Defend the Indefensible: Mike and the Mechanics' "The Living Years"

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Ooh, I have to disagree with the 'quite chugging' guitar part (same as "Throwing It All Away" or "Hold on My Heart")--that for me is one of the most squeamish things about the song. It's like someone rubbing a balloon.

― Joe (Joe), Monday, 27 June 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

Every week-end at some point back in the late 80s, le Journal de Montreal would ask a different hockey player a bunch of questions (favorite food and such). When asked about their favorite song, every last one of them said "The Living Years".

― Patrick (Patrick), Monday, 27 June 2005 12:38 (twenty years ago)

was that pre-helmets?

― peepee (peepee), Monday, 27 June 2005 12:46 (twenty years ago)

haha, OTM, Joe. I'll take "Nobody's Perfect" meself.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 27 June 2005 12:51 (twenty years ago)

The priest at my church read the lyrics of this song to the congregation when I was in 3rd grade.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 27 June 2005 13:04 (twenty years ago)

"Say it LOUD. Say, it, CLEAR."

This is not a defense of it.

― miccio (miccio), Monday, 27 June 2005 13:04 (twenty years ago)

I was volunteering to sort some donated records at the community radio station on Father's Day and the guy on the air chose to play this song and a few other Father/Son relationship type songs (he also played Dan Fogelberg's "Leader of the Band," gag me!). Someone called him up and said "Fuck You!" and then hung up. I thought "serves you right, playing this shitty music..."

― Tripmaker (SDWitzm), Monday, 27 June 2005 13:06 (twenty years ago)

my fav. song when i was...wait, it came out in '89? jesus, I would have thought I'd have had better taste as a seven year old. gross. i hate young me!

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 27 June 2005 13:07 (twenty years ago)

For your consideration:

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

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 clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late 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 O.K.

Chorus

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 called 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

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 27 June 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

Yep, as mawkishly insipid as I remembered it.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

I think I can make a few defenses of this song:

1) The bitterness of the song makes it a little more sophisticated than "Gee dad, I miss you." I actually find the second stanza kind of effective in this way. "I'm a hostage to all his hopes and fears," -- that's kind of a dark, difficult idea for a top-10 pop song, even if it does make the cliched pairing of "hopes and fears"

2) Why do people rag on this song so much more than Time After Time? The Lauper song is equally soft-rock-y, sentimental, and maudlin, and I don't think you can argue that it's lyrically or musically superior.

3) I really did like this song (and Time After Time) when I was a little kid.

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

Unless Mike + the Mechanics had any more US radio hits after this one, it's defensible in that it marked the end their US chart presence altogether.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

4) Has there ever been another hit song, by a dude, that is so shamelessly soul-bearing without making an attempt to woo a woman?

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:07 (twenty years ago)

4) Has there ever been another hit song, by a dude, that is so shamelessly soul-bearing without making an attempt to woo a woman?

This question deserves its own thread.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

http://www.songfacts.com/detail.lasso?id=3201
More defenses:

Comments:
The song "In the Living Years" has always eluded me to this day, and now that I have located the artists and the lyrics, I can understand why. I totally relate to this song and it has made me realize the importance of making sure we always tell our loved ones what and how we feel no matter how hard it is to say. Thanks for allowing me to join in to make comments and check out the things you have in here. Donna
- Donnalynn, Blaine, WA
Paul Young who was the 53 year old lead singer with Mike and the Mechanics (and previously Sad Café) died from a suspected heart attack in July 2000. He collapsed at his home in Altrincham, Cheshire, UK.
- Danial, Dubai, Other
Paul Carrack was also in the bands Ace and Squeeze. This is one of my favorite 80's bands and I think they were very underated. I still have a videotape of the '89 Grammy performance of this song.
- Steve, St. Louis, MO
It's pretty inspirational alright - powerful stuff!!
- Helen, Dublin, Ireland
Love this song, inspires me to live life in the now not in the past or future
- Daniel, Perth, AK

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

Also, more songs about mothers and fathers:

http://www.songfacts.com/additionalSearches.lasso?about=More%20songs%20about%20a%20mother%20or%20father

― Hurting (Hurting), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:24 (twenty years ago)

It's no Silent Running!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 27 June 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

Oh goodness. I couldn't remember this song at all (although I knew I'd heard it before) up until Miccio's post -- AND NOW THE HORROR RETURNS TO MY MEMORY AND OH GOD MAKE IT STOP SEAR THE PAIN AWAY NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

― Ian Riese-Moraine eats nation-states for breakfast! (Eastern Mantra), Monday, 27 June 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

This song just NEVER seemed to end. In fact, I don't even know how it ends. I don't think I ever heard the end of it. I'll bet it was a fadeout.

― Ian Riese-Moraine eats nation-states for breakfast! (Eastern Mantra), Monday, 27 June 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

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

and

You just can't get agreement
In this present tense

Words can't describe how much I loathe these lines. I penned better lyrics when I was thirteen! So clumsy, so lazy, so urgh...

― Ian Riese-Moraine eats nation-states for breakfast! (Eastern Mantra), Monday, 27 June 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

I'd be very hard-pressed to name a song worse than this one.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 27 June 2005 16:44 (twenty years ago)

This song and Billy Vera and The Beaters "At This Moment" were 80s songs that got in my head inexplicably and I can still remember the lyrics to on command. So frightening.

― Candicissima (candicissima), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:03 (twenty years ago)

I would shoot this song if I could.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:04 (twenty years ago)

Ned, quit mongering hate!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

Matt, I am a holy mission.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

Rather, I am on a holy mission. But I could be a holy mission too.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:10 (twenty years ago)

I absolutely love... "At This Moment". Dude can SING that song.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

Believe and you can achieve!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:12 (twenty years ago)

http://www.books.i12.com/mission/mission/mission_2.jpg

"Oi!"

― Wayne (vassifer), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:12 (twenty years ago)

Seriously though...Silent Running is an awesome little wierd song....

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:12 (twenty years ago)

also, as bad as this song is, the video is like five times worse.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:13 (twenty years ago)

I absolutely love... "At This Moment". Dude can SING that song.
Yeah, you're right about that!

― Candicissima (candicissima), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:15 (twenty years ago)

Billy Vera I have time for -- good liner note writer for a lot of Rhino comps, had a great three-line role in Buckaroo Banzai. Trouper. Mike and the Mechanics I mock.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:18 (twenty years ago)

Defend the Indefensible: Mike and the Mechanics' "The Living Years"
Um...okay...uh...
It's...OH! I got it...It's not as cloyingly sappy as "Cats in the Cradle"
Hows that.

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

Okay, have we maybe found the one song that everybody hates?

― The Mad Puffin (The Mad Puffin), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:21 (twenty years ago)

It's too LAAAAAAAAATE
When we DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
To admit we don't see
EYE TO EYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:22 (twenty years ago)

Hang on a minute. Was someone slagging off Time After Time?

― Buffalo Stan (Buffalo Stan), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

Miles Davis didn't do a version of "The Living Years," that's for fucking sure

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 27 June 2005 17:55 (twenty years ago)

I don't hate "The Living Years," but nor can I muster a defense of it.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

Is Paul Carrack the only guy to have a hit with three different bands?

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

Squeeze, these assholes and.....who is the third? Didn't he have a solo hit?

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

Ace, "How Long." He did however have solo hits too -- "Don't Shed a Tear" in particular I think.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:43 (twenty years ago)

Someone should lock him in the trunk of a car and drive it off a cliff into a perilous chasm filled with agitated snakes and quiksand.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:44 (twenty years ago)

I believe he's dead. And I think you're the chief suspect.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:45 (twenty years ago)

http://home.att.net/~leahland/nestles.jpg

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

I think we're forgetting the key soulful bit:

Say it looooooouud
(say it loud!)
Say is cleeeeear
(oh say it cle-ear!)

This song is NOT better than "Cat's In the Cradle" and while it doesn't save that song, it makes "Leader of the Band" look like a Dylan tune.

― Gear! (Ill Cajun Gunsmith) (Gear!), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:54 (twenty years ago)

Nope, alive and touring, Ned....you big tease.

http://www.carrack-uk.com/Paul-Carrack---intro-Sam-Mo.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

"Look! It's my dignity cowering in the corner!"

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 27 June 2005 18:59 (twenty years ago)

Tom Sizemore?

― Gear! (Ill Cajun Gunsmith) (Gear!), Monday, 27 June 2005 19:00 (twenty years ago)

Name people whose career arcs resemble that of Paul Carrack

― The Mad Puffin (The Mad Puffin), Monday, 27 June 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 28 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

It's too LATE when we DIEEEE

― Buttigieg comes right from the source (Neanderthal), Saturday, 6 April 2019 21:14 (seven years ago)

die listening to this song more like

― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 6 April 2019 21:18 (seven years ago)

Have to admit we dont see eye to eye here

― findom haddie (jim in vancouver), Saturday, 6 April 2019 21:30 (seven years ago)

I do not like this song, also it's of the same level of quality as Africa by Toto and lots of people seem to like that for some reason.

― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, 6 April 2019 21:34 (seven years ago)

cmon, Africa is fuckin' When The Levee Breaks compared to The Living Years

That said I recently read Rutherford's memoir of the same name and it was pretty good

― Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 6 April 2019 22:46 (seven years ago)

well, parents put their kids in British public schools with the expectation that those kids can form paragraphs.

― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 6 April 2019 22:50 (seven years ago)

Every generation
Hates this fuckin song

― Buttigieg comes right from the source (Neanderthal), Saturday, 6 April 2019 23:23 (seven years ago)

There's no song I hate more in the world. My friend Adam knows this and used to call my answering machine and singing it softly every six months or so. It is so awful.

― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Monday, 8 April 2019 14:23 (seven years ago)

I was about to fulminate on how Paul Carrack has never sung or played on anything decent whatsoever, then I remembered he sang on Squeeze's "Tempted". Apart from that it's been a 50-year reign of terror. Even his early 70s prog band (Warm Dust) were shit. Checking him on Discogs, it seems he has over 50 releases (albums, singles and DVDs) on his own label since 2000 or thereabouts. 50! Who the fuck needs 50 Paul Carrack records?!

― Zeuhl Idol (Matt #2), Monday, 8 April 2019 15:06 (seven years ago)

I do not like this song, also it's of the same level of quality as Africa by Toto and lots of people seem to like that for some reason.
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Saturday, April 6, 2019 9:34 PM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm.

― ☮ (peace, man), Monday, 8 April 2019 15:21 (seven years ago)

I have childhood fondness for both this and Silent Running, but Over My Shoulder was the bane of my ITV Chart Show-watching existence for what seemed like an eternity when I was a teenager.

― Chuck_Tatum, Monday, 8 April 2019 15:25 (seven years ago)

i kind of like 'how long' tbh xxp

― kolarov spring (NickB), Monday, 8 April 2019 15:26 (seven years ago)

so do grocery stores

― recriminations from the nitpicking woke (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 April 2019 15:31 (seven years ago)

i actually like over my shoulder

― findom haddie (jim in vancouver), Monday, 8 April 2019 16:46 (seven years ago)

weird to google and see that over my shoulder didn't even get into the top 10 in the uk because it felt like it was on the radio all the time for a couple years

― findom haddie (jim in vancouver), Monday, 8 April 2019 16:47 (seven years ago)

M&tM are opening for Phil Collins in June? Oh, the unfulfilled expectations of deluded Genesis fans

― doug watson, Monday, 8 April 2019 18:06 (seven years ago)

silent running is miami vice rock, so much better than this

― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, 8 April 2019 20:24 (seven years ago)

Predicted Brexit.

― dinnerboat, Monday, 8 April 2019 20:34 (seven years ago)

seven months pass...

I was a kid when this song came out, my mom always played the Adult Contemporary stations in the car growing up, IDGAF I love this song, come at me

― thewufs, Friday, 15 November 2019 04:13 (six years ago)

Only wish ya coulda told us

― Jordan Pickford LOLverdrive (Neanderthal), Friday, 15 November 2019 04:41 (six years ago)

nine months pass...

IT'S TOO LATE WHEN WE DIE

― muntjac wagner (Neanderthal), Monday, 17 August 2020 23:39 (five years ago)

I liked the pre-chorus to this song better when Linkin Park stole it for "Breaking the Habit"

― muntjac wagner (Neanderthal), Monday, 17 August 2020 23:39 (five years ago)

I would shoot this song if I could.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, June 27, 2005 1:04 PM bookmarkflaglink

SHOOT IT LOUD

― muntjac wagner (Neanderthal), Monday, 17 August 2020 23:44 (five years ago)

Remember first knowingly hearing this in the early 00s as I "faced-up" the paint isle in the mount vernon b&q. Dont understand why that's stuck with me so much, maybe because the combination was so dispiriting

― Temporary Erogenous Zone (jim in vancouver), Monday, 17 August 2020 23:55 (five years ago)

Aisle even, cripes.

Honestly dont mind "over my shoulder" mind you

― Temporary Erogenous Zone (jim in vancouver), Monday, 17 August 2020 23:58 (five years ago)

two years pass...

The BBC dubbed Carrack "The Man with the Golden Voice",[3] while Record Collector remarked: "If vocal talent equalled financial success, Paul Carrack would be a bigger name than legends such as Phil Collins or Elton John."[4]

― linoleum gallagher (Neanderthal), Thursday, 20 July 2023 19:00 (two years ago)

seven months pass...

say it louuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud

― CEO Greedwagon (Neanderthal), Thursday, 29 February 2024 17:36 (two years ago)

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