Need I say I love you?
Need I say I care?
Need I say that emotion's
Something we don't share?
I don't want to be sitting here
Trying to deceive you
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go

We cannot live together
We cannot live apart
That's the situation
I've known it from the start
Every time that I look at you
Well, I can see the future
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go

Just throwing it all away
Throwing it all away
Is there nothing that I can say
To make you change your mind
I watch the world go round and round
And see mine turning upside down

Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Throw it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh

Now who will light up the darkness?
And who will hold your hand?
Who will find you the answers
When you don't understand?
Why should I have to be the one
Who has to convince you?
'Cause you know I know baby
That I don't wanna go

Someday you'll be sorry
Someday when you're free
Memories will remind you
That our love was meant to be
But late at night, when you call my name
The only sound you'll hear
Is the sound of your voice calling
Calling after me

Just throwing it all away
Throwing it all away
And there's nothing that I can say-ay-ay

Ah, ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
We're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Yes, we're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Yes, we're throwing it all away
Ooh-ooh-ooh (ah), ooh-ooh-ooh (ah)
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh


Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae

Throwing It All Away Lyrics as written by Phil Collins Michael Rutherford

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

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Throwing It All Away song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • +6
    General Comment
    I think Steve has no clue what he's talking about. Phil has stated this song was inspired by his divorce.
    Cotygeekon January 05, 2009   Link
  • +4
    My Opinion
    This song is about a relationship. I think that the part that has the most emotion in it is: Now who will light up the darkness Who will hold your hand Who will find you the answers When you don't understand Why should I have to be the one Who has to convince you Cos you know I know baby That I don't wanna go. Someday you'll be sorry Someday when you're free Memories will remind you That our love was meant to be Late at night when you call my name The only sound you'll hear Is the sound of your voice calling Calling after me. That part really gets you.
    arielisboredon June 10, 2009   Link
  • +3
    Song Meaning
    This is a song about divorce or the ending of a long-term relationship. In the song he is pleading with her, not do this. Also, he sees the problem, is that they are no longer communicating and sharing emotions. They are no longer showing their vulnerabilities to each other. But, he does not say in the song, what has caused this to happen. He loves her, and believes she still loves him, Also, he still wants a future with her, and wants her to consider the future consequences, which will not be good, of this ending. He wants to overcome these problems, and is pleading with her, to work out the relationship. But, he is feeling he is losing the battle.
    TheLinkon August 23, 2014   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    This song really hit home for me. My wife left me, and it broke my heart. I heard this song, and it felt like I was going to lose it. Even though I'm remarried, it still brings back the loss I felt.
    nerevar59on October 30, 2015   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    This song is a killer, isn't it? What a place to be in. Especially the bridge: "someday when you're sorry..." Damn, hits hard.
    bradleybon December 29, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    This song is a killer, isn't it? What a place to be in. Especially the bridge: "someday when you're sorry..." Damn, hits hard.
    bradleybon December 29, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I can't believe no one has commented on this song. Very emotional song, obviously about a broken marriage. One of my favorite songs by Genesis.
    touchthestarsformeon November 05, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    to me this song is about a girl who led him on, led him to believe she wanted more, and thats what the guy had... but she desides thats not what she wanted and wanted to turn down all he had, which was everything she could ever want....i would know this happen to me and this song is what first hit me....
    deemsnb33on January 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    ------------- I think the broken marriage meaning is quite clear. The fact that this is the last song on the Invisible Touch album with lyrics is quite significant - why isn't it In Too Deep or Tonight, Tonight, Tonight the last track? Because this is Collins sticking his chin up going - you left me? Fine, you're screwed now - you're throwing it all away and you will miss me like the dickens. Little did Collins know he would be developing the blue print for writing every single by a female R&B singer in the new millennium.
    RandomPersonYouAreReadingon July 31, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Should be renamed to how to kill a relationship Need I say I love you *** yes Need I say I care *** yes Need I say that emotion's, Something we don't share *** No. He shouldn't. Don't tell people how they feel. I don't want to be sitting here *** obviously Trying to deceive you *** deceive in what? pretend they have emotions? that the relationship has a prayer? Cos you know I know baby *** does she? another thing he doesnt want to tell her That I don't wanna go. *** but he is.. without trying to talk to her. which indicates he does want it. We cannot live together *** negative We cannot live apart *** negative That's the situation I've known it from the start *** when you feel something you send vibes. bad way to start. Every time that I look at you I can see the future *** Not only did he know it from the start he is thinking negative thoughts every time he looks at her and questions whether he needs to say nice things. Cos you know I know babe That I don't wanna go. *** Because? Throwing it all away *** whats to throw away if there was nothing from the start Throwing it all away Is there nothing that I can say ** something nice? To make you change your mind ** maybe I love you, need you, want to be with you, can see us together, think nice things when I look at you I watch the world go round and round And see mine turning upside down You're throwing it all away. ** now its her Now who will light up the darkness Who will hold your hand Who will find you the answers When you don't understand ** is he doing that now? Why should I have to be the one Who has to convince you *** maybe because he supposedly doesn't want this Cos you know I know baby That I don't wanna go. *** because? Someday you'll be sorry *** not loving and again focusing on the negative and not trying to convince her to stay Someday when you're free Memories will remind you That our love was meant to be *** how can it be meant to be when he knew from the start they wouldn't work? Late at night when you call my name The only sound you'll hear Is the sound of your voice calling Calling after me. *** not stay i need you or want you but if you dont stay you will be sorry Just throwing it all away Throwing it all away There's nothing I can say *** read above he doesn't feel he needs to [translation doesnt want to] We're throwing it all away Yes we're throwing it all away...
    chaidrinkeron May 03, 2011   Link

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