Something Happened on the Way to Heaven

"Something Happened on the Way to Heaven"
Single by Phil Collins
from the album ...But Seriously
B-side	"I Wish It Would Rain Down"
Released	28 April 1990 (UK) 19 July 1990 (US)
Format	7", 12" single, CD maxi, Cassette
Genre	Rock
Length	4:50
Label	Atlantic, Virgin, WEA
Producer	Phil Collins
Phil Collins singles chronology
"I Wish It Would Rain Down" (1990) "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" (1990) "That's Just the Way It Is" (1990)

"Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" is a single performed by Phil Collins and released in 1990, from the album ...But Seriously. The song reached the #4 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that same year. A live performance of the song also appears on the Serious Hits... Live! album. The song was written by Phil Collins and Daryl Stuermer and was produced by Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham. It was also included on ...Hits on which it is the track number eight. The cover art shown here is a still from the 1946 film A Matter of Life and Death by Powell and Pressburger. The single's UK release featured a different cover, depicting comedian Tony Hancock. The song was originally written for the movie War of the Roses.

Formats and track listings

CD maxi

1. "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" – 4:37
2. "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" (Remix) – 5:38
3. "I Wish It Would Rain Down" (Demo) – 5:19

7" single

1. "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" (Edit) – 4:37
2. "I Wish It Would Rain Down" (Demo) – 5:19

12" maxi

1. "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" – 4:37
2. "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" (Remix) – 5:38
3. "I Wish It Would Rain Down" (Demo) – 5:19

Credits

• Phil Collins (keyboards, drums, vocals)
• Nathan East (bass, backing vocals)
• Daryl Stuermer (guitars)
• Dominic Müller (guitars)
• The Phenix Horns
• Don Myrick (saxophone)
• Louis Satterfield (trombone)
• Michael Harris (trumpet)
• Rhamlee Michael Davis (trumpet)
• Arranged by Tom Tom 84
• Alex Brown (backing vocals)
• Marva King (backing vocals)
• Lynn Fiddmont (backing vocals)

Charts

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Dutch Top 40	5
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)	9
French SNEP Singles Chart	35
German Singles Chart	26
Irish Singles Chart	8
Swiss Singles Chart	26
UK Singles Chart	15
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	4
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	2
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	34

End of the year chart (1990)	Position
Dutch Top 40	65
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	58

Deborah Cox version

In 2003, Canadian singer Deborah Cox recorded a R&B cover of the track, which was included on the Phil Collins tribute compilation Urban Renewal. A club/house remix was issued as a single, which reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Airplay chart in November 2003 and stayed at the top spot until February 2004. The track spent 11 weeks at number one, ten of them consecutively, making it the first single on the chart to accomplish this feat, which she would hold until 2009, when Lady Gaga broke that record with her single "Poker Face", which spent 15 weeks at the top.

Preceded by "Baby Boy" by Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul "Gia" by Despina Vandi

U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Airplay number-one single (Deborah Cox version) 22 November 2003 – 24 January 2004 7 February 2004

Succeeded by "Gia" by Despina Vandi Hey Ya! by Outkast