"Separate Lives" is a 1985 song recorded by

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

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. It reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, and was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry. 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 The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles. **Spain and Portugal ente ...

. It lost to

Lionel Richie Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recordi ...

'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''. Beginning in 1997 he has performed the song many times with Italian singer

Laura Pausini Laura Pausini (; born 16 May 1974) is an Italian singer. She rose to fame in 1993, winning the newcomer artists' section of the 43rd Sanremo Music Festival with her debut single "La solitudine", which became an Italian standard and an internat ...

. In 2004, Collins recorded a version with Bridgette Bryant who had toured with him in 1990 in support of '' ...But Seriously''.

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 Mikhail Nikolayevich Baryshnikov ( rus, Михаил Николаевич Барышников, p=mʲɪxɐˈil bɐ'rɨʂnʲɪkəf; lv, Mihails Barišņikovs; born January 28, 1948) is a Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Latvian-born R ...

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.

Chart history

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

All-time charts

Personnel

– vocals, drums * Marilyn Martin – vocals * Nick Glennie-Smith – keyboards * Daryl Stuermer – guitar

References

* ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 6th Edition, 1996 1985 singles 1985 songs Phil Collins songs Stephen Bishop (singer) songs Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles RPM Top Singles number-one singles Male–female vocal duets Pop ballads Rock ballads Songs written for films Song recordings produced by Arif Mardin Song recordings produced by Phil Collins Atlantic Records singles Virgin Records singles Warner Music Group singles {{1980s-pop-song-stub