George Collins Premieres His Heartfelt Single “Where Have I Been All Your Life”

“Never say never” is a pretty clichéd phrase at this point, but it is because it’s often true, as George Collins can attest to. The singer-songwriter today unveils his new single “Where Have I Been All Your Life,” the second to be revealed from his sophomore EP Songs for Grown-Ups.

Staying true to his heartland rocking roots, the song is autobiographical in nature, dealing with the complications that have come trying to navigate the demands between being a working-class, indie musician, while also finding the time to be at home for his loved ones. It’s relatable, obviously because it’s a challenge that a lot of people confront, in one way or another, but for Collins it has come later in life than most, as he only became a father for the first time a little over a decade ago around the age of 50.

In his own words, Collins states:

“This song, which started out as clever wordplay on the crusty cliché ‘Where Have You Been All My Life,’ ultimately became much more autobiographical than originally intended, dealing with themes of presence and absence, deep regret, and the realization that one is not spending life’s most precious commodity, time, with the most important people in one’s life; family. This is a universal theme that is unfortunately becoming ever more relevant and poignant in this age of constant distraction and overwhelm.”

Not only was Collins late to the party when it came to having a family, but he was also late when it came to his choice of career. Most musicians work at it from an early age, which he did as well, but by his late 20s, he decided to give it all up, discouraged by the unhappiness and destructive habits of his other musician friends struggling to get by. He turned to education and business instead, earning a B.A., M.A., and a joint J.D. and M.B.A., which led to a successful 20-year career in finance.

In 2012 at the age of 50, Collins had his first child and decided to throw caution to the wind and quit his career in finance. He found his way back to music, recorded a debut solo EP entitled It’s Been a Long Time, and established himself with a local following in Prague, Czech Republic, where he has been living for over 30 years now. Currently, he’s working on his full-length debut album now, past his 60th birthday, proving with conviction that it really is better late than never.

George Collins “Where Have I Been All Your Life” single artwork