Separate Lives

For the 1995 film, see Separate Lives (1995 film).

"Separate Lives" is a 1985 song recorded by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin and featured on the soundtrack to the motion picture White Nights. It reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts as well as in Canada and Ireland.^[3] It reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart,^[4] and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry.^[1]

"Separate Lives"
UK picture sleeve
Single by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin
from the album White Nights: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side	"I Don't Wanna Know" (USA) "Only You Know And I Know" (UK)
Released	September 1985 (US) 11 November 1985 (UK) [1]
Recorded	1985
Genre	Soft rock[2]
Length	4:06
Label	Atlantic Virgin WEA
Songwriter(s)	Stephen Bishop
Producer(s)	Arif Mardin Hugh Padgham Phil Collins
Phil Collins singles chronology
"Take Me Home" (1985) "Separate Lives" (1985) "In the Air Tonight (Remix)" (1988)
Marilyn Martin singles chronology
"Separate Lives" (1985) "Night Moves" (1986)
Music video
"Phil Collins - Separate Lives (Official Music Video)" on YouTube

Songwriter Stephen Bishop recorded his own version for his album Sleeping with Girls for Polydor Records, released in 1985. Bishop received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song in 1986. It lost to Lionel Richie's song "Say You, Say Me" from the same film.

Collins recorded other versions of "Separate Lives" while on tour. He sang with touring singer Amy Keys in 1994, the song appearing on the album Live from the Board.^[5] Beginning in 1997, he has performed the song many times with Italian singer Laura Pausini.^[6] In 2004, Collins recorded a version with Bridgette Bryant who had toured with him in 1990 in support of ...But Seriously.^[7]

Music video

The music video features Martin and Collins singing and playing the piano, intercut with scenes from the movie. It was edited to make it appear that Phil and Marilyn were in the same building as the movie's stars, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines, but in a separate studio. It was directed by Jim Yukich and produced by Paul Flattery of FYI. The film's director, Taylor Hackford, was also at the shoot.

Personnel

• Phil Collins – vocals, drums
• Marilyn Martin – vocals
• Nick Glennie-Smith – keyboards
• Daryl Stuermer – guitar
• Arif Mardin – orchestration and conductor

Chart history

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Separate Lives" Chart (1985–1986) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 14 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 25 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[11] 1 Canada (The Record)[12] 1 France (SNEP)[13] 44 Germany (GfK)[14] 50 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 1 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 43 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 29 Norway (VG-lista)[18] 7 Paraguay (UPI)[19] 3 UK Singles (OCC)[20] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[21] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[22] 1

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Separate Lives" Chart (1985) Position Canada RPM Top 100[23] 10 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 50

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1985 (U.S.)