Mike & The Mechanics - The living Years

Lyrics :-)

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

• Category

  People & Blogs

[agent j]

I was on a flight to attend my father's funeral when I heard this song for the first time. Typical story. My parents did not understand what I wanted to do. I was tired of explaining. We parted company. My father did not call me when my mother died. The next time I saw my father, he was in his coffin. That is what it is. I learned never to allow myself to part from someone's company until I have "cleared the air". Because it is too late when we die, folks.

[shannon knickerbocker]

it brings tears to my eyes everytime i hear it. excellent song.

[kombatzero]

love the Lyrics

[todd vogler]

beautiful my friend...life is short...

[Roger Williams]

DAD!!! Why didn't I get to know you? It's too late now. I love you.

[cateyemarble]

Don't forget to verbally express your love...I never end a phone call or leave my son without letting him know I love him. I never told my dad or he, me, verbally saying I love you. It just so happens a few months before his death I began to say I love him in my phone call. Amazingly, he returned the "I love you" and from then on until his passing we always verbally expressed our love for each other despite 800+ miles from each other. I look forward to seeing Mom & Dad again when I pass..

[jane cox]

similar story with my mother rob but we made up before she died we hadnt spoke for 16 yrs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx­xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Andrea Stoyko]

over 100,000 hits in the last 24 hours. wow!. Many of us with "Father Issues" well, all we can do is like the song says, And if you don't give up, and don't give in

You may just be OK.

and PRAYER always helps! GOD Bless you Sons of those Fathers! Amen!

[Salvador Arriagada Sofray]

Gracias, es un gran clásico.

[JoJo Millie]

Thinking of my old man today

[br3682]

Awesome