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.
The Living Years
Mike & The Mechanics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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)
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
Chris
Carrack has to be the most underrated singer ever, voice is magic.
M R
@John Warren sorry for your lost
Chris
@John H wrong he’s had quite a few popular songs with different bands, you’ve heard his voice more than you realize.
John H
Magic? He's a one hit wonder.
John Warren
This song hits home, my Father passed away before got to him tell I loved him. He died on my Son’s birthday. This song really hurts every time I hear it.
Chris
Lol ok how about “unheralded”? Obscure? There a lot of people who know the voice and not the singer.
Paul Gerecke
I was 19 when this song came out and fought with my old man every day, I'm 49 now and he has terminal cancer, can't listen to this song without tearing up, don't let the sun go down on an argument people, bury the hatchet before it's too late, I'm gonna miss him like crazy when he goes.
John Allen
It is to late to say you are sorry when you a leaning over a casket.
keith barber
I always liked this song from when it was released in 1989, but in 2007, it took on extra meaning after Sunday 30/12/2007, my dad was seriously I'll in hospital, we had a phone call from the hospital (whipps cross London) to say he had taken a turn for the worse, and I went to the hospital, but hadn't even got on the bus when I was phoned to say he had died - I returned home
And the words in the third verse now take on the extra special meaning, and consider the link between the events of that day and lyrics
☆ "I wasnt there that morning when my father passed away, I didn't get to tell him all the things I had to say" ☆
It all adds up to Make this song more poignant for me, brings a lump to my throat and my eyes moist, it's got extra special meaning
Mills Chapman
Don't wait until next week to do thism from someone who lost his dad in 1996 when I was 21: Tell him you love him, that you're you're thankful for everything he has done for you, that you understand how tough it was for him in raising you, that you will always be thinking of him, that will be okay financially after he goes (whether it's true or not doesn't matter, but it will make him be able to let go better), and tell him that you look forward to seeing him in heaven along with your other deceased ancestors. Also, visualize yourself in the future and think of all other things you didn't say to him. Say it to him now. You are doing all of this not for him BUT FOR YOUR OWN PEACE OF MIND. . And a big hug to you, brother.