In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
They came at night leaving fear behind
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
It's gonna get worse if he waits too long
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
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
It's gonna get worse if he waits too long
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
Lyrics submitted by Boonechic_21
Don't Lose My Number Lyrics as written by Phil Collins
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Hm, never thought about it in that way. It seems like a close friend is trying to bring a young boy, going astray, back to reality or to doing right. And the older friend says "don't lose my number" to let the boy know that, even if he does wrong, he's there for him to call on.