"The Living Years"

"The Living Years" was released in 1988 and performed by Mike and the Mechanics. Mike and the Mechanics was started in 1984 as a side project of Mike Rutherford , who was a founding member of Genesis."The Living Years" was co-written by Rutherford and B.A. Robertson whose fathers had died recently.Paul Carrack being the lead singer had also lost his father when he was only 11 years old therefore adding more authenticity to the song.The Band included Rutherford, Paul Carrack and Paul Young as the vocalists, Adrian Lee on the Keyboard and Peter Van Hooke - the drummer.
Sadly Paul Young died in 2000 from a Heart Attack and the band reformed as "Mike and the Mechanics featuring Paul Carrack"

A very sentimental song, hearing this on the radio in 88 it was around the time my grandfather died and I was about 8. I don't remember a whole lot about him as I was very young but I do remember my father(as it was his father) and how devastated he was. My Grandfather passed away from Lung Cancer and from that day on my father never smoked another cigarette again. This song and it's lyrics are really chilling but at the same time so honest and real.
The line that really speaks to me is "I think I caught his spirit Later that same year I'm sure I heard his echo In my baby's new born tears "

Below are the lyrics and video :


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.

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