We Wait and We Wonder

"We Wait and We Wonder"
Single by Phil Collins
from the album Both Sides
B-side	"Take Me with You" "For a Friend" "Stevies Blues" ("There's a Place for Us" Instrumental) "Hero"
Released	29 April 1994 (UK) 12 May 1994 (US)
Format	CD, cassette
Recorded	1992
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	7:01 (Album Version) 5:48 (Single Version)
Label	Atlantic, Virgin, WEA
Writer(s)	Phil Collins
Producer(s)	Phil Collins
Phil Collins singles chronology
"Everyday" (1994) "We Wait and We Wonder" (1994) "Somewhere" (1996)

"We Wait and We Wonder" is third and final single performed by Phil Collins from his 1993 album Both Sides.

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.^[1]

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 as an encore/extra song during the 2005 leg of the First Final Farewell Tour.

Track listing

UK 1st Version

1. "We Wait and We Wonder" – 5:48
2. "Take Me with You" – 5:24
3. "Stevies Blues" ("There's a Place for Us" Instrumental) – 6:49

• This version is very rare.

UK 2nd Version

1. "We Wait and We Wonder" – 7:00
2. "For a Friend" – 6:04
3. "Hero" (Demo) – 4:45

• Phil Collins – vocals, drums, percussion, keyboards, bass, guitars, bagpipes

Charts

Notes

• We Wait and We Wonder UK 1st Version at Discogs
• We Wait and We Wonder UK 2nd Version at Discogs