MIKE + THE MECHANICS - Living Years (album thread)

It was co-written by Rutherford and Robertson, although Rutherford - whose father had died a few months earlier - had nothing to do with the lyrics. And he was initially unsure whether the subject matter was too heavy for a pop song. It is also understandable if some people find the song too shallow.

I had no idea Mike didn't write the lyrics of the title track. I just always assumed he did, as his father had died not long before. As for it being 'shallow' I guess it's 'shallow' in the way Another Day In Paradise is 'shallow'. What does that even mean?

My favourite Mike + the Mechanics album. Such as shame there doesn't seem to be any pro-shot footage from the tour.

Quote from Christian

good point - it's a pretty German expression and hard to translate. Maybe "schmaltzy" is better?

I see. But 'schmaltzy'? I think that's unfair. It's a deep subject. Perhaps the chorus is slightly 'schmaltzý but I don't think the verses are.

I like "Nobody knows" a lot. It also worked well live, when Andrew and Tim sang it.

This album is a bit like Joshua Tree (U2). Some wonderful tracks and then avergage songs, 50/50. For this reason, it can never be my favorite M&M album, despite Nobody's Perfect and The Living Years.

Quote from Nanunami

Nobody's Perfect

I love how this starts and builds, interesting and a bit spiky but it then collapses into disappointment with its corny arm-swaying chorus.

Feels like a lifetime ago that I saw them at Hammersmith on that tour. Nobody's Perfect was the opening track, as on the album, I remember that much. That odd synth sample like a cross between Jan Hammer and a strangled penguin going on for ages while they all came on; a sort of gnarled imitation of the Mama drum machine intro on the IT tour, but done left-handed on a Casio keyboard from Woolworths.

As for the album, I gave it a listen a few weeks back and it doesn't work for me now. It was middle-of-the-road at the time, but now it seems to have acquired some extra large chunks of cheese. Black and Blue, oh come on. Too much of the Rutherford aspect that gives me the hump - a very basic and polite guitar riff with 80s keyboards and production dolloped around it. Like Invisible Touch, but considerably worse. I definitely preferred the album at the time, although even then I preferred the previous one.

However, back to Hammersmith, I remember the bass line on Nobody's Perfect was of the Richter scale level, like when Genesis were giving it the "sheets of double glazing" live. Which (sort of) leads me back to when I think Rutherford is at his best. Balls out, giving it large. Wallop, have it, that sort. Eleventh Earl over Don't, that sort of thing. And please don't anybody tell me Poor Boy Down had the required cajones. Oh no. Balls out every time. The alternative of politely cupped balls happened too often in the 80s and didn't bring much satisfaction! "It must be haaaaaarrrrdddddd"!!!

Still, the single was a massive hit and is loved by local radio to this day.