# Sting, ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’, and the 1985 Phil Collins song that combined them both

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/sting-one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest-and-the-1985-phil-collins-song-that-combined-them-both/
- Published: 2026-11-08T15:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-08T16:35:47+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/sting-one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest-and-the-1985-phil-collins-song-that-combined-them-both/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- ‘Take Me Home’ drew inspiration from *One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest*.
- Sting, Peter Gabriel and Helen Terry sang backing vocals.
- Collins often performed it as an encore.

## Summary

Phil Collins’s 1985 song ‘Take Me Home’ was inspired by the novel *One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest*, despite many listeners interpreting it as a song about returning home. The article says the track’s unusual subject and its prominent backing vocals helped make it one of the most distinctive songs on *No Jacket Required*.

Collins enlisted former Genesis bandmate Peter Gabriel, Culture Club singer Helen Terry and Sting for backing vocals. He played ‘Take Me Home’ frequently in concert, often as an encore, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony later sampled it; Collins recalled agreeing to appear in their video after they arranged to meet him in Geneva.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.