Produced by Collins along with Hugh Padgham , it was released as the first single from his number-one album But Seriously As with his song for Genesis , " Man on the Corner ", the track has as its subject the problem of homelessness and paradise ; [ 3 ] as such, the song was a substantial departure from the dance - pop music of his previous album, No Jacket Required Collins sings the song from a third-person perspective, as he observes a man crossing the street to ignore a homeless woman, and he implores listeners not to turn a blind eye to homelessness because, by drawing a religious allusion, "it's just another day for you and me in paradise".
Collins also appeals directly to God by singing: "Oh Lord, is there nothing more anybody can do? Oh Lord, there must be something you can say. The song was Collins' seventh and final Billboard Hot No. It was a worldwide success, eventually becoming one of the most successful songs of his solo career. Despite the awards gained following its release, the song also generated controversy over its subject matter and has received a largely unfavourable reaction from music critics.
The live performance of the song at the Grammy Awards by Collins and David Crosby , who provided backing vocals on the track, was released on the album Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume I. The song was another hit for Collins. On 23 December , it became his seventh and, to date, final [update] No.
It also saw out the s and saw in the s at the top of the German singles chart. The song had already reached No. The single version is slightly different from the album version in that it uses a shorter intro.
The music video also features many messages about the homeless, to convey the full message of the song. Collins' part was shot in less than an hour in New York. It's a misconception that if you have a lot of money you're somehow out of touch with reality. Singer-songwriter and political activist Billy Bragg gave a interview in which he negatively compared Collins to the Clash , stating, "Phil Collins might write a song about the homeless, but if he doesn't have the action to go with it he's just exploiting that for a subject.
