About The Song
“Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” (also titled “Against All Odds”) is a song by English drummer, singer and songwriter Phil Collins. It was recorded for the 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”, but worth the gamble. The single reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, the first of seven US No. 1s for Collins in his solo career. “Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now)” also topped the charts in Canada, Ireland, and Norway, while peaking at No. 2 in the United Kingdom.
The song has been covered by several singers, some versions of which have been successful in both the US and UK markets. The song has twice reached No. 1 in the UK singles chart: the pairing of Mariah Carey and boyband Westlife, in September 2000,[5] and then again by Steve Brookstein, the first winner of The X Factor, in January 2005. In 2022, an Italian version called “Impossibile” was released by German singer and TV-personality Giovanni Zarrella.
“Against All Odds” was created explicitly for the movie, although it was based on an earlier unreleased song Collins had written in 1981. Hackford, who previously used a song for the 1982 American drama film An Officer and a Gentleman, 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 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.
“Against All Odds” won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male in 1985, was nominated for Song of the Year and for an Academy Award as well as for a Golden Globe both in the Best Original Song categories. At the Academy Awards ceremony, Collins was not invited to sing his song on stage and instead sat in the audience as dancer Ann Reinking gave a mostly lip-synced vocal performance accompanied by a dance routine. Reinking’s performance was poorly received by critics from the Los Angeles Times and People, as well as by Collins himself in a Rolling Stone interview.
Video
Lyrics
How can I just let you walk away?
Just let you leave without a trace?
When I stand here taking every breath, with you, ooh
You’re the only one who really knew me at all
How can you just walk away from me
When all I can do is watch you leave?
‘Cause we’ve shared the laughter and the pain and even shared the tears
You’re the only one who really knew me at all
So take a look at me now
Oh, there’s just an empty space
And there’s nothing left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Ooh, take a look at me now
Well, there’s just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against the odds
And that’s what I’ve got to face
I wish, I could just make you turn around
Turn around and see me cry
There’s so much I need to say to you, so many reasons why
You’re the only one who really knew me at all
So take a look at me now
Well, there’s just an empty space
And there’s nothin’ left here to remind me
Just the memory of your face
Now take a look at me now
‘Cause there’s just an empty space
But to wait for you, is all I can do
And that’s what I’ve gotta face
Take a good look at me now
‘Cause I’ll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds
It’s the chance I’ve gotta take
Take a look at me now