The Living Years
Mike & The Mechanics Lyrics


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Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Oh, crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence

Say it loud (say it loud), say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts

So don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be okay

So say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
Because it's too late, it's too late (it's too late)
When we die (oh, when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning
When my Father passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late (it's too late) when we die (it's too late when we die)
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So say it, say it, say it loud (say it loud)
Say it clear (come on say it clear)
Say it loud
(Don't give up, don't give in and don't look away 'til it's too late)




Say it clear
Say it loud (say it loud, say it loud)

Overall Meaning

Mike & The Mechanics's song "The Living Years" is an emotional reflection on the strained relationship between a father and son. The song captures the universal theme of how we often take our loved ones for granted and only realize what we've missed when it's too late. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with the singer reflecting on how every generation blames the previous one for their frustrations. The singer then acknowledges his own feelings of being a prisoner and hostage to his father's expectations and dreams, which he feels went unspoken.


The chorus of the song becomes a rallying cry to the listener to speak up and communicate with their loved ones while they are still alive. The lyrics warn that it is "too late when we die to admit we don't see eye to eye," and that "it's the bitterness that lasts" if we do not take the time to open up a dialogue with those who mean the most to us. The bridge of the song reveals a personal moment of regret for the singer who wasn't able to express everything he wanted to say to his father before he passed away. However, he finds solace in his baby's newborn tears, interpreting them as a sign that his father's spirit lives on.


Line by Line Meaning

Every generation
Every new generation of people


Blames the one before
Blames the previous generation for the problems they inherit


And all of their frustrations
All the current generation's frustrations


Come beating on your door
Are often directed towards the older generation


I know that I'm a prisoner
I feel trapped


To all my Father held so dear
By the beliefs and values my Father instilled in me


I know that I'm a hostage
I feel captive


To all his hopes and fears
By his aspirations and anxieties for me


I just wish I could have told him in the living years
I wish I could have talked to him while he was still alive


Oh, crumpled bits of paper
All the letters and notes we wrote to each other


Filled with imperfect thought
Were not always well written or expressed


Stilted conversations
Our dialogs were often awkward


I'm afraid that's all we've got
This is all we have left of our conversations


You say you just don't see it
You claim you can't understand


He says it's perfect sense
He believes it's entirely logical


You just can't get agreement
You can't agree with each other


In this present tense
Here and now


We all talk a different language
We express ourselves in different ways


Talking in defense
We argue and defend our position


Say it loud (say it loud)
Express yourself loudly


say it clear (oh say it clear)
Speak out boldly and make yourself understood


You can listen as well as you hear
Pay attention to what others say


It's too late (it's too late)
When we're gone


when we die (oh when we die)
Once we've passed away


To admit we don't see eye to eye
To acknowledge our disagreements


So we open up a quarrel
We start arguing


Between the present and the past
About what happened before versus what's happening now


We only sacrifice the future
We're missing an opportunity to build a better future


It's the bitterness that lasts
We'll only remember the argument and not the actual disagreement


So don't yield to the fortunes
Don't get discouraged by bad luck


You sometimes see as fate
That seems like it's beyond your control


It may have a new perspective
It might change in the future


On a different day
Depending on the circumstances


And if you don't give up, and don't give in
If you keep trying and don't quit


You may just be okay
Things could still turn out fine


I wasn't there that morning
I was absent the day my Father died


When my Father passed away
When my Father died


I didn't get to tell him
I wasn't able to speak to him


All the things I had to say
All the unspoken words I had for him


I think I caught his spirit
I felt his presence somewhere near me


Later that same year
Later on in the same year


I'm sure I heard his echo
I believe I heard his voice or influence


In my baby's new-born tears
In my child's crying


Say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
Emphasize your message


It's too late (it's too late)
When we pass away


When we die (oh, when we die)
After we die


To admit we don't see eye to eye
To accept that we don't agree


Say it, say it, say it loud (say it loud)
Repeat yourself as often as it takes


Don't give up, don't give in
Persist and keep trying


And don't look away 'til it's too late
Stay focused until it's over


Say it clear
Be clear in your communication


Say it loud (say it loud, say it loud)
Emphasize your message




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: B.A. Robertson, Mike Rutherford

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@Humility777

This song has brought me to tears om msny occasions. I had my own dramatic life experience at 16 in 1974. Basically, in my junior year of HS, my so-called parents moved me to a rural area away from all my lifelong friends. They moved us into a trailer park. It was isolated

Within four months, my mother left one morning without a goodbye. A month later, my father left, but at least told me I was on my own. It was horrifying to be homeless. I immediately dropped out of school. No home or family. No money, no food, no job. Had to steal food to survive. No one on earth loved me during this time of life, it was like my parents died. Emptiness and Hopelessness overwhelmed me! I was broken. I had no place to go but beg God for help. Asking why was tjis happening to me. Looking back later I clearly see He did answer my prayers in a big way!

So, He helped me through not losing the will to live during that fargile time. I am grateful that I eventually got on my two feet, as at 18, I joined the Marine Corps. My homelessness turned out to be like survival training. I stayed in 8 years as if I got out I had no where to go. So, when I did get out I spent a month living in my pickup.

It took me many years, though, to heal and to trust anyone.

Today, 50 years later, my life is amazing. Loving wife of 40 years now. She helped me heal and is my best friend, my soul mate. We have 7 children all grown-up and 5 grandchildren today.

Pretty amazing transformation, but it did take me almost 20 years to heal. It also drove me to be successful. Today, we are independently wealthy. Best of all, I became the father I should have had!



All comments from YouTube:

@garyfeenan8143

I have terminal cancer less than 4 months to live. Went from a 220 pound ripped bodybuilder who ran half marathons to a 98 pound skeleton. Thought I would live to a good age I am only 42. Everybody live your life to the fullest.

@stevethomas4353

Call out to Jesus-- you'll be in a far better place!

@michaelcalmeyn7376

My thoughts are with you

@ashleytaylor994

God bless you

@j.daniel6357

Jesus saves ! Call out to him. I did. It was like life from the dead . Depression hit me hard but I prayed to him and was saved. All glory to him !

@benjaminngubeni5812

Sending you all the love and light in all the world for you.

632 More Replies...

@marcashley8492

I called my father one night. I was so stoned. I was crying having listened to this song. I thanked him for everything he had done for me, sobbing like a fool. I asked him what he was doing, I was on speaker phone with my uncles. Haha. I was so humiliated for so long.
Then he passed away two years later. I was so happy I said what I needed to.
Thank God.

@melony9470

Dad I made it. I'm sober and clean 5 yrs now, you'd be proud I miss you. RIP Dad we miss you so much.

@summerBcohen69

Your dad would be so so proud of you he's smiling down now saying good girl trust me ❤

@jilllynn371

Im so proud of you and positive your dad is as well 💕😊

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