Born and raised in west London, Collins played drums from the age of five and completed drama school training, which secured him various roles as a child actor, with his first major role, aged 13, as the Artful Dodger in the West End musical Oliver!. He then pursued a music career, joining Genesis in 1970 as their drummer and becoming lead singer in 1975 following the departure of Peter Gabriel. Collins began a successful solo career in the 1980s, initially inspired by his marital breakdown and love of soul music, releasing the albums Face Value (1981), Hello, I Must Be Going! (1982), No Jacket Required (1985) and ...But Seriously (1989). Collins became, in the words of AllMusic, "one of the most successful pop and adult contemporary singers of the '80s and beyond". He also became known for a distinctive gated reverb drum sound on many of his recordings. In 1985, he was the only artist to perform at both Live Aid concerts. He also resumed his acting career, appearing in Miami Vice and subsequently starring in the film Buster (1988). In 1996, Collins left Genesis to focus on solo work; this included writing songs for Disney's Tarzan (1999) for which he received an Oscar for Best Original Song for "You'll Be in My Heart". He rejoined Genesis for their Turn It On Again Tour in 2007. Following a five-year retirement to focus on his family life, Collins released an autobiography in 2016 and completed his Not Dead Yet Tour in 2019. He then rejoined Genesis in 2020 for a second reunion tour, ending in March 2022.
Collins's discography includes eight studio albums that have sold 33.5 million certified units in the US and an estimated 150 million records sold worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists. He is one of only three recording artists, along with Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson, who have sold over 100 million records both as solo artists and separately as principal members of a band. He has won eight Grammy Awards, six Brit Awards (winning Best British Male Artist three times), two Golden Globe Awards, one Academy Award, and a Disney Legend Award. He was awarded six Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, including the International Achievement Award. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010. He has also been recognised by music publications with induction into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2012, and the Classic Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Collins
Studio albums
Face Value (1981)
Hello, I Must Be Going! (1982)
No Jacket Required (1985)
...But Seriously (1989)
Both Sides (1993)
Dance into the Light (1996)
Testify (2002)
Going Back (2010)
Don't Lose My Number
Phil Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shadows were on the ground
Well, nobody knew where to find him
No evidence was found
I'm never coming back
They heard him cry
And I believe him
Well he never meant to do anything wrong
Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere
That I can find you
Oh, now, Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere that I can find you, oh no
Searching through the day and into the night
They wouldn't stop 'til they found him
They didn't know him and they didn't understand
They never asked him why
"Get out of my way"
They heard him shout
Then a blinding light
Ooh all I could see was him running down the street
Out of the shadows and into the night
Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere
That I can find you
Oh, now, Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere that I can find you, oh
Don't give up
Keep running, keep hiding
Don't give up
Billy, if you know you're right
Don't give up
You know that I am on your side
Don't give up
Oh Billy, you better, you better, you better run for your life
Now Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere
That I can find you
Oh, now, Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere that I can find you, oh
They came at night leaving fear behind
Shadows were on the ground
Nobody knew where to find him
No evidence was found
"I'm never coming back"
They heard him cry
And I believe him
He never meant to do anything wrong
It's gonna get worse if he waits too long
Now Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere
That I can find you
Oh, now, Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere that I can find you, oh
Oh, now, Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere that I can find you, oh
Oh, now, Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
'Cause you're not anywhere that I can find you
The song "Don't Lose My Number" by Phil Collins tells a story about a man named Billy who is being pursued by unknown individuals, and the singer of the song is trying to reach out to him to warn him not to lose contact with him as he tries to navigate through the danger that is stalking him. The fear is ramped up by the fact that no one knows why the people are pursuing Billy nor is there any evidence that supposedly links him to the actions that the people are trying to hold him responsible.
Throughout the song, Billy is constantly on the run, as the people chasing him refuse to stop until they find him. Whenever Billy manages to find a moment of freedom, he cries out that he never meant to do anything wrong, but that he's never coming back. The song turns into a plea for Billy not to give up - to keep running, keep hiding, and never surrender, as he knows that he is right and that the singer of the song is on his side.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a warning, urging people to never trust the dangerous unknown or to give up in a fight against fearful circumstances. It is also a warning to stay close to those they trust to help them through any obstacle.
Line by Line Meaning
They came at night leaving fear behind
The people who came to find Billy did so under the cover of darkness and with a sense of fear surrounding them.
Shadows were on the ground
The darkness of the night was emphasized further by the shadows that could be seen on the ground.
Nobody knew where to find him
Billy was in hiding and no one knew where he was located.
No evidence was found
Despite their efforts, those searching for Billy were unable to uncover any concrete evidence or trace of his whereabouts.
I'm never coming back
This line is spoken by Billy himself, indicating that he is not planning to return to his previous life or situation.
They heard him cry
Those searching for Billy were able to hear him crying out in distress or fear.
And I believe him
The singer of the song believes Billy's cries and may empathize with his situation.
Well he never meant to do anything wrong
The artist suggests that Billy may be in trouble or on the run for something he didn't intend to do or may be innocent of a crime.
It's gonna get worse if he waits too long
The longer Billy remains on the run or in hiding, the more difficult his situation may become.
Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
The artist urges Billy to keep in touch and not sever their connection or communication.
'Cause you're not anywhere
That I can find you
The singer expresses concern about Billy's apparent disappearance or inaccessibility.
Oh, now, Billy, Billy don't you lose my number
The artist repeats his earlier plea to Billy, underscoring the importance of staying connected.
Searching through the day and into the night
Billy's pursuers are shown to be relentless, searching for him day and night without rest or pause.
They wouldn't stop 'til they found him
The people searching for Billy were determined to find him, no matter how long it might take.
They didn't know him and they didn't understand
The people searching for Billy did not have a good grasp on who he was or why he might be running from them.
They never asked him why
Despite their lack of understanding, Billy's pursuers did not attempt to reach out to him or ask him for an explanation for his actions.
"Get out of my way"
They heard him shout
When Billy encountered his pursuers, he made it clear that he was not willing to stop or be caught by them.
Then a blinding light
An unexpected and intense light appeared, disrupting the scene and perhaps helping Billy to evade his pursuers.
Ooh all I could see was him running down the street
Out of the shadows and into the night
Despite the chaos of the moment, the singer was able to observe Billy emerging from hiding and fleeing into the darkness once again.
Don't give up
Keep running, keep hiding
The artist encourages Billy to persevere in his efforts to evade those seeking him, advising him to keep moving and hiding.
Billy, if you know you're right
The artist suggests that Billy may have a sense of conviction or belief that is driving him to escape his pursuers.
You know that I am on your side
The artist reassures Billy that he has a friend and ally in him, indicating that he supports him and believes in him.
Oh Billy, you better, you better, you better run for your life
The singer underscores the urgency of Billy's situation, warning him that he must keep running and stay alive in order to escape his pursuers.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Phil Collins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@roberto7319
Phil Collins the best.
@SoftRockMusic88
I believe that somewhere in the world, there are people who feel the same emotions that I feel when I listen to masterpieces like this song.
@Sir_Irwin
This song is timeless, sounds fresh, even after 35 years! It's not locked square in the 80s, a testament to Phil's writing mastery.
@aprilfalaster175
😍at p moon l
@scottnever8732
What you mean Dud is its an awesome tune, you're right it is
@DenkyManner
Sounds exceptionally 80s. It's peak 80s.
@dimitrisspan276
A TRUE GIFT FROM OUR PRECIOUS MISTER PHIL COLLINS TO ALL OF US !!!
@TheAlison1456
yeah just wait 35 more years and it'll be forgotten like songs from the 50s and before.
@citizensamurai
Don't have the words to explain how much Phil and Genesis were part of growing up in the 1980s. If you weren't there - you missed out.
@dannyech5452
You are so right about that!