Mike & The Mechanics debuted with their stellar eponymous album in 1985 which highlighted Rutherford's innovative guitar work and the vocal talents of the two Pauls, amongst other guest vocalists. Initially, the group's albums were released between Genesis albums, all three Genesis members having solo projects of their own, most notable in the huge chart success of singer/drummer Phil Collins. This ended with the disbanding of Genesis in 1998.
The classic song "The Living Years" from the album of the same name was to be the height of their critical success to date; the #1 single was written by and about the dissension between singer BA Robertson and his father, a situation that was never rectified prior to his father's death, sung with great passion by Carrack. The album also featured the song "Nobody's Perfect" which received considerable airtime as the music to a successful television advertising campaign for Tennants bitter. Their third album "Word of Mouth" followed in 1991 with less commercial and critical success although the lead single, with vocals by Paul Young, reached the Top 20. The fourth album "Beggar On a Beach of Gold" was a high watermark in the quality of their material, with both the album and first single "Over My Shoulder" charting well with many considering the album the band's best work.
After a hiatus following Young's death from a heart attack on July 17, 2000, the band reformed in 2004 as Mike & the Mechanics featuring Paul Carrack releasing the album "Rewired".
A new Mike & the Mechanics album (titled "The Road") was released in the spring of 2011, supported by a 22-date UK tour. Replacing Carrack and Young as vocalists for the group are Andrew Roachford and Canadian actor/singer Tim Hower.
A Call to Arms
Mike & The Mechanics Lyrics
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Midnight man at your door
Blackened faces run in the night
Daybreak under the floor
Bring my bow
Fill my head with flame, and we must
Let them know that the torch is lit again
Are you ready to fight?
(You hear the drum and) run for your life
(Sweet Avalon the heat is on)
In other words, I hope and pray
That time and tide wash the hate away
A simple man with simple thoughts
Who turned to force as a last resort
All around us, chaos rings
Buildings crumbling down
Silhouettes in the fiery rain
Timbers crash to the ground
Bring my spear, invested with my youth
Bring the children near, they must now be told the truth
Old and young and those of foreign tongue
Are you ready to fight?
(You hear the drum and) run for your life
(Sweet Avalon the heat is on)
In other words, I hope and pray
That time and tide wash the hate away
A simple man with simple thoughts
Who turned to force as a last resort
In other words, I hope and pray
That time and tide keep the day away
When simple men with simple thoughts
Will turn to force as a last recourse
The opening line "Pass the word, it's a call to arms" sets the tone for A Call to Arms, which essentially is a song about fighting for what you believe in, even if that means resorting to force. The "midnight man at your door" and "blackened faces run in the night" suggest a sense of urgency and danger, likely in response to some form of oppression or injustice. The idea of "daybreak under the floor" could point towards the notion of hidden truths coming to light.
The singer is clearly ready to fight, as indicated by the lines "bring my bow/fill my head with flame" and "bring my spear, invested with my youth/bring the children near, they must now be told the truth." The repetition of the question "are you ready to fight?" brings a sense of unity, urging all to come together to stand up for what they believe in.
The chorus, which is repeated twice both times, highlights the idea of hoping and praying that time and tide will wash away hate and keep the day away when force is the last recourse. However, the song acknowledges that sometimes it is necessary to resort to violence in order to bring about change. Overall, A Call to Arms is a rallying cry for those who refuse to stand by and watch injustice prevail.
Line by Line Meaning
Pass the word, it's a call to arms
Spread the message, it's time to take action
Midnight man at your door
A dangerous situation is approaching
Blackened faces run in the night
Violence and destruction are happening
Daybreak under the floor
Desperation and fear are hiding just beneath the surface
Bring my bow
Get ready to defend yourself
Fill my head with flame, and we must
Light the fire within ourselves to take action
Let them know that the torch is lit again
Announce to everyone that the fight has begun
Crystalize the pain behind your eyes
Acknowledge the hurt and anger that motivates us
Are you ready to fight?
Are you prepared to stand up for what you believe in?
(You hear the drum and) run for your life
The danger is imminent and you must flee
(Sweet Avalon the heat is on)
The situation is intense and dangerous
In other words, I hope and pray
To put it simply, my deepest desire is
That time and tide wash the hate away
That eventually, hatred and violence will be eradicated
A simple man with simple thoughts
Even those without great knowledge or power
Who turned to force as a last resort
May resort to violence when they feel they have no other options
All around us, chaos rings
The world is falling apart and everything is in turmoil
Buildings crumbling down
The destruction is taking a physical toll
Silhouettes in the fiery rain
People are suffering and are almost unrecognizable within the chaos
Timbers crash to the ground
The destruction is happening all around us
Bring my spear, invested with my youth
Equip yourself with all the tools you've ever had to face this fight
Bring the children near, they must now be told the truth
Bring the young and innocent to safety while educating them about the situation at hand
Old and young and those of foreign tongue
Everyone is affected regardless of age or ethnicity
Are you ready to fight?
Are you willing to take a stand and fight for what is right?
(You hear the drum and) run for your life
Evacuate or take immediate action to protect yourself from danger
(Sweet Avalon the heat is on)
The danger is increasing and imminent
In other words, I hope and pray
In short, all I can do is hope and pray
That time and tide keep the day away
That the change we need will come before we lose all hope
When simple men with simple thoughts
When even the seemingly powerless resort to violence
Will turn to force as a last recourse
They will use force as a last option to protect themselves and their beliefs
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Christopher Neil, Anthony George Banks, Phil Collins, Ba Robertson, Mike Rutherford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind