The living yearsMike & the Mechanics

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

More 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 day
And if you don't give up and don't give in
You may just be O.K.

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

有生之年麦克 & 机械工合唱团

每一代都会责怪上一代
他们所有的挫折
都来敲打着你的房门
我知道我曾经是个被父亲控制的囚犯
一个在他的期望与恐惧之下的人质
但愿我能早点告诉他
在他有生之年

许多揉皱的纸团
写满了不完美的想法
拘谨的对谈
我怕那便是我们所拥有的
你说你始终无法理解
他却说那是完美的
但你始终无法认同
我们彼此各说各话
在防卫中交谈

大声的、明白的说出来
尽你所能，用心倾听
等我们离开人世就已太迟
去承认彼此不曾认真了解对方

我们展开一场争论
在现今与过去之间
我们牺牲了未来
那是痛苦的延续
因此，别向命运屈服
你有时是如此认命
在不同的时日会也许有新的看法
只要你不放弃、不屈服
你会安然无事

父亲过世的那个早晨，我不在他身边
我没来得及告诉他心底的话
那一年稍晚，我想我受到他的精神感召
我确信听到了他的回声
从我新生婴儿的眼泪中
但愿我能告诉他
在他有生之年