Search - Phil Collins :: We Wait & We Wonder / For a Friend

Terrific CD single from Phil Collins with two non-LP gems

Dave | United States | 03/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A 5 track "We Wait and We Wonder" single by Phil Collins was released in 1994. In addition to an edited version of the title track, it has a pair of tracks that clearly date from the sessions for his 1993 album "Both Sides" but were left off the album--"For A Friend" and "Take Me With You". It seems entirely clear that Phil plays all of the instruments on both of these tracks, which is what he did on the entirety of the "Both Sides" album, & they're both great, fully fleshed-out songs that are by no means your typical 'throwaway' b-side material. "For A Friend" is a moving, explosive ballad that seems to have been written for Don Myrick--a member of the Phenix Horns that played on each of Phil's first four solo albums--who was tragically killed by the LAPD in July of 1993. "Take Me With You" is a haunting, wistful ballad with a gloriously icy intro. Also, you get a demo version of the song "Hero" with Phil on lead vocals, a song which he wrote with David Crosby (it's on Crosby's 1993 album "A Thousand Roads")--the version here does leave a little to be desired in terms of sound quality, but it is admittedly credited as a demo, and it's still good. The single ends with the "Both Sides" track "Can't Turn Back the Years"--a great song, though redundant for anyone who has the "Both Sides" CD. Still, with 2 great non-album b-sides, plus a good demo of a really good song, this makes for an excellent companion to the "Both Sides" album and no serious fan should miss out."