Watch: Phil Collins Reveals Which Iconic Hit Was ‘80% Improvised’

Phil Collins revealed that one of his most iconic songs was essentially created on the spot.

During a recent appearance on BBC Radio 2, the music legend opened up about his songwriting process.

“I very rarely sit down and think, ‘What am I going to write about?’ I don’t ever do that,” the music icon admitted.

Collins revealed that his iconic 1981 song "In the Air Tonight" was “pretty much 80% improvised,” recalling how he was alone in his bedroom when he discovered a keyboard sound he loved. He programmed a drum machine, played along and started singing — with the first verse’s lyrics coming to him spontaneously.

“I might have done it once or twice, but I certainly didn’t labor on it,” he said.

Even more surprising? Collins revealed that the version he first played was almost exactly what ended up on the record.

“That started the way I started writing!" he explained.

When host Vernon Kay pointed out that the "You'll Be in My Heart" hitmaker created one of the most recognizable songs of all time, the singer jokingly credited “that extra whiskey at lunchtime.”