Through the years, an urban legend -- repeated in the Eminem song "Stan" -- maintained that this moody number was about a preventable drowning Collins had witnessed at sea. But in reality, this song, along with his entire debut album, was inspired by a split with his wife. "If I hadn't gotten divorced, I never would have written it," he told Rolling Stone. Known for its drum outburst, which was suggested by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, it established the Genesis frontman as a solo act. In adition, the song got a significant bump from appearing on the Miami Vice premiere.