We Can't Dance was Genesis' first studio album in five years, following the international success of Invisible Touch in 1986. We Can't Dance reached #1 in the UK and #4 in the US, selling several million copies (including 4 million in the US alone). The album also spawned several hit singles, including No Son of Mine, Hold on My Heart, I Can't Dance and Jesus He Knows Me, the latter two supported by humorous videos. Two songs were cut from the album, due to the fact "there wasn't enough room on the record." These two songs are On the Shoreline, and Hearts on Fire. Both songs were released as B-Sides.
Contrary to popular belief, Since I Lost You is not about a broken relationship. The song was written by Phil Collins for friend Eric Clapton. On 20 March 1991, Clapton's four-year-old son Conor died after falling from the 53rd-story window of his mother's friend's New York City apartment, landing on the roof of an adjacent four-story building.
Most of the songs were created/written out of improvising at Genesis' Fisher Lane Farm ("The Farm") studio.
Following the release of the album, Genesis would spend the majority of 1992 on the road, promoting We Can't Dance on a popular worldwide tour with sold out arenas and stadiums (where they mostly played on the US leg of the tour). This proved to be Collins's last tour with Genesis until the band reunited in 2007.
Professional Reviews
★★★☆☆ - AllMusic
No Son of Mine
Genesis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was never in much doubt
The question was how I could keep sane
Trying to find the way out
Things were never easy for me
Peace of mind was hard to find
And I needed a place where I could hide
Somewhere I could call mine
I didn't think much about it
Till it started happening all the time
Soon I was living with the fear everyday
Of what might happen at night
I couldn't stand to hear the
Crying of my mother
And I remember when
I swore that, that would be the
Last they'd see of me
And I never went home again
They say time is a healer
And now my wounds are not the same
I rang the bell with my heart in my mouth
I had to hear what he'd say
He sat me down to talk to me
He looked me straight in the eyes
He said:
"You're no son, you're no son of mine
You're no son, you're no son of mine
You walked out, you left us behind
And you're no son, you're no son of mine"
Oh his words how they hurt me
I'll never forget it
And as the time, it went by
I lived to regret it
You're no son, you're no son of mine
But where should I go
Please tell me what should I do
You're no son, you're no son of mine
But I came here for help
Oh I was looking for you
Well the years they passed so slowly
I thought about him everyday
What would I do, if we passed on the street
Would I keep running away
In and out of hiding places
Soon I'd have to face the facts
We'd have to sit down and talk it over
And that would mean going back
They say time is a healer
And now my wounds are not the same
I rang the bell with my heart in my mouth
I had to hear what he'd say
He sat me down to talk to me
He looked me straight in the eyes
He said:
"You're no son, you're no son of mine
You're no son, you're no son of mine
You walked out, you left us behind
And you're no son, you're no son of mine"
Oh his words how they hurt me
I'll never forget it
And as the time, it went by
I lived to regret it
You're no son, you're no son of mine
But where should I go
Please tell me what should I do
You're no son, you're no son of mine
But I came here for help
Oh I was looking for you
The song No Son of Mine by Genesis is a heart-wrenching take on the experience of a child who runs away from home and tries to outrun their past, only to come back seeking forgiveness. The singer describes the difficulty they faced growing up, with peace of mind and a place to call their own hard to come by. They couldn't bear to hear their mother crying and they swore that they would never return home. The haunting chorus of "You're no son, you're no son of mine" shows the pain of the separation from their family.
As time passes by, the singer realizes that they need a resolution to the pain that they have been carrying. They go back to try and make amends with their family, even though they know it will not be easy. They describe the physical pain they feel as they go to ring the doorbell, knowing that what they are seeking might be hard to come by. The song ends with a sense of uncertainty, with the singer not knowing if they will be welcomed back home.
No Son of Mine is a moving song with a universal theme of the pain of separation and the search for forgiveness. The lyrics touch a chord with listeners and have helped the song become one of the most popular hits by Genesis. The symbolism of the idea of home and the powerful emotion of regret and longing make for a poignant song that continues to resonate with audiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, the key to my survival
My ability to survive was never in question
Was never in much doubt
I always had confidence in my survival
The question was how I could keep sane
My main concern was maintaining my mental health
Trying to find the way out
I was seeking a way to escape my difficult circumstances
Things were never easy for me
I faced many challenges in my life
Peace of mind was hard to find
I struggled to find contentment and tranquility in my life
And I needed a place where I could hide
I required a space where I could seek refuge and safety
Somewhere I could call mine
A place to call my own
I didn't think much about it
I didn't consider the consequences
Till it started happening all the time
Until it became a regular occurrence
Soon I was living with the fear everyday
I experienced fear regularly
Of what might happen at night
Specifically, I was afraid of what could occur during the night
I couldn't stand to hear the
It was painful for me to hear the
Crying of my mother
My mother's tears brought me agony
And I remember when
I recall the time when
I swore that, that would be the
I made a promise that it would be the
Last they'd see of me
The last time my family would see me
And I never went home again
I never returned to my family after that
They say time is a healer
It is often said that time can heal emotional wounds
And now my wounds are not the same
My emotional wounds have changed over time
I rang the bell with my heart in my mouth
I nervously approached the door, unsure of what to expect
I had to hear what he'd say
I needed to hear what he had to say to me
He sat me down to talk to me
He invited me to sit and have a conversation
He looked me straight in the eyes
He made a direct and serious eye contact with me
"You're no son, you're no son of mine
"You are not my son"
You're no son, you're no son of mine
Repetition to emphasize lack of relationship
You walked out, you left us behind
You abandoned us and left us alone
Oh his words how they hurt me
His words caused me pain
I'll never forget it
I will always remember that moment
And as the time, it went by
As time passed
I lived to regret it
I was filled with regret
But where should I go
Where should I turn to
Please tell me what should I do
I need guidance and advice
But I came here for help
I am seeking assistance
Oh I was looking for you
I wanted to find you
Well the years they passed so slowly
Time seemed to pass slowly
I thought about him everyday
I would think about him every day
What would I do, if we passed on the street
If we met each other on the street
Would I keep running away
Would I continue to avoid him
In and out of hiding places
I would hide from him in various places
Soon I'd have to face the facts
I realized that I could no longer hide from the truth
We'd have to sit down and talk it over
We needed to have a conversation
And that would mean going back
To have a conversation, I would need to return to my past
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Michael Rutherford, Phil Collins, Tony Banks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rogerio Nuno Correia
on Ripples…
dont u think it as got to do with Peter Gabriel getting out of the Band? im 56.... just a thought...