For a Friend - Phil Collins

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…