Like China

Like China is the third song on Phil Collins' second solo album, Hello, I Must Be Going! (album). It is a more cheerful song than most on the album, which is generally considered to be his "darkest", and is marked by a discordant guitar introduction, upbeat tempo, and purposely juvenile lyrics. Collins affects a British Cockney accent and portrays a hormone-crazed lad attempting to convince his girlfriend to sleep with him by saying he will treat her as gently as "china" (the porcelain). During the chorus though, the song takes on a slightly darker tone. It could be argued that the lyric, "You won't feel nothing, I'll hold you like china", may relate to the emotional aspects of the relationship as well as the physical. It features Phil Collins on keyboards, drums, vocals, and claps.