Since I Lost You
Genesis Lyrics


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It seems in a moment, your whole world can shatter
Like morning dreams they just disappear
Like dust in your hand falling to the floor
How can life ever be the same

'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since you've been gone

It's all too easy to take so much for granted
But it's so hard to find the words to say
Like a castle in the sand the water takes away
How can life ever be the same

'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since I've lost you

Ooh now you'll never see
Ooh now you'll never know
All the things I planned for you
Things for you and me

I held your hand so tightly
That I couldn't let it go
Now how can life ever be the same

'Cause my heart is broken in pieces




Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since you've been gone

Overall Meaning

In "Since I Lost You," Genesis singer Phil Collins reflects on the painful feeling of loss after a relationship ends. Collins sings about how it seems in just an instant, your whole world can shatter into tiny pieces, and life can never be the same again. He compares this feeling to watching your morning dreams disappear or dust falling through your fingertips. Collins continues to share that though it's all too easy to take things for granted, it's hard to find the right words to say, and the water will eventually wash the castle away. He mourns the loss of his relationship, holding on to his partner's hand so tightly that he couldn't let it go.


Throughout the song, Collins repeats the line, "Cause my heart is broken in pieces," driving home the pain and sadness he feels after losing his love. He longs for what could have been, singing, "Ooh now you'll never see/Ooh now you'll never know/All the things I planned for you/Things for you and me." The song's melancholic tune, paired with Collins' heartfelt vocals, effectively conveys the feeling of heartbreak and loss.


Overall, "Since I Lost You" is a poignant expression of grief and longing after a failed relationship. Collins captures the raw emotions of heartbreak vividly, and the song is a powerful reminder of how love can shape our lives and leave a lasting impact.


Line by Line Meaning

It seems in a moment, your whole world can shatter
Life can change drastically in a blink of an eye, leaving everything you know behind.


Like morning dreams they just disappear
Things that once seemed so real and promising can suddenly vanish in the blink of an eye, like a dream.


Like dust in your hand falling to the floor
The things we hold onto so tightly, like dust, can be blown away and lost forever.


How can life ever be the same
Once something changes drastically, it can be hard to fathom ever returning to what it once was.


'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
The artist's heart has been shattered and torn apart.


Yes my heart is broken in pieces
The singer reiterates that their heart has been completely shattered.


Since you've been gone
The singer's heartbreak is tied to the departure of someone they loved deeply.


It's all too easy to take so much for granted
It's easy to overlook the worth and importance of something or someone until it's too late.


But it's so hard to find the words to say
Expressing the depth of our feelings can be incredibly difficult and challenging.


Like a castle in the sand the water takes away
Things that seem strong and secure can be washed away and taken by the sea, leaving behind only traces of what once was.


Ooh now you'll never see
The person the singer is addressing will never get to witness the plans and dreams that were once in store for them.


Ooh now you'll never know
Further emphasizing the loss and missed opportunities, the person who left will never know what could have been.


All the things I planned for you
The singer had grand plans and expectations for the person they loved deeply.


Things for you and me
These plans were symbiotic and would have benefited both the singer and their loved one.


I held your hand so tightly
The singer fought to hold onto something that they knew was fleeting and fragile.


That I couldn't let it go
The artist's grip was so tight that they couldn't relinquish it even when it was time to.


Now how can life ever be the same
The artist's world has been upended and turned inside out. There's no going back to how things were before.


'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
The singer has been left with deep emotional scars as a result of their loss.


Yes my heart is broken in pieces
The singer once again reiterates the extent of their heartbreak.


Since you've been gone
The source of the artist's pain remains the departure of the person they loved deeply.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: TONY BANKS, PHIL COLLINS, MICHAEL RUTHERFORD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@o.portista

Lyrics to this beautiful track; 💙👑

It seems in a moment, your whole world can shatter
Like morning dreams they just disappear
Like dust in your hand falling to the floor
How can life ever be the same
'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since you've been gone
It's all too easy to take so much for granted
But it's so hard to find the words to say
Like a castle in the sand the water takes away
How can life ever be the same
'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since I've lost you
Ooh now you'll never see
Ooh now you'll never know
All the things I planned for you
Things for you and me
I held your hand so tightly
That I couldn't let it go
Now how can life ever be the same
'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since you've been gone



@antster1983

""Since I Lost You" was born in innocence. [Mike] Rutherford and [Tony] Banks were working in the studio the March day Eric Clapton's 4 1/2 year old son, Conor, fell to his death from an open window on the 49th floor of a Manhattan apartment building.

""I came in the next day and they played it for me," [Phil] Collins said. "Straightaway, I was singing the things you hear on the record.

cos my heart is broken in pieces
yes my heart is broken in pieces
since you've been gone.

""It wasn't until the lyrics were finished that I told Tony and Mike what they were about", Collins says. "I didn't want to talk about it. Nor did any of us. We would prefer for people to think it's just a love song."

"That is where things would stand with "Since I Lost You," if Collins hadn't played the song for Clapton. The grieving guitarist was so moved by the song and the lines, "I held your hand so tightly, that I couldn't let it go, Now how can life ever be the same," he had to tell his friends. They, in turn, told others. Word got out.

""Now we're talking about it," Collins says. "I'm glad I can. But it still gives you shivers when you think about it."

"Collins grows quiet. To bring himself around, Genesis' class clown cracks a joke - "here's Mike to tell you that everything I've been saying is a lie" - as he passes the phone to Rutherford."

-Genesis talking to Cliff Radel of the Cincinatti Enquirer, 10th November 1991



All comments from YouTube:

@finchharper4647

I'm currently on a grief journey for an unexpected death, and this song is very true. People if you have someone you love, please let them know. You'll regret it if they are gone and you didn't.

@kadehamelin9582

I understand that pain fully. The best friend I ever had, my brother, was taken by a sudden aggressive colon cancer almost exactly 4 months ago, and I have countless memories of him that save me. We Held hands tightly when he was lucid. Indeed, hold your loved ones close. You never know when your next moment with them may be your last.

@davidthomson8030

Father just gone to heaven.this is how I feel 😢

@o.portista

A beautiful track in the album, espically for it's background story, overall an underrated imo. So much emotion in the lyrics, the Instrumental, and the meaning behind it, hard to see not much credit given to it. One of my favorites. Long Live Genesis, A never ending legacy. 💙👑

@wagnerribeirodesantana1651

This song is very touching sometimes it brings me to tears!♥️🎹🎶

@villapertiwi8784

Even if sitting alone remember happy moment

@velvitjonze

Song of the album for me. Something beautiful from the tragedy of Connor Claptons incredibly sad death. This and Tears in Heaven are tributes that will last forever.

@o.portista

Lyrics to this beautiful track; 💙👑

It seems in a moment, your whole world can shatter
Like morning dreams they just disappear
Like dust in your hand falling to the floor
How can life ever be the same
'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since you've been gone
It's all too easy to take so much for granted
But it's so hard to find the words to say
Like a castle in the sand the water takes away
How can life ever be the same
'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since I've lost you
Ooh now you'll never see
Ooh now you'll never know
All the things I planned for you
Things for you and me
I held your hand so tightly
That I couldn't let it go
Now how can life ever be the same
'Cause my heart is broken in pieces
Yes my heart is broken in pieces
Since you've been gone

@jonmutanen8896

This song ALWAYS makes me cry because it is a part of my life's soundtrack. Not to mention, I know about heartache.

@mojalefataunyana2988

Leaving one with tears in the eyes and bleeding heart,, especially listening to the song alone...

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