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)
We Said Hello Goodbye
Phil Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And we packed our bags and left feeling sad
It's the only way
We said hello as we turned the key
A new roof over our heads
Gave a smile
It's the only way
Only way
Turn your head
And don't look back
Set your sails for a new horizon
Don't turn around don't look down
Oh there's life across the tracks
And you know it's really not surprising
It gets better when you get there oh
Well it really don't matter much where you are
'Cause home is in your heart
It's a feeling that you wake with one day
Some people keep running all their life
And still find they haven't gone too far
They don't see it's the feeling inside
The feeling inside oh
Turn your head and don't look back
Just set your sails for a new horizon
Don't turn around don't look down
Oh there's life across the tracks
And you know it's really not surprising
It gets better when you get there
We said hello as we turned the key
A new roof over our heads
Gave a smile
It's the only way
The song "We Said Hello Goodbye" by Phil Collins portrays the sad yet inspiring feeling of leaving behind an old friend and moving forward towards a new beginning. The lyrics capture the emotions of parting ways with someone dear and acknowledging that this is the only path to take. As the verse says, "We said goodbye to a dear old friend, and we packed our bags and left feeling sad," reflects the melancholy of saying goodbye to a friend, but also the excitement of starting something new.
As the song progresses, the chorus comes in with uplifting lyrics that encourage people to take risks and move forward towards new experiences, saying "Turn your head and don't look back, just set your sails for a new horizon. Don't turn around, don't look down. Oh, there's life across the tracks, and you know it's really not surprising. It gets better when you get there." These lyrics remind listeners to keep pushing forward and focusing on the horizon, for the best is yet to come.
The final verse concludes with the message of finding a feeling of home within oneself. The verse explains that happiness comes within, and sometimes, people keep running all their lives, yet still haven't found the feeling that they're searching for. In essence, the song emphasizes the significance of change, growth, and new experiences, while simultaneously stressing the importance of recognizing one's feelings and finding inner peace.
Line by Line Meaning
We said goodbye to a dear old friend
We parted ways with someone who was important to us
And we packed our bags and left feeling sad
We left the place we shared with our dear old friend, and we were emotional about it
It's the only way
There was no other option, we had to leave
We said hello as we turned the key
We started a new journey as we unlocked the door of our new home
A new roof over our heads
We had a new place to live
Gave a smile
We were happy about our new beginnings
It's the only way
Moving forward was the only way to find happiness and success
Turn your head
Don't stay focused on the past
And don't look back
Don't dwell on the memories that cause pain
Set your sails for a new horizon
Start a new journey
Don't turn around don't look down
Don't let your doubts stop you from moving forward
Oh there's life across the tracks
There are possibilities beyond what you can see
And you know it's really not surprising
It's common to find happiness in new experiences
It gets better when you get there oh
Things will improve as you adjust to new circumstances
Well it really don't matter much where you are
Your location isn't the only factor that determines your happiness
'Cause home is in your heart
Home is a feeling, not a place
It's a feeling that you wake with one day
You'll recognize the feeling of being at home once you experience it
Some people keep running all their life
Some people never stay in one place for very long
And still find they haven't gone too far
They haven't found what they're looking for in their travels
They don't see it's the feeling inside
They don't realize that home is not a physical location
The feeling inside oh
The sense of contentment that comes from being in the right place
Turn your head and don't look back
Look towards the future
Just set your sails for a new horizon
Start a new journey with purpose
Don't turn around don't look down
Don't let fear or regret stop you from moving forward
Oh there's life across the tracks
There are opportunities and experiences outside of your comfort zone
And you know it's really not surprising
Positive change is common when you take risks
It gets better when you get there
New experiences can lead to personal growth and happiness
We said hello as we turned the key
We moved on to a new chapter in our lives
A new roof over our heads
Our new home provided us with a stable foundation
Gave a smile
We were happy with our decision to start fresh
It's the only way
Moving forward was the best option for us
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Phil Collins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@debbiecosat5138
Love 💘 😻 💜 💛 💚
Phil Collins and GENESIS
Music 🎶 🎵 🪕 🎼 💿 🎸
Great singer...GREAT 👍
DRUMMER...GREAT
PIANO 🎹 🎹 🎹 PLAYER..
So so very talented 👏 ❤
MUSICIAN...So is his
Son Nicholas. Really knows how to play the
Drums like his father.
Thank u for the great music 🎶 thru the
70's, 80's, 90's up to 2020 !!!
🌈🤩😎🌎🌟🌛🍺🥂🙆♂️
@ritaardley3663
After two violent marriages, this was my favourite song when I found my freedom saying goodbye to my old life. Turning the key to my new home, not looking back & finding my new peaceful horizon. Thankyou Phil Collins for your amazing songs. I'm a huge fan 💕
@robertwhite9898
Turn your head & don’t look back just set your sails for a new horizon! Glad you gotten out of a bad situation.
@vladjantea1510
Good to hear it
@shanestanton5481
Same story
@nikkimarks70
This is such an underrated song. It’s very powerful.
@willritter4076
I'd be honored if some Phil Collins fans would take a quick listen to my acoustic piano & vocal YouTube performances of WE SAID HELLO GOODBYE https://youtu.be/I2NR45B-Rcg and AGAINST ALL ODDS in tribute to the master of 80s mainstream rock. Live acoustic with no autotune or digital editing. Peace and stay safe in the '020s.
@neboat
This is the hidden gem of the album
@11Stucat
That wasnt on the album. Until the cd came out with the bonus track, we never knew it existed. IMO the record company dropped the ball, Phil wouldve had another top ten hit with this one.
@yes642
@@11Stucat it was done on purpose. It was a way to get the buying public to start converting to CDs. As stated, it was only released on the CD. It was played on my local radio station for a short time.
@glennyates2194
I agree, it's actually my favorite Phil Collins song. Grabs me every time.