The Living Years (song)
Encyclopedia
"The Living Years" was written by Mike Rutherford
and B. A. Robertson
, and recorded by Rutherford's English rock band Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in January 1989 as the second single from their album, Living Years. The song was a top ten chart hit around the world. It peaked at number one on the United States Billboard Hot 100
on 25 March 1989. Paul Carrack
sang lead vocals on the song. It spent four weeks at the top of the U.S. adult contemporary chart. It reached No.1 in Canada and Australia and No.2 in the UK. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award
for Song of the Year in 1990.
said:
"The lyrics were written by BA [Robertson] and the song is about something he went through. He lost his Dad and 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."
The song was written after Robertson's father died, twelve weeks before the birth of his own son.
(1996), Burt Bacharach
stated “The Living Years is one of the finest lyrics of the last 10 years”.
In 1990 the song was nominated Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. It won the Ivor Novello Award in London for Best Song Musically & Lyrically.
In 2004 it was awarded a 4 Million-Air citation by BMI.
, England near Porlock Weir
and the hamlet of Culbone
.
, West End theatre star Michael Ball
, Marcia Hines
, Engelbert Humperdinck
, James Last
, The LSO
, Christian Artist Russ Lee, John Tesh
, Russell Watson
, and the London Community Gospel Choir
.
Mike Rutherford
Michael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
and B. A. Robertson
B. A. Robertson
B. A. Robertson is a Scottish musician, actor, composer and songwriter.-Career:...
, and recorded by Rutherford's English rock band Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in January 1989 as the second single from their album, Living Years. The song was a top ten chart hit around the world. It peaked at number one on the United States Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
on 25 March 1989. Paul Carrack
Paul Carrack
Paul Carrack is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Carrack has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others including Nick Lowe, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well...
sang lead vocals on the song. It spent four weeks at the top of the U.S. adult contemporary chart. It reached No.1 in Canada and Australia and No.2 in the UK. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Song of the Year in 1990.
Content
The Mike + The Mechanics version was initially promoted to give the impression the lyrics described the disagreements between Rutherford and his father. In an interview with Mike + The Mechanics – (The Sun Online) 2004, Mike RutherfordMike Rutherford
Michael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...
said:
"The lyrics were written by BA [Robertson] and the song is about something he went through. He lost his Dad and 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."
The song was written after Robertson's father died, twelve weeks before the birth of his own son.
Critical reception
In an interview with MojoMojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
(1996), Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
stated “The Living Years is one of the finest lyrics of the last 10 years”.
In 1990 the song was nominated Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. It won the Ivor Novello Award in London for Best Song Musically & Lyrically.
In 2004 it was awarded a 4 Million-Air citation by BMI.
Music video
The music video was directed by Tim Broad and premiered in January 1989. It was filmed in October 1988 in West SomersetWest Somerset
West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. The council covers a largely rural area, with a population of 35,075 in an area of ....
, England near Porlock Weir
Porlock Weir
Porlock Weir lies about 1.5 miles west of Porlock, Somerset, England and is a small settlement which has grown up around the harbour. It is a popular visitor attraction....
and the hamlet of Culbone
Culbone
Culbone is a hamlet consisting of little more than the parish church and a few houses, in the parish of Oare in the Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England. As there is no road access it is a two-mile walk from Porlock Weir, and some four miles from Porlock itself.The village is situated in a...
.
Chart performance
| Chart (1988/1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 18 |
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 1 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 20 |
| German Singles Chart | 13 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 11 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart | 10 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 18 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 5 |
Covers
There are dozens of recordings of the song, instrumental as well as vocal, reggae to classical crossover, from artists as diverse as American country music band AlabamaAlabama (band)
Alabama is a country music and southern rock band from Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. The band was founded in 1969 by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry , soon joined by Jeff Cook...
, West End theatre star Michael Ball
Michael Ball (singer)
Michael Ashley Ball, born 27 June 1962) is a British actor, singer, and radio and TV presenter who is best known for the song "Love Changes Everything" and musical theatre roles such as Marius in Les Misérables, Alex in Aspects of Love, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Edna Turnblad...
, Marcia Hines
Marcia Hines
Marcia Elaine Hines, AM is a vocalist, actress and TV personality who achieved success in her adopted homeland of Australia. Hines made her debut, at the age of sixteen, in the Australian version of the stage musical Hair and followed with the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar...
, Engelbert Humperdinck
Engelbert Humperdinck (singer)
Engelbert Humperdinck is a British pop singer, best known for his hits including "Release Me " and "After the Lovin'" as well as "The Last Waltz" .-Early life:...
, James Last
James Last
James Last is a German composer and big band leader. His "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and the United Kingdom. His composition, "Happy Heart", became an international success in interpretations by Andy Williams and Petula Clark...
, The LSO
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
, Christian Artist Russ Lee, John Tesh
John Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
, Russell Watson
Russell Watson
Russell Watson is an English tenor who has released singles and albums of both operatic-style and pop songs. The self-styled "People's Tenor" had been singing since he was a child, and became known after performing at a working men's club...
, and the London Community Gospel Choir
London Community Gospel Choir
The London Community Gospel Choir is a successful gospel choir located in the United Kingdom.-History:The London Community Gospel Choir was founded in 1982 by the Reverend Bazil Meade with the assistance of Lawrence Johnson, Delroy Powell and John Francis.Initially the idea was for a single concert...
.
- A rival show choirShow choirA show choir is a group of people who combine choral singing with dance movements, sometimes within the context of a specific idea or story.-History:...
performed the song in the GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
episode "Special EducationSpecial Education (Glee)"Special Education" is the ninth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 31st episode overall. It was written by series creator Brad Falchuk, directed by Paris Barclay, and aired on Fox in the United States on November 30, 2010...
", first aired in the U.S. on 30 November 2010. - It was covered by 2010 X Factor Australia winner Altiyan ChildsAltiyan ChildsAltiyan Juric , best known by his stage name Altiyan Childs, is an Australian singer-songwriter. He was the winner of the second season of The X Factor Australia in 2010. After X Factor ended, Childs subsequently signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia...
for his self-titled debut albumAltiyan Childs (album)-Release history:...
. - Mike + The Mechanics band member Paul CarrackPaul CarrackPaul Carrack is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Carrack has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others including Nick Lowe, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well...
, who performed the original lead vocal, has made a number of solo interpretations. Carrack's father died in an industrial accident when he was eleven. It is still a mainstay of Carrack’s live performances today. - There is a comedic interpretation by Big DaddyBig Daddy (band)Big Daddy was an American satire/parody band, that was among the first groups to create mashups - in this case, of oldies and modern pop songs.-History:...
, where the song gets recast as the death-rock classic "Leader of the Pack", by The Shangri-LasThe Shangri-LasThe Shangri-Las were an American pop girl group of the 1960s. Between 1964 and 1966 they charted with often heartbreaking teen melodramas, and remain best known for "Leader of the Pack" and "Remember ".- Early career :...
. - The song has a number of foreign language covers, including the Tokyo Broadcasting System’s (TBS) Drama, “Hotel”, where it was performed, half in English, half in Japanese by one of the show’s stars.
- Expertly covered by Chris de Burgh in 2011 for his CD Footsteps 2.