We Wait and We Wonder
Encyclopedia
"We Wait and We Wonder" is third and final single performed by Phil Collins
from his 1993 album Both Sides
.
"To the outsider it seems that we in Britain live daily under the cloud of terrorism. That familiarity sometimes makes you think of it as almost normal, then suddenly something will happen..." - Sleeve note from the album.
The single didn't launch the album to the similar heights Collins' previous efforts had achieved. It enjoyed similar success to the previous singles from the album, reaching #45 on the U.K. Charts, but failing to chart in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
. It was to be Collins' last single before the lead single of his next album Dance into the Light
in 1996.
The B-side varied. It was either "Take Me with You", "For a Friend", "Hero" Or Stevies Blues ("There's a Place for Us" Instrumental). "Hero" itself originally appeared on David Crosby
's album Thousand Roads
, with Phil singing backing vocals. The version from the "We Wait and We Wonder" single had Phil being the only one singing vocals.
The music video featured Collins and touring band members performing the song on the Both Sides stage set-up. The song is shortened down from the album length. The second song on the album, "Can't Turn Back the Years" featured the same set and idea for its video but did not receive an official single release.
As well as being performed during the entirety of the 1994–1995 tour promoting the album, "We Wait and We Wonder" was also performed during the 2005 leg of the First Final Farewell Tour.
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....
from his 1993 album Both Sides
Both Sides
-Unreleased Tracks:Several instrumental tracks were recorded and subsequently released as extra tracks on both singles for "Everyday", and "We Wait and We Wonder". These instrumental tracks include, "Rad Dudeski", and "Don't Call Me Ashley"...
.
History
The early 1990s saw a high scale of terrorism witnessed within Britain. This inspired Collins to write about how someone lives under such circumstances."To the outsider it seems that we in Britain live daily under the cloud of terrorism. That familiarity sometimes makes you think of it as almost normal, then suddenly something will happen..." - Sleeve note from the album.
The single didn't launch the album to the similar heights Collins' previous efforts had achieved. It enjoyed similar success to the previous singles from the album, reaching #45 on the U.K. Charts, but failing to chart in the 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...
. It was to be Collins' last single before the lead single of his next album Dance into the Light
Dance into the Light
Dance into the Light is the sixth solo album by Phil Collins released in 1996. it was notable for being the first album that Collins released as a full-time solo artist, having left Genesis earlier that year.-History:...
in 1996.
The B-side varied. It was either "Take Me with You", "For a Friend", "Hero" Or Stevies Blues ("There's a Place for Us" Instrumental). "Hero" itself originally appeared on David Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
's album Thousand Roads
Thousand Roads
Thousand Roads is the third solo album released by David Crosby, a founding member of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. It was released in 1993 .-Track listing:#"Hero" – 4:39...
, with Phil singing backing vocals. The version from the "We Wait and We Wonder" single had Phil being the only one singing vocals.
The music video featured Collins and touring band members performing the song on the Both Sides stage set-up. The song is shortened down from the album length. The second song on the album, "Can't Turn Back the Years" featured the same set and idea for its video but did not receive an official single release.
As well as being performed during the entirety of the 1994–1995 tour promoting the album, "We Wait and We Wonder" was also performed during the 2005 leg of the First Final Farewell Tour.
UK 1st Version
- "We Wait and We Wonder" – 5:48
- "Take Me with You" – 5:24
- "Stevies Blues" ("There's a Place for Us" Instrumental) – 6:49
-
-
- This Version is very rare and its hard to find***.
-
UK 2nd Version
- "We Wait and We Wonder" – 7:00
- "For a Friend" – 6:04
- "Hero" (Demo) – 4:45
-
-
- This version is the most common and can be found very easily today via Ebay***
-
Charts
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Dutch Singles Chart | 36 |
| German Singles Chart | 52 |
| 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 ... |
45 |