'Against All Odds': Phil Collins' 1984 Song Hit No. 1 on This Day

Take a look at Phil Collins now. The former frontman for rock band Genesis was still on tour with said band when he agreed to record a song for the neo-noir film Against All Odds in 1983. Titled "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)," the power ballad was released in February 1984 as a single in the US and on March 26, 1984, in the UK. Categorized as a pop/soft rock track, "Against All Odds" is about taking a gamble on a reconciliation with an ex-lover, knowing that it's "against all odds."

On this day 42 years ago, the single skyrocketed to the number one spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also hit No. 1 on nine other charts, including the US Mainstream Rock chart. While it peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles chart, it reached the top slot via a series of covers: Mariah Carey and Westlife's rendition in September 2000, and in January 2005 by Steve Brookstein, the first winner of The X Factor .

Collins originally titled the tune "How Can You Just Sit There?" He composed the music during the recording process for his solo debut album, Face Value, which was released on Feb. 13, 1981. However, the singer-songwriter and musician discarded it as it was his least favorite track at the time. "Against All Odds" finally made it onto one of his records with the release of his compilation album Hits in 1998.

"Against All Odds" saw massive commercial success for Collins, changing the trajectory of his career. It achieved Gold in five countries, including the US, while hitting Platinum in three. Reception-wise, it garnered favorable reviews from music critics, with one reviewer claiming it was "one of the 1980s' best love songs."

Collins won a Grammy for "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male" in 1985. "Against All Odds" was also nominated for "Song of the Year" at the same awards ceremony as well as for an Oscar and a Golden Globe in the "Best Original Song" categories. It's considered one of his greatest hits, and for good reason.