Lyrics:

Mike And The Mechanics


The Living Years


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 OK.


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


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

You can listen as well as you hear

It's too late when we die

To admit we don't see eye to eye

Mike And The Mechanics
Mike And The Mechanics


The Living Years
The Living Years


Every generation
Every generation

Blames the one before
Blames the one before

And all of their frustrations
And all of their frustrations

Come beating on your door
Come beating on your door


I know that I'm a prisoner
I know that I'm a prisoner

To all my Father held so dear
To all my Father held so dear

I know that I'm a hostage
I know that I'm a hostage

To all his hopes and fears
To all his hopes and fears

I just wish I could have told him in the living years
I just wish I could have told him in the living years


Crumpled bits of paper
Crumpled bits of paper

Filled with imperfect thought
Filled with imperfect thought

Stilted conversations
Stilted conversations

I'm afraid that's all we've got
I'm afraid that's all we've got


You say you just don't see it
You say you just don't see it

He says it's perfect sense
He says it's perfect sense

You just can't get agreement
You just can't get agreement

In this present tense
In this present tense

We all talk a different language
We all talk a different language

Talking in defence
Talking in defence


Say it loud, say it clear
Say it loud, say it clear

You can listen as well as you hear
You can listen as well as you hear

It's too late when we die
It's too late when we die

To admit we don't see eye to eye
To admit we don't see eye to eye


So we open up a quarrel
So we open up a quarrel

Between the present and the past
Between the present and the past

We only sacrifice the future
We only sacrifice the future

It's the bitterness that lasts
It's the bitterness that lasts


So Don't yield to the fortunes
So Don't yield to the fortunes

You sometimes see as fate
You sometimes see as fate

It may have a new perspective
It may have a new perspective

On a different day
On a different day

And if you don't give up, and don't give in
And if you don't give up, and don't give in

You may just be OK.
You may just be OK.


Say it loud, say it clear
Say it loud, say it clear

You can listen as well as you hear
You can listen as well as you hear

It's too late when we die
It's too late when we die

To admit we don't see eye to eye
To admit we don't see eye to eye


I wasn't there that morning
I wasn't there that morning

When my Father passed away
When my Father passed away

I didn't get to tell him
I didn't get to tell him

All the things I had to say
All the things I had to say


I think I caught his spirit
I think I caught his spirit

Later that same year
Later that same year

I'm sure I heard his echo
I'm sure I heard his echo

In my baby's new born tears
In my baby's new born tears

I just wish I could have told him in the living years
I just wish I could have told him in the living years


Say it loud, say it clear
Say it loud, say it clear

You can listen as well as you hear
You can listen as well as you hear

It's too late when we die
It's too late when we die

To admit we don't see eye to eye
To admit we don't see eye to eye