Mike & The Mechanics are an English rock/pop supergroup formed in 1985 as a… Read Full Bio ↴Mike & The Mechanics are an English rock/pop supergroup formed in 1985 as a side project of Mike Rutherford, one of the founding members of the band Genesis. The initial line-up for the band was Rutherford on bass, vocalists Paul Carrack and Paul Young, keyboardist Adrian Lee and drummer Peter Van Hooke. Following Young's death in 2000, the band took a break. In 2004, Paul Carrack became the band's sole lead vocalist until the band drifted apart in 2007. The band reformed in 2010 with new vocalists Andrew Roachford and Tim Howar.

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.

Something to Believe In
Mike & The Mechanics Lyrics

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There's a silver moon
Shining in the room
Where we sleep like spoons together
Lying in the dark
I can feel your heart
And it beats with mine forever

Coming from the street

You can feel the heat
As the city sleeps
In the silence
And the perfect light
Of a summers night
Is broken by the violence

Then a woman screams
And a baby cries
And someone's dream is shattered
When the nightmares dance
Before your eyes
They can leave you bruised and battered

Then I realise
That I'm by your side
And I'm listening to you breathing
And in this room
With the silver moon
You're something to believe in

There's a boy out there
With a crazy stare
And a gun to make a living
In a sea of hate
Where you can't think straight
In a world that's unforgiving

And it's all gone bad
In a world gone mad
And you're scared that you'll discover
That the one you love
And the one you trust
Is like all the others

Then I realise
That I'm by your side
And I'm listening to you breathing
And in this room
With the silver moon
You're something to believe in
You're something to believe in

And in this room

With the silver moon
You're something to believe in

Overall Meaning

The song "Something to Believe In" by Mike & The Mechanics is a comforting love song that acknowledges the harsh realities of life. It begins by describing a peaceful night where the moon is shining and two lovers are lying in bed together. The singer can feel the other person's heart beating and it feels like it's beating in sync with his own, making the moment feel timeless and eternal.

However, the peace is quickly disrupted by the sounds of the city outside. The tranquility of the surroundings is shattered by the sound of a woman screaming and a baby crying. The singer then recognizes the harsh realities of the world outside of his bedroom. There are people with guns and dangerous intentions, and the world can be an unforgiving and scary place. These thoughts lead the singer to realize that only one thing is certain, and it’s the presence of his significant other in the room, breathing and existing.

The song’s chorus brings it all together, and the singer acknowledges that despite the danger and violence surrounding them, he has someone in his life that is real and makes life worth living. He says that in the world filled with chaos and people who cannot be trusted, his significant other is 'something to believe in.' This song poetically acknowledges the struggles that we face in the world outside and how we can find comfort in our loved ones.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a silver moon
There is a shining moon visible inside the room

Shining in the room
It is glowing brightly in the chamber

Where we sleep like spoons together
We sleep together in a cuddling position

Lying in the dark
While lying in the dark room

I can feel your heart
I can sense your heartbeat

And it beats with mine forever
Our heartbeats are synchronized and will remain so forever

Coming from the street
Noise is coming from outside

You can feel the heat
One can sense the warmth

As the city sleeps
While the entire city is asleep

In the silence
During the soundless night

And the perfect light
The ideal luminosity

Of a summer's night
During a comfortable night in the summer season

Is broken by the violence
But the peace is disturbed by some violent incident

Then a woman screams
A woman shrieks

And a baby cries
A baby starts crying

And someone's dream is shattered
Somebody's aspirations are ruined

When the nightmares dance
When nightmares come to life

Before your eyes
In front of your vision

They can leave you bruised and battered
These incidents can hurt and break you

Then I realise
I realize

That I'm by your side
That I am beside you

And I'm listening to you breathing
And I listen to the sound of your breath

And in this room
Inside this chamber

With the silver moon
Benefitting from the moon's shine

You're something to believe in
You provide me with hope and trust

There's a boy out there
There is a young man outside

With a crazy stare
Looking with intent or insanity

And a gun to make a living
Carrying a firearm to earn money

In a sea of hate
In a world of hatred

Where you can't think straight
In a situation that makes it hard to think clearly

In a world that's unforgiving
In a world where forgiveness is hard to come by

And it's all gone bad
Everything has turned sour

In a world gone mad
In a world of madness

And you're scared that you'll discover
And you're afraid that you will find out

That the one you love
That the person you love

And the one you trust
And the person you trust

Is like all the others
Is like everyone else

And in this room
Inside this chamber

With the silver moon
Benefitting from the moon's shine

You're something to believe in
You provide me with hope and trust

And in this room
Inside this chamber

With the silver moon
Benefitting from the moon's shine

You're something to believe in
You provide me with hope and trust

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHRISTOPHER NEIL, MICHAEL RUTHERFORD

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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