“Against All Odds” soundtrack, 1984. This week in 1984 the title track, Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” was #1. I never really liked Phil Collins (who was everywhere in the early 80′s) or that song – all 80′s power ballady – but over the years my stance has softened. (I’ve also never listened to this soundtrack fully, until now). The main reason I no longer loathe, maybe almost like “Against All Odds” is because of an interview on This American Life back in 2007 when writer Starlee Kine called up Phil Collins to interview him about creating the perfect breakup song. It was a surprisingly touching interview and it humanized Phil Collins for me. Collins stated that the song was written in response to his breakup and divorce from his first wife.

The rest of the soundtrack is kind of OK! It was nominated for a Grammy, as was Collins’ title track. Stevie Nicks performs “Violet and Blue,” Peter Gabriel has “Walk Through the Fire” (lots of world beats and flavor), yet another Genesis alum, Mike Rutherford, performs the Gensis-esque “Making a Big Mistake,” new wavers Big Country have the dark pop track “Balcony” and King Creole performs “My Male Curiosity.” The rest of the LP is typical soundtrack filler one would expect for a 80′s romantic thriller (which a reboot of the 1947 film noir Out of the Past; actress Jane Greer who appeared as the original femme fatale plays the mother of her original character in Against All Odds).