Lyrics: For A Friend
Album: Unknown
Artist: Phil Collins
 

(Released as B-side of ‘We Wait And We Wonder’ CD single, 1994)

When I saw him last
he had that look in his eyes
I said, ‘Do you need to talk?’
he said, ‘No.’
So I called him up, asked him again and I waited a while –
he began to speak, then he started to cry

You know some things are best left unspoken
and some things just never work out
and sometimes, seems you try and you try and whatever you do
There’s a fix that you’re in, and you just can’t get out
he said, ‘I need your help, I need it now
Give me the strength to go on’

Though I didn’t know what
I knew that something was wrong
but he still had his pride
he’d tell me in time
Well this feeling inside
kept eating at me
I was losing a friend, and I had to know why

When I heard the voice on the phone, I knew it was bad news
so I rushed to be by his side
and we said goodbye for the last time
I gently hugged him, and kissed him goodbye
he whispered, ‘I need your help, I need it now
Give me the strength to go on.’

We were always laughing
I just remember laughing, mama
We were always laughing

Oh I need your help, I need it now
Give me the strength to go on

Though as time goes by, and it all becomes clear
we can see the deceit, we see the lies
So I asked myself, over and over, and over again
What did they know? What did they hide?
Fools, leading the innocent blindly
Fools, turning away

And I know that
when I think of my friend with that look in his eyes
and if they told the truth, he might be here today
I need your help, I need it now
Just give me the strength to go on, on

I remember the laughing
We were always laughing

Oh no – it’s just strength we need now
Just the strength to go on…