as Joe, is an American R&B singer and record producer.-Early life:Joe is a native of Cuthbert, Georgia and later moved to Opelika, Alabama. The son of two preachers, Joe spent much time in church singing, playing guitar, and even directing the choir...
& 98°98 Degrees98 Degrees is an American adult contemporary boy band consisting of four vocalists: brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons. The group was formed by Timmons in Los Angeles, California....
) - "Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)Can't Take That Away (Mariah's Theme)"Can't Take That Away " is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released by Columbia Records on June 6, 2000, and was written by Carey and Diane Warren, and produced by Carey and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Carey's seventh studio album Rainbow . It was released as the album's...
" (Morales Club Mix Edit)
Japanese CD single
- "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (featuring WestlifeWestlifeWestlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
) - "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (album version)
- "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (Pound Boys Radio Edit)
- "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (instrumental)
Charts
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Flandres Singles Chart | 26 |
| Belgian Wallonia Singles Chart | 15 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 22 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 20 |
| French Singles Chart | 18 |
| German Singles Chart | 29 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 17 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 20 |
Mariah Carey and Westlife version
Mariah CareyMariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
later re-released "Against All Odds" as a duet with Irish boyband Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
. This version was released as the first single from Westlife's second album Coast to Coast. The song was released in September 2000, a few months after Carey's solo version. Carey did not re-record her vocals for the duet, however, the instrumental track was reproduced with a more organic sound complete with violins.
The single was more successful than the original in the UK and Ireland where it peaked at number 1, giving Westlife their sixth consecutive number one. It also gave Carey her second number 1 single in the UK. The song has sold 375,000 copies in the total in the UK. The music video shows Carey and Westlife recording the song and exploring the island of Capri
Capri
Capri is an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrentine Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples, in the Campania region of Southern Italy...
by boat. The UK version of the single includes a limited edition Enhanced CD with video, poster and Westlife-only version and CD with Westlife video interview and picture sleeves.
Track listing
- United Kingdom
CD1
- "Against All Odds" - 3:21
- "Against All Odds" (Pound Boys Main Mix) – 9:09
- "Against All Odds" (Mariah Carey Solo Version) – 3:21
- "Westlife Interview" – 4:00
CD2
- "Against All Odds" – 3:21
- "Against All Odds" (Westlife Solo Version) – 3:21
- "Against All Odds" (Pound Boys Dub) – 6:48
- "Against All Odds" (Video) – 3:21
Cassette
- "Against All Odds" – 3:21
- "Against All Odds" (Pound Boys Radio Edit) – 3:48
- Japan
- "Against All Odds" – 3:21
- "Against All Odds" (Pound Boys Radio Edit) – 3:48
- "Against All Odds" (Mariah Carey Solo Version) – 3:39
- "Against All Odds" (Instrumental) – 3:21
Charts
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 52 |
| Belgian Flanders Singles Chart | 50 |
| Belgian Wallonia Singles Chart | 31 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 29 |
| Irish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Japanese Singles Chart | 78 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2000) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 28 |
Steve Brookstein version
Against All Odds is the debut single by British X FactorThe X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
winner Steve Brookstein
Steve Brookstein
Steve Brookstein is an English jazz and soul singer, who rose to fame in the UK in 2004 after winning the first series of The X Factor...
. It was released in 2004 by S Records. The single charted at number 1 in the UK and number 11 in Ireland.
In 2004, Brookstein won the televised UK talent competition The X Factor, and recorded a cover of "Against All Odds" as his debut single. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 2 behind "Do They Know It's Christmas?
Do They Know It's Christmas?
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of the 1984–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November 1984....
", it then climbed to Number 1 a position it held for one week from 2 January 2005 to 8 January 2005. It replaced "Do They Know It's Christmas?
Do They Know It's Christmas?
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984 to raise money for relief of the 1984–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The original version was produced by Midge Ure and released by Band Aid on 29 November 1984....
" by Band Aid 20
Band Aid 20
Band Aid 20 was the 2004 incarnation of the charity group Band Aid. The group, which included Chris Martin of Coldplay, Bono of U2, and Paul McCartney, re-recorded the 1984 song "Do They Know It's Christmas?", written by Band Aid organizers Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.-Recording:The song was recorded...
, and was replaced by Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's "Jailhouse Rock
Jailhouse Rock (song)
"Jailhouse Rock" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller that first became a hit for Elvis Presley. The song was released as a 45rpm single on September 24, 1957, to coincide with the release of Presley's motion picture, Jailhouse Rock...
." It was later included on Brookstein's debut album Heart and Soul
Heart and Soul (Steve Brookstein album)
Heart and Soul is the debut album from X Factor winner Steve Brookstein, released in May 2005. It was released only several months after his X Factor win and therefore he opted to produce a record of cover songs of classic soul and jazz songs, including "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and his debut...
.
Music video
The music video for the song shows Steve's highlights from the show through to the moment he was announced X Factor winner, in a similar manner to other winner's videos from both The X Factor and Pop IdolPop Idol
Pop Idol is a British television series which debuted on ITV on 6 October 2001. The show was a talent contest to decide the best new young pop singer in the United Kingdom, based on viewer voting and participation. Two series were broadcast - one in 2001-02 and a second in 2003...
. No original footage was recorded for the video.
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... |
11 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
1 |
Other covers
- American indie-electronic group The Postal ServiceThe Postal ServiceThe Postal Service is an American electronic indie pop band composed of vocalist Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and producer Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel and Headset.-Background:...
covered "Against All Odds" for the soundtrack to the 2004 film Wicker ParkWicker Park (film)Wicker Park is a 2004 American psychological drama/romantic mystery film directed by Paul McGuigan and starring Josh Hartnett. The film is a remake of the 1996 French movie L'Appartement...
. The cover was later named as one of the best cover songs of all time by the New York PostNew York PostThe New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
. It was also named the second best cover of all time by Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
. - The ShadowsThe ShadowsThe Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
did an instrumental of the song in 1986 on their album Moonlight Shadows. - American pianist and singer Eli MattsonEli MattsonEli James Mattson is an American pianist and singer. He was the runner-up on the third season of America's Got Talent, beating out over 200,000 contestants. The difference in the votes during the final was less than 0.5%...
sang the song in the final of Americas Got Talent Season 3 as part of the final five. - In 1984, French singer DalidaDalidaDalida , born with Italian name of Iolanda Cristina Gigliotti, was a world-famous singer and actress born in Egypt with Italian origins but naturalised French with the name Yolanda Gigliotti. She spent her early years in Egypt amongst the Italian Egyptian community, but she lived most of her adult...
released a French cover of this song called "Pour te dire je t'aime". - Recently, rapper Cuban LinkCuban LinkFelix Delgado , better known by his stage name Cuban Link, is a Cuban rapper.-Biography:Delgado was born in Havana, Cuba in 1974. He and his family emigrated to the United States in 1980 and settled in the Morrisania section of the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City...
sampled the original song in the track "Take a Look at Me Now" as a tribute to friend and deceased rapper Big PunBig PunChristopher Lee Rios , better known by his stage name Big Pun , was an American rapper who emerged from the underground rap scene in The Bronx in the late 1990s...
. - Montell JordanMontell JordanMontell Jordan is a former American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Jordan became the main solo male artist on its Def Soul imprint until leaving the label in 2003. Of his live performances it is often regarded that he is a rock oriented musician, with Jordan even going as far as to...
recorded "Against All Odds" for his 1999 album Get It On...Tonight. - Deja Vu and Tasmin recorded "Against All Odds" in 2001, which appeared on DancemaniaDancemaniaDancemania is a series of remix compilation albums by i-DANCE. The series deals primarily with dance music, especially eurodance. Despite its tracks have been made by various musicians from all over the world mainly from the European continent, the albums have been released exclusively in Japan.The...
X8 and was licensed to be featured in the dance video game Dance Dance Revolution 5thMixDance Dance Revolution 5thMixDance Dance Revolution 5thMIX, or DDR 5th Mix, is the 5th game in the Dance Dance Revolution series of music video games. It was released to the arcades by Konami on March 27, 2001. Although only officially released in Japan, units exist worldwide. DDR 5th Mix contains a total of 124 songs, nine of...
. It later appeared in North America in Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2 is the tenth home version of Dance Dance Revolution to be released in the United States. It was released by Konami on September 28, 2005 for the PlayStation 2 video game console...
. - In the summer of 2008, a trance version of the song recorded by Belgian singer KiraKira (Belgian singer)Kira is a Belgian singer and model.-History:Kira was born in Affligem, where she has lived her whole life....
appeared on Robbins Entertainment's compilation Trance Party 4. Kira later released this song on a CD-maxi single in late 2006, also on Robbins label. - In 2005, English-singing Japanese rock band Beat CrusadersBeat Crusaderswere a Japanese rock band. During all promotional appearances, their faces are masked by drawings resembling themselves as printed by a dot-matrix printer.-History:...
recorded "Against All Odds" for their covers album Musicrusaders. - Another dance version was recorded in 2006 by Karen ParryKaren ParryKaren Parry is a dance vocalist who featured on a number of European hits in the 2000s. Parry featured with Flip & Fill on chart hit "Shooting Star" in 2002, originally recorded by happy hardcore act Bang!. This reached number 3 in the UK....
. - Korean R&B singers WheesungWheesung-EPs:*2006: Against All Odds*2008: 스마일 프로젝트 Vol.2 'Love Seat*2009: 휘성 with D.O*2009: Insomnia*2010: Realslow Is Back*2010: Winter Night*2011: Words That Freeze My Heart-OSTs:*2006: 중천의 기억*2009: 우리집에 왜 왔니...
and Lena ParkLena ParkLena Park, also known as Park Jung-hyun, , is a Korean-American R&B singer. Early in her life, Park showed talent for singing, mainly in the choir of her father's church in Downey with her siblings Brian and Uriah. She also learned to play saxophone and piano...
recorded a cover of "Against All Odds" for a 2006 HyundaiHyundai Motor CompanyHyundai Motor Company is a Korean multinational automaker based in Seoul, South Korea which, along with Kia, comprises the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, the world's fourth largest automaker as of 2009. As of 2011, it is the world's fastest growing automaker for two years running...
's TucsonHyundai TucsonThe Hyundai Tucson , or ix35 in Europe, or Hyundai JM in Japan, is a compact crossover SUV built and marketed by the Hyundai Motor Corporation. In Hyundai's lineup, the Tucson fits below the Santa Fe and Veracruz....
television commercial, and their version was later released as a digital singleMusic downloadA music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
. - Instrumental group John Tesh ProjectJohn TeshJohn Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
released their version from the album A Passionate Life. - Pop classical group The Three Graces covered the song in Italian under the title "Impossible" on their 2008 self-titled debut album.
- The Charedi music group based in Meah Shearim, Jerualem, The Envei Hagefen Orchestra, has used the melody of "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" for their song on the CD Modim entitled "Mima'amakim". However due to the extremely limited overlap of the two groups' listeners, nobody has yet to address this issue.
- The American pop singer Lutricia McNealLutricia McNealLutricia McNeal is an American R&B/pop singer. She achieved worldwide success with her singles "Ain't That Just the Way" which sold two million copies worldwide, "Stranded" and "Someone Loves You Honey" .-Biography:McNeal is the seventh of nine children...
covered this song for her Japanese release of her album Soulsister Ambassador - Rise. - British medical comedy duo Amateur TransplantsAmateur TransplantsAmateur Transplants are a London based, British parody musical duo consisting of medical professionals, Dr. Adam Kay and Dr. Suman Biswas , who came to prominence in 2005 with a song about the London Underground, parodying the Jam song "Going Underground"...
parodied the song, along with others, in their song "Snippets" from their debut album Fitness to PracticeFitness to PracticeFitness to Practice is a 2004 album produced for charity by Amateur Transplants . 10% of the profits from the album sales go to Macmillan Cancer Relief....
. - N-DubzN-DubzN-Dubz are a British hip hop group from Camden Town, London. The group consists of members Dappy, Tulisa Contostavlos and Fazer.N-Dubz were previously signed to Polydor Records before joining All Around the World Records...
named their second album after the song. (2009) - Michael BallMichael Ball (singer)Michael Ashley Ball, born 27 June 1962) is a British actor, singer, and radio and TV presenter who is best known for the song "Love Changes Everything" and musical theatre roles such as Marius in Les Misérables, Alex in Aspects of Love, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Edna Turnblad...
recorded the song and it appears on his albums The Movies, Stage and Screen and Seasons of Love. - Barry ManilowBarry ManilowBarry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
recorded the song for his album The Greatest Songs of the EightiesThe Greatest Songs of the EightiesThe Greatest Songs of the Eighties is Barry Manilow's 38th album, and follow-up to his 2007 album, The Greatest Songs of the Seventies...
. - 'Mickey' covered the song on the first episode of the first season of Kids IncorporatedKids IncorporatedKids Incorporated, is an American children's television program that was produced from 1984 to 1993. It was largely a youth-oriented program with musical performances as an integral part of each and every storyline....
.
Live cover versions
- In 1984, on the CBS soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
The Young and the RestlessThe Young and the RestlessThe Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
, Michael Damian and Tracey Bregman as the characters of Danny Romalotti and Lauren Fenmore performed the song. - In 2005 Canadian IdolCanadian IdolCanadian Idol is a Canadian reality television competition show which aired on CTV, based on the British show Pop Idol. The show was a competition to find the most talented young singer in Canada, and was hosted by Ben Mulroney. Jon Dore was the "roving reporter" for the first three seasons...
competitors Rex GoudieRex GoudieRex Goudie is a Canadian singer, songwriter and was the runner-up of Canadian Idol 3.-Biography:Rex Goudie was born in Dawson Creek, British Columbia on November 18, 1985 and moved back to his father's hometown of Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada with his family when he was a year old....
and Melissa O'NeilMelissa O'NeilMelissa Crystal O'Neil is a Canadian singer who was the winner of the third season of Canadian Idol in 2005. She was the first female winner and is the second youngest idol winner in the world, with the youngest being 2004 Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan...
performed the song as their final duet together during the show's third season finale. The song has been performed seven times on American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.- The song has been performed by Corey ClarkCorey ClarkCorey Delaney Clark is an American singer. He is known for his highly-publicized disqualification from the second season of American Idol and later allegations of a sexual relationship between him and then-Idol judge, Paula Abdul....
(Season 2), George Huff (Season 3), Jessica SierraJessica SierraJessica Ann Sierra is an American singer and was the tenth-place finalist on the fourth season of American Idol. She was the third finalist eliminated, on March 30, 2005...
(Season 4), Scott SavolScott SavolScott Thomas Savol is an American singer and was the 5th place finalist on the fourth season of American Idol.-Personal life:...
(Season 4), Katharine McPheeKatharine McPheeKatharine Hope McPhee is an American pop singer, songwriter, actress, model, and television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the fifth season of the Fox reality show American Idol in 2006, eventually finishing as the runner-up.Her self-titled debut album was released on RCA Records...
(Season 5), Ramiele MalubayRamiele MalubayRamiele Macrohon Malubay , also known as Ramiele, is a Filipino-American singer and the ninth place finalist on the seventh season of the television series American Idol.-Biography:...
(Season 7), and Paige MilesPaige MilesPaige Sade Miles is an American singer from Naples, Florida, who was the eleventh place finalist on the ninth season of American Idol.- Early life :...
(Season 9). The latter two's versions were released for a limited period on the iTunes Music Store. Malubay's performance was released as a live performance single in 2008. Miles' full-length studio version was also released as a single in 2010.
- The song has been performed by Corey Clark
- During their fall 2006 tour, New York band We Are ScientistsWe Are ScientistsWe Are Scientists is a New York-based indie rock band that formed in Berkeley, California in 2000. Originally formed of Keith Murray on drums, Chris Cain playing bass guitar and Scott Lamb providing vocals and guitar, before Michael Tapper became drummer and Keith became vocalist and guitarist...
opened with a cover of "Against All Odds", the song being played on the PA until the band arrived on stage and finished from the second verse, without pause.
Internet
Seattle music columnist, Megan Seling began an experiment on Monday, 6 July 2009 wherein she vowed to listen to Collins' "Against All Odds" at least once every hour that she was awake for an entire week and chronicled the journey here http://takealookatmenow.tumblr.com.
"I've done dumber things." – Megan Seling
Karaoke
This song is on the video game Karaoke Revolution Volume 3Karaoke Revolution
Karaoke Revolution and its many sequels are video games for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, Xbox, and Xbox 360, developed by Harmonix Music Systems and Blitz Games and published by Konami in its Bemani line of music games. The Original Concept for Karaoke Revolution was...
. It is also downloadable content for the game Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore.
Radio
The song also features heavily on the first Act of the This American LifeThis American Life
This American Life is a weekly hour-long radio program produced by WBEZ and hosted by Ira Glass. It is distributed by Public Radio International on PRI affiliate stations and is also available as a free weekly podcast. Primarily a journalistic non-fiction program, it has also featured essays,...
episode 'Break Up'. The segment featured an interview with Collins, as well as narration from a woman who listened to the song to get over a break-up and vowed to write her own break-up song.
See also
- Hot 100 number-one hits of 1984 (United States)
- List of number-one singles from the 2000s (UK)
- Number-one singles of 2000 (Ireland)