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.
My Crime Of Passion
Mike & The Mechanics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From a voice I hardly recognized
Well my heart was beating faster
And my blood ran hot and cold
I was heading for disaster
When suddenly I realized that I had lost control
Loaded questions played upon my mind
Well my mind was in confusion
Had my back against the wall
I'd been led into collusion
Before I realized I was a victim of it all
[Chorus]
Here's to my crime of passion
I can't forget the look upon your face
And to your tender mercies
Goodbye to all the innocence we never can replace
All of Sunday sittin' by the telephone
Not a whisper, well I should have known
But it seems that I'd insisted
'Cause in spite of all you said
I believe my words were twisted
As line by line the promises were spinning round my head
Waves of anger slowly do recede
To faded memories that I'll never need
But my mind keeps on returning to the way it used to be
There's a flame forever burning
There's nothing I can say to you will ever make you see
Here's to my crime of passion
I just can't seem to shake it off my mind
As for your tender mercy
I'll never stop regretting that I left it all behind
The lyrics of this song, My Crime of Passion by Mike & The Mechanics, describe a situation where the singer seems to have been taken advantage of or manipulated in some way. He was warned about something by an unfamiliar voice, and though his heart was beating fast and his blood was running hot and cold, he didn't realize he had lost control until it was too late. Loaded questions and allegations made him confused and paranoid, and he found himself colluding with someone before he even knew what was happening. But despite feeling like a victim, the singer admits that he committed a crime of passion, driven by his emotions and desire. He can't forget the look on the other person's face, and he regrets leaving everything behind.
Throughout the song, the singer struggles with his feelings of guilt and longing, as well as anger and regret. He spends his days by the telephone, hoping for a whisper from the person he's lost. And though he slowly realizes that the promises he was given were false, he can't help but return to memories of the past. As he sings, "There's a flame forever burning / There's nothing I can say to you will ever make you see."
Overall, the song seems to be about the consequences of being taken advantage of and losing control. It touches on themes of regret, manipulation, and desire, as well as the struggle to move on from a past mistake.
Line by Line Meaning
Words of warning took me by surprise
I was caught off guard by warnings that I was completely unaware of.
From a voice I hardly recognized
I received these warnings from a source that was unfamiliar to me.
Well my heart was beating faster
I felt a mixture of emotions, causing my heart to race and pulse to quicken.
And my blood ran hot and cold
I experienced conflicting emotions, causing me to feel both heated and suddenly chilled.
I was heading for disaster
I was on a path toward catastrophe.
When suddenly I realized that I had lost control
I had a moment of clarity and knew that I had lost my ability to guide the situation.
Loaded questions played upon my mind
I felt plagued by perplexing questions that weighed on my thoughts.
Allegations I could not deny
I was faced with accusations that I could not refute or downplay.
Well my mind was in confusion
I was bewildered and unable to make sense of my thoughts.
Had my back against the wall
I felt trapped and cornered, with no escape or way out.
I'd been led into collusion
I was unknowingly involved in a plan or scheme with someone else.
Before I realized I was a victim of it all
Before I knew it, I had become an unwitting casualty of the situation.
Here's to my crime of passion
I accept responsibility for acting out of strong, uncontrollable emotions.
I can't forget the look upon your face
The expression on your face has been forever etched into my memory.
And to your tender mercies
I miss the kindness and compassion that you once showed me.
Goodbye to all the innocence we never can replace
I mourn the loss of our purity and naivety, knowing that we can't relive those moments.
All of Sunday sittin' by the telephone
I spent an entire day waiting for a phone call that never came.
Not a whisper, well I should have known
I expected to hear some kind of communication, but in retrospect, I should have realized it wouldn't come.
But it seems that I'd insisted
I pushed for a response, even though it was clear that I wouldn't get one.
'Cause in spite of all you said
Despite your reassurances and promises, I still had my doubts.
I believe my words were twisted
I think my words and intentions were misinterpreted or deliberately changed.
As line by line the promises were spinning round my head
I was getting more confused and overwhelmed by all the assurances and pledges being made to me.
Waves of anger slowly do recede
My anger has slowly subsided over time.
To faded memories that I'll never need
The memories of the situation are becoming less important and relevant to me.
But my mind keeps on returning to the way it used to be
I can't shake the feeling of nostalgia and longing for how things once were.
There's a flame forever burning
The passion and intensity of my emotions will never completely extinguish.
There's nothing I can say to you will ever make you see
No matter what I say to you, you will never fully understand my point of view.
I just can't seem to shake it off my mind
I can't seem to forget or move past the situation.
I'll never stop regretting that I left it all behind
I will always feel remorseful about the choices I made and the things I lost as a result.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: PAUL MELVYN CARRACK, GREGG WILLIAM SUTTON, RICH WAYLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind