Don't Lose My Number

"Don't Lose My Number"
Single by Phil Collins
from the album No Jacket Required
B-side	"We Said Hello Goodbye"
Released	July 1985 (US)
Format	7", 12"
Recorded	1984
Genre	Pop rock, New Wave
Length	4:48
Label	Atlantic, Virgin Records
Producer	Phil Collins, Hugh Padgham
Phil Collins singles chronology
"Sussudio" (1985) "Don't Lose My Number" (1985) "Take Me Home" (1985)

"Don't Lose My Number" is a song by Phil Collins from his third solo album No Jacket Required. The single was not released in the UK, though it peaked at #4 in the US during late September 1985. The B-side, "We Said Hello Goodbye" was released as a bonus track on the CD for No Jacket Required.

History

The song is addressed to someone called "Billy" whom the singer is hoping to find (and hopes Billy still has his number). Collins has said that he actually wrote most of the song during the recordings for his very first album, Face Value.^[1] Collins also states that the lyrics were improvised, and that he himself does not fully understand what they mean.^[1] Stephen Holden of the New York Times also agreed that the lyrics were very "vague, sketching the outlines of a melodrama but withholding the full story".^[2] The single was not released in the UK, but peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts during late September 1985.^[3]

Music video

Collins did not know what he would use as a video theme for "Don't Lose My Number," so he decided to create a video showing his decision process in selecting a theme for it.^[1][4] In the actual video, Collins talks to various "directors", who all give him bad ideas for the video. Their suggestions allow Collins to parody several other music videos of the time, including videos by Michael Jackson, David Lee Roth ("California Girls"), Elton John, The Police ("Every Breath You Take"), and The Cars ("You Might Think"), as well as movies such as Mad Max 2 and various samurai movies.^[1][4]

Track listing

7": Atlantic / 7-89536 (US)

1. "Don't Lose My Number"
2. "We Said Hello Goodbye"

12": Atlantic / 0-86863 (US)

1. "Don't Lose My Number" (Extended Mix)
2. "Don't Lose My Number"
3. "We Said Hello Goodbye"

CD: WEA International / WPCR 2063 (Japan)

1. "Don't Lose My Number"
2. "We Said Hello Goodbye"

Charts

Chart (1985)	Peak position
Dutch Singles Chart	44
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	4
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	25
U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	33

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "26 November 2004 – Phil Collins Q&A". philcollins.co.uk. http://www.philcollins.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=36. Retrieved 19 September 2008. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ Holden, Stephen (7 April 1985). "Phil Collins: Pop Music's Answer to Alfred Hitchcock". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE7D81538F934A35757C0A963948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1. Retrieved 1 November 2008. 
3. ^ "allmusic ((( No Jacket Required > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles )))". allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r4333/charts-awards/billboard-single. Retrieved 19 September 2008. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Pareles, Jon (2 November 1986). "HOME VIDEO; Recent Releases Of Video Cassettes: Photos and 'White Suit'". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE1DD1F3AF931A35752C1A960948260&scp=1&s%20%20%20q=Phil%20Collins:%20no%20jacket%20required%20EP&st=cse. Retrieved 6 November 2008.