Me And Sarah Jane - How To Differentiate A Genesis Love Song

A lot of people say Phil impacted Genesis by writing love songs that belonged on his album. While it is true some of the songs were brought by the trio to sessions, there is a special place for some of the more complex Genesis love songs. One song the exemplifies what I am trying to get at is Me and Sarah Jane. A song so complex, we are not quite sure who it applies to, however the message is universal. Here are some thoughts from fans about the meaning of the song:


"Me and Sarah Jane" is about a man who's so lonely that he fabricates a relationship with an imaginary woman. This woman is Sarah Jane. The narrator becomes obsessed with his fantasy until it ultimately leads to his suicide by drowning.


Okay, it's about a British SAS soldier's girlfriend who may or may not exist. The important thing is... Is that he's going through selection at Hereford and that is not something people normally talk about, but this is abstract enough to be an understanding of what gets him through selection... Boom...

I think this a direct connection from "Lonely Man on the Corner". These songs are connected.
Even down to the similar musical motif at the beginning of the song, Lonely Man and Sarah Jane are
almost identical.

Anyway, i believe the man was the lonely homeless person, and lived his life in his own reality and invented
an imaginary soulmate "Sarah Jane" .
I also thing they were trying to say that he was manic depressive possible in this lyric

"Searching for a clue.
Traces on the sand.
First I'm flying, going round round round,
Then I'm sliding going down down down,
Doesn't matter where I start I always end up
Falling through those same old crowded rooms"
Many schizophrenics and manics look for things that aren't really there
until they find something that was created in there own head.
Almost like, thinking too much.

It does make sense,
that he invented his soulmate so he could die happy.

This is the magic of Genesis. Lost in imagery, some of their love songs have so many layers, we as fans are not sure of the intent. We are allowed to use our own imagination to bring it all together.  I am sure Tony plays a big role in the complexity of the love songs. Afterglow was another great song influenced by Tony. Some feel this is a song about Post Apocalyptic love. Similar to Me and Sarah Jane, we can only go where the mind takes us. This is the greatness of a Genesis love song. It is an underappreciated aspect of the trio era.