Gorilla pushes Phil Collins to No. 1

Last updated 10:07 24/07/2008

TOP SPOT: This ad featuring a gorilla playing drums has helped push Phil Collin's single In the Air Tonight to the top of the New Zealand singles charts.

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A television ad featuring a gorilla playing drums has helped push a Phil Collins song from 1981 to the top of the New Zealand singles charts.

Collins's song In The Air Tonight, from the 1981 album Face Value, has hit the top spot in the New Zealand charts. It has also topped the iTunes video singles charts.

It's resurgance in the charts can be attributed to a popular ad for Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate, which started screening in New Zealand on June 23.

If features a stern gorilla playing drums along to the Phil Collins song.

It has been popular worldwide, with more than 2.5 million plays on video sharing site YouTube.

In the Air Tonight pushes Katy Perry's song down to No. 2, and Tiki Taane's Always On My Mind is at No. 3.

A Phil Collins hits album has also re-entered the album charts, with Hits sitting at No. 10.

The album charts are topped by the Mamma Mia movie soundtrack.

Two New Zealand albums are in the albums charts: Tiki Taane's Past, Present, Future, and Flight of the Conchords' debut.

Singles:
1. In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins
2. I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry
3. Always On My Mind - Tiki Taane
4. Nesian 101 - Nesian Mystik
5. When I Grow Up - The Pussycat Dolls
6. Closer - Ne-Yo
7. Forever - Chris Brown
8. That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings
9. Moving Mountains - Usher
10. Bust It Baby Pt 2 - Plies feat. Ne-Yo

Albums:
1. Mamma Mia: The Movie (2008) - Mamma Mia Cast
2. Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends - Coldplay
3. Rockferry - Duffy
4. Indestructible - Disturbed
5. Past, Present, Future - Tiki Taane
6. Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords
7. Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded - Rihanna
8. Exclusive: Forever Edition - Chris Brown
9. This Is Our God - Hillsong
10. Hits - Phil Collins

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- © Fairfax NZ News

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58 comments

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Joseph #58 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Wow ...Hillsong is a Number 9! Oh shit!

david #57 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

I'm a Phil Collins fan, and what I love most is see (especially mid 80's) videos of him pounding away at the Drums with Chester Thompson at a live Genesis show during one of those extended instrumental frenzies. If he stuck with shit drums with all his pop stuff they way all the crap 90's and 00's bands do I'd not be half the fan I am. Yay Phil!

Keith #56 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Reading some of the posts here, I cannot believe that so many people could suffer such a total sense of humour failure. I think Phil Collins' In The Air Tonight is a rock classic and I laughed out loud when I saw the gorilla ad for the first time. So what if a 27-year-old hit enjoys a brief new lease on life because of a funny TV ad? It doesn't mean that New Zealand has a sh*t taste in music. It's just a joke, okay? Don't take it so seriously, people. Laugh - it's funny!

James #55 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

You might want to do some research. The drum solo is not done on synth.

Cole #54 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

The drum fill that the Gorilla plays is where the real drums begin. If you listen carefully you can hear Phil playing ghost notes on the snare in between the main hits. Something drum machines at the time weren't capable of. Phil Collins if nothing else was a classy drummer.

Ally #53 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Great song, gay ad.

Marc #52 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

i dont get how the monkey and the song have anything to do with chocolate?

weird adds like this just show how lame sum things are... watching a monkey playing the drums does not get me up to go buy chocolate agree??

Bender #51 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Oh dear, New Zealand must be in a terrible state musically.

If this is the state of so called Kiwi music fans, who can't tell a gated reverb analogue drum effect from a synthesiser, or a legendary talented musician from a 'pretentious git' then indeed, god help you.

Muppets!

Andrew Cochrane #50 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Rob: that's just ignorance. Check your facts, use your ears. Yes, most of the song (the long build-up) is backed by a Roland drum box. But then - from the point you see the gorilla start hitting the drums - REAL drums are used (as can clearly be heard by anyone with ears).

Matteo #49 05:26 pm Jan 28 2009

Rob, I am sorry, but all drums are real! Played by Phil.

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