Colin Allen, born Colin Eric Allen on May 9th 1938, is an English rock drummer and lyricist.
He played with John Mayall on his 1968 album Blues From Laurel Canyon (which Peter Green guested on) and again in a temporary reunion of Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1981-82) in which John McVie also participated.
This collaboration may have been what led to him writing the lyrics of Wish You Were Here, the final track on Fleetwood Mac's 1982 album Mirage. The music was by Christine McVie who sang and played piano on the track.
Allen first began writing lyrics during his time in the Anglo-Scottish blues-rock band Stone the Crows in the early 1970s. Other artists to add music to his lyrics include Mick Taylor, Mick Ronson and then-Wings guitarist Jimmy McCulloch.
Other artists he has played with include Donovan, Focus, Mick Taylor and Georgie Fame.