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 House Of Many Rooms
Mike & The Mechanics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things you don't want to hear
For the rumours that precede me
May be very true I fear
They tell you I will deceive you
I don't know how to care
Though my intentions might be good
When you walk through the door
Hang on to your senses
At best you must assume
It's a house of many rooms
Some rooms are filled with pleasure
Laughter and love and light
All the things you never see
I keep under lock and key at night
When you walk through the door
Hang on to your senses
At best you must assume
It's a house of many rooms
If you love me in the light
Love me in the shadow
I'm afraid you must assume
It's a house of many rooms
A house of many rooms
It's a house that's so unstable
There are those who recommend
If they'd the strength and they were able
It ought to be condemned
I don't agree but I will warn you
At best you must assume
I live in a house of many rooms
Here I'm in the library
Trying to understand
What empowers this behaviour
Degenerates the man
The same apartment later
With the bottle half consumed
I see a house of many rooms
In the parlour I'm your father
Who could ask for more
The bedroom compromise me
With your best friend from next door
In the kitchen being honest
The lounge a lying tongue
Locked in the bathroom
Pretending to be young
The chapel finds me kneeling
Praying for my soul
The painting in the attic
Can't prevent me growing old
Help me live forever
Silent as a tomb
I live in a house of many rooms
Join me at the dining table
Join me at the feast
Join me in the stable
I'm laying with the beast
You're walking in the garden
Oblivious who'd know?
I'm in the cellar ready to explode
The lyrics of "A House of Many Rooms" by Mike & The Mechanics relate to the different personas, masks, and identities people wear depending on the environment, situation, or time of day. The singer implies that he possesses multiple and conflicting identities, some of which he keeps hidden and locked, and others that he displays openly, depending on the circumstances. The song juxtaposes different scenes, from the library to the bedroom to the chapel, suggesting that these different environments bring out different aspects of his personality, and none of them alone could reveal the full truth about himself.
The song's title, "A House of Many Rooms," reinforces the metaphor of the human mind as a multi-roomed dwelling that contains multiple identities and secrets, some of which are more dangerous than others. The song also explores the difficulty of trusting someone when we cannot be sure of their true identity or intent. The chorus urges us to hold onto our senses when we enter this house of many rooms, suggesting that the singer's psyche is a labyrinthine construct that might leave us disoriented and confused.
Line by Line Meaning
There may be some things about me
I may have some undesirable traits or qualities
Things you don't want to hear
You may not be comfortable hearing them
For the rumours that precede me
The rumors about me that came before may have been true
May be very true I fear
They may indeed be true and I am apprehensive of that
They tell you I will deceive you
They warn you that I might betray or trick you
I don't know how to care
I might not be capable of empathy or concern
Though my intentions might be good
Despite having good intentions
There's another darker look beware
There may be a darker side to me that you should be careful of
When you walk through the door
As you enter this place
Hang on to your senses
Be mindful of your thoughts and feelings
At best you must assume
It's best to presume or expect
It's a house of many rooms
This place has various aspects to it
Some rooms are filled with pleasure
There are parts of this place that bring joy
Laughter and love and light
These are the things that brighten up those rooms
All the things you never see
I keep these hidden from view
I keep under lock and key at night
I conceal them for my own reasons
If you love me in the light
If you are fond of me when things are going well
Love me in the shadow
Love me even when I am flawed or in difficult situations
I'm afraid you must assume
You should realize that
It's a house of many rooms
This place has many layers to it
It's a house that's so unstable
This place is not steady or consistent
There are those who recommend
There are people who think that
If they'd the strength and they were able
If only they had the power and capacity
It ought to be condemned
They would have condemned it as unfit for use
I don't agree but I will warn you
I disagree but I still feel I should give you a heads up
Here I'm in the library
Now I am in the library
Trying to understand
Attempting to comprehend
What empowers this behaviour
What leads to this type of conduct
Degenerates the man
Makes the person worse or less respectable
The same apartment later
Later on in the same home
With the bottle half consumed
With a partially empty bottle at hand
I see a house of many rooms
I see that the place has different aspects to it
In the parlour I'm your father
In the reception room, I play the role of your father
Who could ask for more
What more could you want?
The bedroom compromise me
In the bedroom, I am in a compromising situation
With your best friend from next door
And I am with your good friend from next door
In the kitchen being honest
In the kitchen, I am telling the truth
The lounge a lying tongue
But in the living room, I am lying
Locked in the bathroom
Trapped in the bathroom
Pretending to be young
Acting as if I am young again
The chapel finds me kneeling
I am on my knees in the chapel
Praying for my soul
Asking for spiritual help
The painting in the attic
Up in the attic is the painting
Can't prevent me growing old
Which cannot stop me from aging
Help me live forever
Please aid me in achieving eternal life
Silent as a tomb
As quiet as a grave
Join me at the dining table
Sit down and eat with me
Join me at the feast
Come to the grand meal with me
Join me in the stable
Stand with me in the stable
I'm laying with the beast
I am lying next to the animal
You're walking in the garden
As you are strolling in the garden
Oblivious who'd know
Without realizing something not obvious
I'm in the cellar ready to explode
I am down in the cellar and about to burst emotionally
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: K, A B A ROBERTSON, BRIAN ALEXANDER P ROBERTSON, MICHAEL RUTHERFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind