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.
Did You See Me Coming
Mike & The Mechanics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Did you see I was there for the ride
Was I wasting time when I thought that I
Was with somebody with nothing to hide
Did you think about it
Did the thought even enter your head
Was it by design like the perfect crime
I've tried putting myself in your place and I still feel the same
You've been looking to find an excuse
There's nobody else you can blame
Did you see me coming
Could you see me a good mile away
Did I talk too much
Did I laugh too loud
Was there something that I didn't say
Can I tell you something
Just in case you don't already know
Well it's crossed my mind
More than once that I
Should have left you a long time ago
Sometimes you make it look easy
To somebody like me
One day you're gonna turn around
And I'll be a bad memory
Did you see me coming
Did you see I was there for the ride
Was I wasting time when I thought that I
Was with someone with nothing to hide
Did you think about it
Did the thought even enter your head
Was it by design like the perfect crime
Did you mean every word that you said
I've tried putting myself in your place and I still feel the same
You've been looking to find an excuse
There's nobody else you can blame
The song "Did You See Me Coming" by Mike & The Mechanics is a thoughtful and introspective reflection on a past love that has ended. The lyrics are filled with questions and doubts, as the singer wonders whether he was ever truly seen or appreciated by his former partner. He wonders if he was wasting his time, believing that he was with someone who had nothing to hide, and whether his love was reciprocated from the start. Despite his attempts to understand his partner's perspective, he is still left feeling confused and hurt by the breakup.
The chorus, "Did you see me coming, did you see I was there for the ride," is perhaps the most poignant expression of the singer's feelings. He feels as though he was a mere passenger in the relationship, and that his partner never truly saw him or recognized his efforts to make things work. He also questions whether his partner was deliberate in her actions, wondering if she planned to hurt him all along. The song is ultimately a bittersweet reflection on the end of a relationship, filled with regret and longing for what could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
Did you see me coming
Did you anticipate my arrival or was I a surprise?
Did you see I was there for the ride
Were you aware that I was along for the journey?
Was I wasting time when I thought that I
Did I spend my time with someone who had secrets or was dishonest?
Was with somebody with nothing to hide
Was the person I was with transparent and sincere with me?
Did you think about it
Did you give it any consideration?
Did the thought even enter your head
Did the idea even cross your mind?
Was it by design like the perfect crime
Was it planned out like a perfectly executed criminal act?
Did you mean every word that you said
Did you genuinely mean everything you said to me?
I've tried putting myself in your place and I still feel the same
I've attempted to understand your perspective, but I still feel the same way.
You've been looking to find an excuse
You've been searching for a justification for your actions.
There's nobody else you can blame
You can't point the finger at anyone else.
Could you see me a good mile away
Were my intentions and presence obvious to you from far away?
Did I talk too much
Did I speak excessively?
Did I laugh too loud
Did I have an overly boisterous chuckle?
Was there something that I didn't say
Was there an unspoken thought or feeling in our conversations?
Can I tell you something
May I share something with you?
Just in case you don't already know
To make sure you're aware.
Well it's crossed my mind
I have thought about something.
More than once that I
I have contemplated this idea on multiple occasions.
Should have left you a long time ago
I should have ended our relationship much earlier.
Sometimes you make it look easy
You appear to handle things with little effort at times.
To somebody like me
From my perspective.
One day you're gonna turn around
Someday, you will look back on our relationship.
And I'll be a bad memory
I will have left a negative impression on you.
Did you see me coming
Did you anticipate my arrival or was I a surprise?
Did you see I was there for the ride
Were you aware that I was along for the journey?
Was I wasting time when I thought that I
Did I spend my time with someone who had secrets or was dishonest?
Was with someone with nothing to hide
Was the person I was with transparent and sincere with me?
Did you think about it
Did you give it any consideration?
Did the thought even enter your head
Did the idea even cross your mind?
Was it by design like the perfect crime
Was it planned out like a perfectly executed criminal act?
Did you mean every word that you said
Did you genuinely mean everything you said to me?
I've tried putting myself in your place and I still feel the same
I've attempted to understand your perspective, but I still feel the same way.
You've been looking to find an excuse
You've been searching for a justification for your actions.
There's nobody else you can blame
You can't point the finger at anyone else.
Contributed by Brooklyn D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.