The audition was noted for the judges having pre-judgements of Collings, particularly due to his dress sense. He made it through to the next round and subsequently the semi-finals.
His performance's airing resulted in the original version by Tracy Chapman re-entering the UK Singles Chart at number 4 the following week.
In the semi-final on 3 June, Collings sang Paul Weller's "You Do Something to Me" and was praised by the judges, with Cowell stating that he didn't need 'gimmicks'. Hasselhoff gushed that Collings ‘blew him away’ and said that he is like a ‘young Chris Rea.’.
His audition has gained over 25 million views on YouTube on the official video with many video reposts also getting well over 1million views also.
On 7 November 2011, Collings released his cover of "Fast Car" as a single.
He put out an EP called 'It's Not You' which is available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify etc.
Come Back
Michael Collings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Baby when you hold me
I know your thinking of her
Never gonna be the one you love
But baby you told me
I'm the only future in your world
And i wanna run, into your arms
But baby i can't take it anymore
Just need you to love me
All you gotta do is hold me
When my nights are getting cold
Shes with you
Got your hands on her body being freaky being naughty ooh
I'm just a player in the game
Stop acting like the fool
When shes screaming out your name
And I, I wanna run
Into your arms
But baby i can't take it anymore
Been down this road before
Just need you to love me
All you gotta do is hold me
Baby I try
Holding on do you remember
But I know its killing me inside
But baby I'm torn
Of loving you, loving you
This time is goodbye
And I, I wanna run
Into your arms
But baby I can't take it anymore
Been down this road before
Just need you to love me
All you had to do is
I, I wanna run
Into your arms
But baby i won't take this anymore
Been down this road before
Just need you to love me
All you had to do was hold me
The song "Come Back" by Michael Collings is about an unrequited love where the singer wants to be with someone who is already in a relationship with someone else. The opening lines of the song express her longing to be the only one in her lover's life, but she realizes that she is not. The singer is aware that her lover is thinking of his ex-girlfriend every time he holds her, and she comes to terms with the fact that she will never be the only one he loves. However, her lover promised her that she is the only future in his life, but she finds it hard to believe.
The chorus of the song repeats the singer's desire to be in her lover's arms, but she is unable to handle the situation anymore because she has been through this before. She pleads with her lover to love her and hold her, and all she wants is to be with him. In the second verse, the singer is jealous of the other woman who is with her lover in bed. She knows that she is a mere player in the game of love and wants her lover to stop acting like a fool. The singer feels torn between her love for her lover and her need for love and affection.
Overall, "Come Back" is a song about a complex and frustrating relationship that is painful for the singer. Her lover is already in a relationship and is unable to give her the love she desires, which leaves her feeling alone and hurt.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm never gonna be your only girl
I will never be the only one that you love.
Baby when you hold me, I know you're thinking of her
When you hold me, I can sense that you are thinking of someone else (another girl).
Never gonna be the one you love, but baby you told me I'm the only future in your world
Though I may not be the one you love, you told me that I am the only one that you see in your future.
And I wanna run into your arms, but baby I can't take it anymore, been down this road before, just need you to love me, all you gotta do is hold me
I long to run to your arms, but I cannot bear the pain anymore. I have been down this path before, and I just need you to love me. All you need to do is hold me, and everything will be okay.
When my nights are getting cold, she's with you, got your hands on her body, being freaky, being naughty ooh
When I am alone, feeling cold, you are with her instead. You have your hands on her body, being intimate and naughty.
I'm just a player in the game, stop acting like the fool, when she's screaming out your name
I am just a pawn in your game. Stop acting foolish, pretending that nothing is happening when she is screaming your name.
Baby I try, holding on do you remember, but I know it's killing me inside, but baby I'm torn, of loving you, loving you, this time is goodbye
I have tried to hold on to you, but it is tearing me apart inside. However, I am torn between my love for you and the pain it brings me. I have decided to say goodbye this time.
And I wanna run into your arms, but baby I can't take it anymore, been down this road before, just need you to love me, all you gotta do is hold me
I wish to run into your embrace, but I cannot withstand it anymore. I have been through this path before, and I merely require you to love me. All you have to do is hold me.
I wanna run into your arms, but baby I won't take this anymore, been down this road before, just need you to love me, all you had to do was hold me
I want to rush to your embrace, but I will not endure this pain anymore. I have gone through this before, and all I need is for you to love me. All you had to do was hold me.
Contributed by Maria F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.