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)
Roof Is Leaking
Phil Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kids are crying 'cause the sheets are so cold
Woke this morning found my hands were frozen
I've tried to fix the fire, but you know the damn thing's too old
It's been months now, since we heard from our Mary,
I wonder if she ever made the coast
Well, she and her young man, they both moved out there
And me, I'm getting stronger by the minute
My wife's expecting, but I hope she can wait
'Cause this winter looks like it's gonna be another bad one
But spring'll soon be here,
Oh God I hope it's not late
Ma and pa lived here, and theirs before them
They tried their hardest to make it a home
Seems so long now since they passed over
Hope my children'll try to make it their own
The roof is leaking and the wind is howling
The kinds are crying, 'cause the sheets are so cold
Woke this morning found my hands were frozen
Oh, I've tried to fix the fire, but you know the damn thing's too old
But me oh, I'm getting stronger by the minute
My wife's expecting, but I hope she can wait
'Cause this winter looks like it's gonna be another bad one
But spring'll soon be here,
Oh, God I hope it's not late
Phil Collins’s song “The Roof is Leaking” is a poignant reflection on the struggles and hardships that many families face, especially in winter. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a family’s plight as they try to survive a bitterly cold and unforgiving winter. The first line of the song, “The roof is leaking and the wind is howling,” sets the tone for what is to come. The song describes how the family members, including the children, are suffering from the cold.
The pain and suffering described in the song are compounded by the absence of a loved one. The line “It’s been months now, since we heard from our Mary” suggests that someone has moved away, leaving the rest of the family to cope with the harsh conditions of winter on their own. The father, who is the singer of the song, expresses hope that Mary and her young man will write to them soon to let them know that they are safe.
The song is a touching tribute to the strength of the human spirit and the resilience of ordinary people. Despite the challenges they face, the singer and his family are determined to endure and survive. The line “But me oh, I’m getting stronger by the minute” is a testament to that determination. In the end, the family hopes that their children will continue to live in the home that has been in their family for generations and make it their own.
Line by Line Meaning
The roof is leaking and the wind is howling
The house is in terrible shape and the cold wind is penetrating through the roof
Kids are crying 'cause the sheets are so cold
The children are upset because their bedding is freezing and unable to keep them warm
Woke this morning found my hands were frozen
The singer woke up with numb and frozen hands from the bitter cold night
I've tried to fix the fire, but you know the damn thing's too old
The artist has attempted to fix the fireplace, but it is not working because it is old and worn out
It's been months now, since we heard from our Mary,
It's been a while since they last heard from Mary
I wonder if she ever made the coast
The singer worries and wonders if Mary and her partner made it safely to the coast
Well, she and her young man, they both moved out there
Mary and her partner moved away to the coast
I sure hope they write, just to let us know
The artist hopes they will receive a letter or some response from Mary and her partner, indicating their safety and well-being
And me, I'm getting stronger by the minute
The artist is becoming mentally stronger with each passing day despite the challenges
My wife's expecting, but I hope she can wait
The artist's wife is pregnant, but he hopes the baby will wait until the extreme cold passes
This winter looks like it's gonna be another bad one
The singer anticipates a difficult winter ahead
But spring'll soon be here,
The artist has hope that the difficult winter season will come to an end soon
Oh God I hope it's not late
The singer expresses his wish that spring will arrive on time and not be delayed
Ma and pa lived here, and theirs before them
The singer's family has lived in this house for generations
They tried their hardest to make it a home
The previous generations have put in their best efforts to make this place a home
Seems so long now since they passed over
It has been a long time since the previous generation passed away
Hope my children'll try to make it their own
The artist hopes that his children will make the house their own and continue the family tradition of living here
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Phil Collins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Peter-bu6ld
LYRICS:
The roof is leaking and the wind is howling
Kids are crying 'cos the sheets are so cold
I woke this morning found my hands were frozen
I've tried to fix the fire, but you know the damn thing's too old
It's been months now, since we heard from our Mary,
I wonder if she ever made the coast
She and her young man, they both moved out there
But I sure hope they write, just to let us know
And me, I'm getting stronger by the minute
My wife's expecting, but I hope she can wait
'Cos this winter looks like it's gonna be another bad one
But Spring'll soon be here,
Oh God I hope it's not late
Ma and Pa lived here, and theirs before them
Tried their hardest to make it a home
Seems so long now since they passed over
Hope my children'll try to make it their own
The roof is leaking and the wind is howling
Kids are crying, 'cos the sheets are so cold
I woke this morning found my hands were frozen
I've tried to fix the fire, but you know the damn thing's too old
But me, I'm getting stronger by the minute
My wife's expecting, but I hope she can wait
'Cos this winter looks like it's gonna be another bad one
But Spring'll soon be here,
Oh God I hope it's not late
@a-bis-zett
The roof is leaking and the wind is howling
Kids are crying ′cos the sheets are so cold
I woke this morning found my hands were frozen
I've tried to fix the fire, but you know the damn thing′s too old
It's been months now, since we heard from our Mary,
I wonder if she ever made the coast
She and her young man, they both moved out there
But I sure hope they write, just to let us know
And me, I'm getting stronger by the minute
My wife′s expecting, but I hope she can wait
′Cos this winter looks like it's gonna be another bad one
But Spring′ll soon be here,
But I hope it's not late
Ma and Pa lived here, and theirs before them
Tried their hardest to make it a home
Seems so long now since they passed over
Hope my children′ll try to make it their own
My roof is leaking and the wind is howling
Kids are crying, 'cos the sheets are so cold
Woke this morning and my hands were frozen
Oh, I′ve tried to fix the fire, but you know the damn thing's too old
But me, I'm getting stronger by the minute
My wife′s expecting, but I hope she can wait
′Cos this winter looks like it's gonna be another bad one
But Spring′ll soon be here,
Oh God I hope it's not late
@heavybrett-al4082
The older I get, the more I love this song
@toddruthig4048
Same at 60
@korkyrougewhite864
You right - lyrics are just so raw- throw in a bit of banjo - does me everytime x
@someperson5930
One of the most underrated songs to have ever existed…
@realityfitnessfit4life241
Phil created absolutely amazing music.
I grew up with it, and I will never let it go.
Music that touches you deep within your heart and soul.
I owned all of his solo albums when I was in Junior High and High School.
@LucasLima-ov4mq
This debut album from Phil Collins is fantastic!!!
Face Value (1981)
@izg93027
This song really fits a strong mood of sadness and loneliness.
Is wonderful. I just love the work Phil did here.
@angelesvicbarthe6038
Nunca se habla de esta canción (del espléndido álbum) y yo disfruto mucho escuchándola cada cierto tiempo ❤
@manicmechanicman1189
This is such an incredible album! Thanks for your music Phil!!!!!
@laurentsimonnet8835
j'adore cet homme! le musicien, l'artiste qu'il est, son parcours difficile, ses cotés sombres, dont il est revenu, et surtout, l'homme....Vous êtes un homme bien Mister Collins, et vous méritez tout l'affection de vos fans, et l'admiration des musiciens, par ce que vous avez apporté à la production moderne, et au style de batterie. largement au niveau de vos idoles. Regardez ce que vous faite sur Duke's End avec votre ami Chester...c'est quand même vous qui l'avez créé en studio, non? Et votre livre est magnifiquement bien raconté. j'adorerai pouvoir échanger avec vous, entre hommes, et entre musicien, batteurs..a très bientôt. et Milles merci