Mike + the Mechanics
The Living Years
The song is written from the perspective of a son who has a conflicted relationship with his dad.After his father dies, he discovers that he and his dad had a much stronger connection than he realized, and he regrets not saying more while he was still alive.The song was written by Rutherford and Robertson after both of their fathers had recently died, but the lyrics were written by Robertson, and centered on the unresolved issues between him and his father.Rutherford later told The Sun: "The lyrics were written by BA and the song is about something he went through. It's about the lack of communication between him and his father before he died. There's also the irony of him having a baby just after losing his father."
Former Ace and Squeeze singer took on the lead vocals for the song.
Adding another layer to the moving song's lyrics, Carrack had lost his own father when he was only 11 years old.He was working with Rutherford when he got a phone call saying that his dad had died, which is reflected in the opening lines of this verse: "I wasn't there that morning. When my father passed away."
Three months before his father died, Robertson's son was born, which we hear in the line: "I'm sure I heard his echo. In my baby's new born tears."