Lyrics to
The Living Years

This version of The Living Years was released by Mike & The Mechanics in 1988.

Visit the Mike & The Mechanics Lyrics profile at Decade Lyrics - it has the The Living Years lyrics as well as the rest of the songs by Mike & The Mechanics.

Here's more interesting things in songs and lyrics tied to Mike & The Mechanics or about the 1980s in general.

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 defense

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 date
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

---

Want more lyrics and songs by Mike & The Mechanics?

Mike & The Mechanics has released many songs over the years besides The Living Years. Mike & The Mechanics released songs from 1985 to 2004 spanning across albums like Mike + The Mechanics, The Living Years, Word Of Mouth, Beggar On A Beach Of Gold, Mike & The Mechanics (M6), and Rewired. Decade Lyrics has over lyrics & songs by Mike & The Mechanics.

If you're a fan of 1980s songs looking for more songs from 1988 or the 1980s overall, you've come to the right place!

More Songs & Lyrics by Mike & The Mechanics

Visit our Mike & The Mechanics profile for more Mike & The Mechanics songs, lyrics & info!

)