Easy Lover

This article is about the Philip Bailey and Phil Collins song. For the Ellie Goulding song, see Easy Lover (Ellie Goulding song).

"Easy Lover"
Front cover of UK 7-inch single
Single by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins
from the album Chinese Wall
B-side	"Woman"
Released	6 November 1984 (US) 21 February 1985 (UK)[1]
Recorded	1984
Genre	Pop rock dance-rock new wave soul[2]
Length	4:54 (single version) 5:03 (album version)
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Philip Bailey Phil Collins Nathan East
Producer(s)	Phil Collins
Philip Bailey singles chronology
"Photogenic Memory" (1984) "Easy Lover" (1984) "Walking on the Chinese Wall" (1984)
Phil Collins singles chronology
"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" (1984) "Easy Lover" (1984) "Sussudio" (1985)
Music video
"Easy Lover" on YouTube

"Easy Lover" is a song performed by Philip Bailey of the band Earth, Wind & Fire and Phil Collins of the band Genesis, jointly written and composed by Bailey, Collins, and Nathan East. The song appears on Bailey's solo album, Chinese Wall. Collins has performed the song in his live concerts, and it appears on both his 1990 album, Serious Hits... Live!, and his 1998 compilation album, ...Hits. It is Bailey's only US Top 40 hit as a solo artist.

The song was a No. 1 hit in several countries, including Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., it spent 23 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including 7 weeks in the Top 10, and peaked at No. 2 during the weeks of 2 February 1985 and 9 February 1985, behind "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner. In the UK Singles Chart, it reached No. 1, staying there for four weeks.^[3] The single sold over a million copies in the U.S. and was certified gold,^[4] as the RIAA requirement for a platinum single disc was not lowered to one million units until 1989.^[5] In addition, "Easy Lover" has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and Music Canada. Despite Collins' popularity in Australia, its lowly position on that country's charts was because of a record company dispute.

"Easy Lover" won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Overall Performance in a Video in 1985 and was Grammy Award nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals in 1986.^[6][7]

The song was used by WWE for WrestleMania I in March 1985 from Madison Square Garden.^[8]

Background

In 1984, Phil Collins was hired as the producer for Philip Bailey's solo album, Chinese Wall. According to Collins, Bailey approached him at the end of the sessions for the album and asked him to write a song together. In "Phil Collins: My Life in 15 Songs", a 2016 interview he gave to Rolling Stone magazine, Collins said of the song: "So we just started having a jam one night, and went round and round and turned it into a verse and a chorus. We recorded it that night so we wouldn't forget it. That song doesn't sound like any particular era. It's just fantastic."^[9] According to the official sheet music, the song is in the key of F minor and has a tempo of 105 BPM, though the studio recording has a tempo of 130 BPM.^[10]

Music video

The song's music video, filmed at Ewarts Studios, London, England, humorously depicts the making of a music video. It was produced by Paul Flattery and directed by Jim Yukich.^[11]

Personnel

• Philip Bailey – lead and backing vocals
• Phil Collins – lead and backing vocals, drums, keyboards, production
• Daryl Stuermer – electric lead & rhythm guitar
• Nathan East – bass guitar
• Lesette Wilson – keyboards

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Easy Lover" Chart (1985) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[12] 74 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[13] 21 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 4 Brazil (ABPD)[15] 2 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[16] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[17] 16 Canada (The Record)[18] 1 Europe (European Top 100 Singles)[19] 1 Europe (European Airplay Top 50)[20] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[21] 5 France (SNEP)[22] 14 Ireland (IRMA)[23] 1 Italy (Musica e dischi)[24] 21 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[25] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[26] 2 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[27] 2 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[28] 6 Spain (AFYVE)[29] 11 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[30] 10 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 8 UK Singles (OCC)[32] 1 US Billboard Hot 100[33] 2 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[34] 15 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[35] 7 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[36] 3 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[37] 3 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[38] 5 US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[39] 1 US Top 100 Black Singles (Cash Box)[40] 4 West Germany (GfK)[41] 5

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Easy Lover" Chart (1985) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[42] 26 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[43] 4 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[44] 11 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[45] 22 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[46] 42 UK Singles (Gallup)[47] 12 US Billboard Hot 100[48] 12 US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[49] 47 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[50] 33 US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[51] 7 US Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles (Cash Box)[52] 27 West Germany (Official German Charts)[53] 41

Certifications

Certifications for "Easy Lover"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[54]	Platinum	100,000^^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[55]	Gold	30,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[56]	Platinum	600,000^‡
United States (RIAA)[57]	Gold	1,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "BPI certifications".
2. Breihan, Tom (25 September 2020). "The Number Ones: Phil Collins' "One More Night". Stereogum. Retrieved 30 July 2023. ..."Easy Lover," the first single from that album, was a duet from the two Phils. It became a yuppie-soul smash...
3. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 447. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
4. "Philip Bailey: Chinese Wall". riaa.com. RIAA.
5. "Rock Music, etc., Terms". spider.georgetowncollege.edu. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
6. "MTV Video Music Awards History: Best Overall Performance". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
7. "Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group or Duo". Rock On The Net. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
8. https://www.robotbutt.com/2018/05/19/remember-song-easy-lover-theme-wrestlemania/
9. Greene, Andy (29 February 2016). "Phil Collins: My Life in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
10. "Phil Collins "Easy Lover" Sheet Music in F Minor". Musicnotes.com. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
11. "Video Track" (PDF). Billboard. 12 January 1985. p. 34.
12. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992: 23 years of hit singles & albums from the top 100 charts. St Ives, N.S.W, Australia: Australian Chart Book. p. 71. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
13. "Philip Bailey with Phil Collins – Easy Lover" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
14. "Philip Bailey with Phil Collins – Easy Lover" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
15. "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). 8 July 1985. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
16. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9577." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
17. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 0495." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
18. Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Mississauga, Ontario: Music Data Canada.
19. "European Top 100 Singles". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 10. 11 March 1985. p. 10. OCLC 29800226.
20. "European Airplay Top 50". Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 12. 25 March 1985. p. 2. OCLC 29800226.
21. Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Philip Bailey". Sisältää hitin – Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish) (2nd ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 24. ISBN 978-952-7460-01-6.
22. "Philip Bailey with Phil Collins – Easy Lover" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
23. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Easy Lover". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
24. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 5 June 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Easy lover" in the "Titolo" field and press "cerca".
25. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 4, 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
26. "Philip Bailey with Phil Collins – Easy Lover" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
27. "Philip Bailey with Phil Collins – Easy Lover". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
28. "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts B". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
29. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
30. "Philip Bailey with Phil Collins – Easy Lover". Singles Top 100.
31. "Philip Bailey with Phil Collins – Easy Lover". Swiss Singles Chart.
32. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
33. "Phil Collins Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
34. "Phil Collins Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
35. "Phil Collins Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
36. "Phil Collins Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
37. "Phil Collins Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
38. "Phil Collins Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
39. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending February 9, 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
40. "The Cash Box Top 100 Black Contemporary – Week ending March 2, 1985". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
41. "Offiziellecharts.de – Philip Bailey with Phil Collins – Easy Lover" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
42. "Jaaroverzichten 1985 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
43. "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. 28 December 1985. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
44. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
45. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1985" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
46. "Top Selling Singles of 1985". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
47. "Top 100 Singles (January 5–December 28, 1985)". Music Week. 18 January 1986. p. 10. ISSN 0265-1548.
48. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 3 October 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
49. "1985 The Year in Music & Video – Top Dance Sales Singles/Albums". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. 28 December 1985. p. T-23. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
50. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
51. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1985 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. 28 December 1985. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
52. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1985 – Top 50 Black Contemporary Singles". Cash Box. 28 December 1985. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
53. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
54. "Canadian single certifications – Philip Bailey – Easy Lover". Music Canada. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
55. "Spanish single certifications – Philipp Bailey / Phil Collins – Easy Lover". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
56. "British single certifications – Philip Bailey & Phil Collins – Easy Lover". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
57. "American single certifications – Philip Bailey – Easy Lover (Duet with Phil Collins)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 30 November 2022.

External links

• Easy Lover on YouTube