Phillips grew up in Leesburg, Georgia and went to Lee County High School. He graduated Albany Technical College, but had to miss the graduation ceremony due to being on American Idol.
Phillips auditioned for American Idol in Savannah, Georgia. He auditioned by singing the Stevie Wonder song "Superstition." The judges then asked him to audition with his guitar where he performed Michael Jackson's "Thriller." He made it to the Hollywood rounds and later to Las Vegas round.
On February 23, 2012, Phillips was chosen as one of the Top 24 semi-finalists. For the semi-finals, he performed "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins. He was one of the top five male vote getters and advanced to the Top 13. After the Top 13 performance night, Phillips was taken to a doctor for possible kidney stones. The Home Songfacts reports that after advancing to the final, Phillips was declared the winner on May 23, 2012. He won with a record breaking total vote count of 132 million.
Stand By Me
Phillip Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me
If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me-e, yeah
Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me,
Oh now stand by me
Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me
Darlin', darlin', stand by me, stand by me
Oh stand by me, stand by me
The lyrics of "Stand By Me" by Phillip Phillips are about finding comfort and strength in the presence of someone you love during difficult times. The first verse sets the scene for a dark and foreboding night, where the only source of light is the moon. Rather than succumbing to fear and uncertainty, the singer expresses confidence in their ability to overcome any obstacles as long as their loved one is by their side. The chorus emphasizes the importance of standing together, echoing the sentiment that two heads are better than one. The second verse takes this theme even further, invoking a scenario where the sky falls and the mountains crumble. Despite this apocalyptic imagery, the singer remains unshaken, pledging to be stoic and resolute as long as their loved one stands by their side.
The interpretation of "Stand By Me" is about the strength of relationships and the power of love to overcome adversity. Dark nights and catastrophic events can be a metaphor for any difficult situation in life, and the song suggests that having someone by your side who loves you and believes in you can give you the courage and strength to face even the toughest challenges. This optimistic message is reinforced by the upbeat guitar riff and Phillip Phillips's signature raspy and soulful vocals, which combine to create an inspiring and uplifting anthem for anyone who has ever faced adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
When the night has come
Once darkness arrives
And the land is dark
And the surroundings become gloomy
And the moon is the only light we'll see
And the moon is the only source of light we'll have
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
I won't be scared at all
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
As long as you stand beside me for support
And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me
And love, love, stand alongside me, oh please stand alongside me now
If the sky that we look upon
If the sky that we observe
Should tumble and fall
Starts to disintegrate
And the mountains should crumble to the sea
And the mountains collapse into the water
I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear
I won't shed a single tear about it
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
As long as you support me through it
Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me,
Whenever you need assistance, would you stay with me
Oh now stand by me
Oh please stand beside me
Darlin', darlin', stand by me, stand by me
Love, love, stand alongside me, please stand alongside me
Oh stand by me, stand by me
Oh please stand beside me, stay with me
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, TuneCore Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIE NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
borggirl
One of the most beautiful versions I have ever heard. Thank you, Philip Phillips.
EricNKamla
Beautifully sung, bless you Phil Phillips, may you continue to share your beautiful heart and music with the world
Jerry Stecklein
A star with old school voice, and a young man who I pray this generation will look up to, as I do not believe fame will touch Phillip Phillips.
Christina Dunsmore
I love his cover! He sings it so beautifuly! <3 It sounds amazing so slow!
tristan elwes
Best musician i have every heard in my life i think everyone should notice his amazing talent. He will warm everyones heart as he done with mine. His music has so much meaning it is beautiful.
Frankie V
His voice is beautiful, n his smile warms the heart
Harley_Fangurling
I voted for him on american idol!! Im so glad he won he deserves it!! I love you phillip 💕
Isadora Manacés
sensacional!!!!
Hector Bajana
Amazing!!
Azi Storm
it is amazing