Paul Carrack: A Retrospective (1974-2024)

Paul Carrack A Retrospective: 1974-2024

Overview: Rock singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Paul Melvyn Carrack was born on April 22, 1951 in Sheffield, England. Record Collector said, “If vocal talent equaled financial success, Paul Carrack would be a bigger name than legends such as Phil Collins or Elton John.” WK In the mid-‘70s, Carrack fronted Ace, singing lead on their 1974 hit How Long (#3). Then he served as the keyboardist for Roxy Music in the late ‘70s before launching a solo career which was occasionally interrupted by stints with Squeeze (Tempted, 1981) and Mike + the Mechanics (Silent Running, 1985; The Living Years, 1988). He found solo success with I Need You, Don’t Shed a Tear, and I Live by the Groove. Resume Ace (1974-1977) Roxy Music (keyboards: 1979) solo (1980-) with Carlene Carter (1981) Squeeze (keyboardist/vocalist: 1981, 1993) Spin 1ne 2wo (1993) Mike + the Mechanics (singer/keyboardist: 1985-2004) Links DMDB encyclopedia entry for Paul Carrack Top 30 Songs PaulCarrack.net (official site) Facebook Wikipedia

Awards

Studio Albums Ace Five-A-Side (1974) Ace Time for Another (1976) Ace No Strings (1977) Nightbird (1980) Carlene Carter Blue Nun (1981) Squeeze East Side Story (1981) Suburban Voodoo (1982) Mike + the Mechanics Mike + the Mechanics (1985) One Good Reason (1987) Mike + the Mechanics The Living Years (1988) Groove Approved (1989) Mike + the Mechanics Word of Mouth (1991) Spin 1ne 2wo Spin 1ne 2wo (1993) Squeeze Some Fantastic Place (1993) Mike + the Mechanics Beggar on a Beach of Gold (1995) Blue Views (1996) Beautiful World (1997) Mike + the Mechanics M6 (1999) Satisfy My Soul (2000) Groovin’ (2001) It Ain’t Over (2003) Mike + the Mechanics Rewired (2004) Winter Wonderland (2005) Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue (2007) I Know That Name (20008) A Different Hat (2010) Good Feeling (2012) Rain or Shine (2013) Soul Shadows (2016) These Days (2018) One on One (2021) Don’t Wait Too Long (2023) Compilations CC The Carrack Collection (covers 1974-85, released 1988) 21 21 Good Reasons (covers 1974-90, released 1994) SF Greatest Hits: The Story So Far (covers 1974-2005, released 2006) CT Collected (box set, covers 1974-2012, released 2012) B The Best of (covers 1974-2014, released 2014) HL How Long Has This Been Going On? (covers 1974-2024, released 2024) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Ace Five-A-Side (1974): Ace’s first album gave them a top-5 hit with How Long and started Paul Carrack on the road to fame. How Long (11/9/74, 3 US, 1 CL, 20 UK, 63 AU, 2 DF) CC, 21, SF, CT, B, HL Rock and Roll Runaway (7/26/75, 71 BB, 63 CB, 40 CL, 35 DF) The Real Feeling 21 Ace Time for Another (1976): Ace’s second album didn’t find the success of their debut. The failure of single, No Future in Your Eyes, to even chart after the success of “How Long” was a definite disappointment. No Future in Your Eyes (48 CL, 37 DF) 21 Ace No Strings (1977): This was Carrack’s third and final album with Ace. You’re All That I Need was released as a single, but didn’t chart. You’re All That I Need (47 CL, 33 DF) 21 Paul Carrack The Rumour (1980): After fronting Ace and working with Roxy Music, this was Paul Carrack’s first solo album. The Rumour 21 Beauty Is Only Skin Deep CT Carlene Carter Blue Nun (1981): Paul Carrack dueted with Carlene Carter on these two cuts from her Blue Nun album. Do Me Lover CC, 21 Oh How Happy 21 Squeeze East Side Story (1981): After one solo album, Paul Carrack joined Squeeze as their keyboardist. He also contributed vocals to what is arguably the group’s best-known song. Read more about this album on its DMDB page. Tempted (6/20/81, 49 US, 8 AR, 3 CL, 41 UK, 45 CN, 85 AU) CC, 21, SF, CT, B, HL Paul Carrack Suburban Voodoo (1982): After fronting Ace, working with Carlene Carter, and working with Roxy Music, this was Paul Carrack’s first solo album. I Need You (9/4/82, 37 BB, 26 CB, 20 RR, 20 AC, 22 AR, 30 AU, 4 DF) CC, 21, SF, CT, HL Lesson in Love (10/16/82, 33 AR, 33 DF) CC Always Better with You (11/16/82, 31 DF) CC, 21, CT A Little Unkind (2/7/83, 37 DF) CC, 21 Mike + the Mechanics Mike + the Mechanics (1985): After another solo album, Carrack returned to a group, this time one led by Genesis’ Mike Rutherford. Carrack and Paul Young shared vocal duties with Carrack singing lead on the top-10 hit Silent Running. Read more about this album on its DMDB page. Silent Running (11/4/85, 6 BB, 5 CB, 5 GR, 5 RR, 1 AR, 7 AC, 21 UK, 8 CN, 23 AU, 1 DF) CC, 21, SF, CT

The Carrack Collection Paul Carrack

Recorded: 1974-1985 Released: 1988 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: pop rock Rating: 3.809 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks: (1) How Long (2) Tempted (3) Do Me Lover (with Carlene Carter) (4) A Little Unkind (5) Silent Running (6) Lesson in Love (7) I Need You (8) Always Better with You About the Album: Although released in 1988, this compilation doesn’t include Carrack’s solo top-10 “Don’t Shed a Tear” (1987) or his chart-topping song, “The Living Years,” with Mike + the Mechanics (1988). Instead this too-slim retrospective stops at 1985. Still, that does mean one gets How Long, Tempted, I Need You, and Silent Running all in one collection.

Paul Carrack One Good Reason (1987): After the success of Mike + the Mechanics, Carrack’s next solo album gave him the biggest solo hit of his career with the top-10 Don’t Shed a Tear. When You Walk in the Room (5/16/87, 90 BB, 91 CB, 48 UK, 7 AU, 18 DF) 21, SF, CT Don’t Shed a Tear (10/24/87, 9 BB, 9 CB, 9 RR, 36 AC, 5 AR, 60 UK, 33 AU, 6 DF) 21, SF, CT, HL One Good Reason (3/12/88, 28 BB, 33 CB, 24 RR, 20 AR, 38 AU, 23 DF) 21, CT Button Off My Shirt (9/10/88, 91 BB, 12 DF) 21 Mike + the Mechanics The Living Years (1988): Back with Mike + the Mechanics for their second album, Carrack sang lead on this song which went all the way to the top of the charts in the U.S. Read more about this album on its DMDB page. The Living Years (12/27/88, 1 BB, 1 CB, 2 GR, 2 RR, 5 AR, 1 AC, 2 UK, 1 CN, 1 AU, 1 DF) 21, SF, CT, B, HL Nobody Knows (7/22/89, 41 AC, 21 DF) Paul Carrack Groove Approved (1989): Back with another solo effort. I Live by the Groove (18/30/89, 31 BB, 27 CB, 25 RR, 22 AC, 23 DF) 21 Battlefield (1/27/90, 27 DF) 21, SF, CT Loveless (28 DF) 21 Only My Heart Can Tell (35 DF) 21 Dedicated (39 DF) SF, HL, CT

21 Good Reasons Paul Carrack

Recorded: 1974-1990 Released: January 25, 1994 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: pop rock Rating: 3.527 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks: (1) How Long (2) The Real Feeling (3) No Future in Your Eyes (4) You’re All That I Need (5) Tempted (6) Do Me Lover (with Carlene Carter) (7) Oh How Happy (with Carlene Carter) (8) The Rumour (9) I Need You (10) Always Better with You (11) A Little Unkind (12) One Good Reason (13) Don’t Shed a Tear (14) Button Off My Shirt (15) When You Walk in the Room (16) I Live by the Groove (17) Only My Heart Can Tell (18) Battlefield (19) Loveless (20) Silent Running (21) The Living Years About the Album: This update to The Carrack Collection adds classic songs like Don’t Shed a Tear and The Living Years. Somewhere between this overly-hefty compilation and the too-light Carrack Collection lies the perfect Paul Carrack compilation.

Mike + the Mechanics Word of Mouth (1991): Everybody Gets a Second Chance (6/15/91, 24 AC, 56 UK, 21 CN, 20 DF) CT A Time and Place (6/15/91, 58 UK, 37 DF) CT Get Up (single, 24 DF) Spin 1ne 2wo Spin 1ne 2wo (1993): This one-time collaboration with Tony Levin found Carrack interpreting rock classics from Blind Faith (“Can’t Find My Way Home”), Cream (“White Room”), Jimi Hendrix (“All Along the Watchtower”), Led Zeppelin (“Black Dog”), and others. Can’t Find My Way Home CT <’ul> Squeeze Some Fantastic Place (1993): Loving You Tonight (10/18/93, 4 DF) CT Mike + the Mechanics Beggar on a Beach of Gold (1995): Over My Shoulder (2/25/95, 12 UK, 22 CN, 11 DF) SF, CT, B, HL Another Cup of Coffee (6/17/95, 51 UK, 53 CN, 38 DF) CT A Beggar on a Beach of Gold (June 1995, 33 UK, 27 DF) CT Paul Carrack Blue Views (1996): Carrack’s first solo album in seven years features “Love Will Keep Us Alive,” a song he wrote with Timothy B. Schmit that was first recorded by the Eagles. Eyes of Blue (1/6/96, 24 AC, 40 UK) SF,CT, B, HL Love Will Keep Us Alive (21 UK) SF, CT, B, HL For Once in Our Lives (6/28/97, 72 BA, 3 AC) Paul Carrack Beautiful World (1997): Beautiful World (single, --) SF The Way I’m Feeling Tonight (single, --) CT Mike + the Mechanics M6 (1999): Now That You’re Gone (6/5/99, 35 UK, 19 DF) CT Whenever I Stop (8/28/99, 73 UK, 20 DF) CT Paul Carrack Satisfy My Soul (2000): Satisfy My Soul (single, --) SF, CT, B, HL Better Than Nothing CT Paul Carrack Groovin’ (2001): This collection of covers featured Carrack’s take on songs made famous by the Four Tops (“Baby I Need Your Loving”), Marvin Gaye (“Too Busy Thinking About My Baby”), Ronnie Milsap (“Any Day Now”), Van Morrison (“Crazy Love”), the Rascals (“Groovin’”), James Taylor (“You’ve Got a Friend”), Dionne Warwick (“Walk on By”), Bill Withers (“Ain’t No Sunshine”), and more. Groovin’ (single, --) SF, CT, B, HL Any Day Now (single, --) SF Walk on By B Paul Carrack It Ain’t Over (2003): It Ain’t Over (single, --) SF, CT Where Did I Go Wrong? (single, --) SF, CT Empty Space CT Mike + the Mechanics Rewired (2004): If I Were You CT Paul Carrack Winter Wonderland (2005): Carrack’s first Christmas album featured his take on Christmas classics such as “White Christmas,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “The Christmas Song,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Let It Snow” and the title cut alongside the non-Christmas classic “What a Wonderful World.” What a Wonderful World (30 DF) SF

Greatest Hits: The Story So Far Paul Carrack

Recorded: 1974-2005 Released: October 23, 2006 Peak: -- US, 146 UK Sales (in millions): -- Genre: pop rock Rating: 2.778 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks: (1) How Long (2) Tempted (3) I Need You (4) Silent Running (5) Don’t Shed a Tear (6) When You Walk in the Room (7) The Living Years (8) Battlefield (9) Dedicated (10) Over My Shoulder (11) Love Will Keep Us Alive (12) Eyes of Blue (13) Beautiful World (14) Satisfy My Soul (15) Groovin’ (16) Any Day Now (17) Where Did I Go Wrong? (18) It Ain’t Over (19) What a Wonderful World About the Album: This update to The Carrack Collection adds classic songs like Don’t Shed a Tear and The Living Years. Somewhere between this overly-hefty compilation and the too-light Carrack Collection lies the perfect Paul Carrack compilation.

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Paul Carrack Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue (2007): This is a bit of a mish-mash, gathering covers (Marvin Gaye’s “What's Going On” and “Ain’t That Peculiar,” Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over,” the Beatles’ “Girl”) alongside re-recordings (“Love Will Keep Us Alive,” “I Live on a Battlefield”). What's Going On B Don’t Dream It’s Over CT, B, HL Paul Carrack I Know That Name (2008): I Don’t Want Your Love (I Need Your Love) (single, --) B I Don’t Want to Hear Any More (single, --) CT, HL Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City (single, --) CT No Doubt About It (single, --) CT Soul to Soul (with the London Community Gospel Choir) CT He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother CT Paul Carrack A Different Hat (2010): Once again, Carrack delivers a collection of covers and re-recordings. Moon River B, HL Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying (single, --) CT, B Paul Carrack Good Feeling (2012): When My Little Girl Is Smiling (single, --) CT, B Good Feelin’ About It (single, --) CT Time to Move On (single, --) CT Long Ago CT

Collected Paul Carrack

Recorded: 1974-2012 Released: September 11, 2012 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: pop rock Rating: 2.681 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) How Long (2) Tempted (3) Don’t Shed a Tear (4) The Living Years (5) Love Will Keep Us Alive (6) Groovin’ (7) When You Walk in the Room (8) Empty Space (9) Over My Shoulder (10) When My Little Girl Is Smiling (11) Satisfy My Soul (12) Eyes of Blue (13) Always Better with You (14) The Way I’m Feeling Tonight (15) A Time and Place (16) It Ain’t Over (17) Long Ago (18) Everybody Gets a Second Chance Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Dedicated (2) Loving You Tonight (3) Where Did I Go Wrong (4) Silent Running (5) I Need You (6) I Live on a Battlefield (7) Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City (8) Now That You’re Gone (9) I Don’t Want to Hear Anymore (10) Time to Move On (11) One Good Reason (12) Another Cup of Coffee (13) Better Than Nothing (14) Beauty’s Only Skin Deep (15) No Doubt About It (16) Whenever I Stop (17) Good Feelin’ About It (18) Don’t Let the Sun Catch You crying Tracks, Disc 3: (1) She’s Soulful (2) Don’t Dream It’s Over (3) Burning Love (4) Your Own Special Way (5) Love Me As Hard As You Hurt Me (6) If You Believe in Me (7) Too Late (8) Ride On (9) Wish You Were Here (10) Can’t Find My Way Home (10) Soul to Soul (12) He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother (13) Beggar on a Beach of Gold (14) If I Were You Songs Not Featured on Previously Noted Albums: Wish You Were Here (with Nick Lowe, 1983) CT She’s Soulful (1/27/90) CT Burning Love (with Snowy White, 1995) CT Love Me As Hard As You Hurt Me (1996) CT Your Own Special Way (with Steve Hackett, 1996) CT Ride On (with Gare du Nord, 2007) CT If You Believe in Me (from the movie Beautiful Joe,2008) CT Too Late (with Bill Wyman & the Rhythm Kings, 2012) CT About the Album: Box set. Would have been benefited from a chronological presentation and more material from early in Carrack’s career.

Paul Carrack Rain or Shine (2013): Stepping Stone B I’m Losing You (single, --) B One in a Million B Come Rain or Come Shine B

The Best of Paul Carrack

Recorded: 1974-2013 Released: September 7, 2014 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: pop rock Rating: 2.695 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks: (1) The Living Years (2) How Long (3) Love Will Keep Us Alive (4) Eyes of Blue (5) Over My Shoulder (5) Tempted (6) Satisfy My Soul (7) Groovin’ (8) Walk on By (9) What's Going On (10) I Don’t Want Your Love (I Need Your Love) (11) Don’t Dream It’s Over (12) Moon River (13) Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying (14) When My Little Girl Is Smiling (15) I’m Losing You (17) Stepping Stone (18) One in a Million (19) Come Rain or Come Shine About the Album: This collection strangely ignores Carrack’s early solo years (“I Need You,” “Don’t Shed a Tear,” “I Live by the Groove”), omits one of his biggest hits (Mike + the Mechanics’ “Silent Running”), and substitutes re-recordings of “The Living Years,” “How Long,” and “Tempted” instead of the originals. This appears to be a case of trying to assemble a compilation without having the rights to all of the material.

Paul Carrack Soul Shadows (2016): Sleep on It HL Let Me Love Again HL Paul Carrack These Days (2018): none Paul Carrack One on One (2021): You’re Not Alone HL Paul Carrack Don’t Wait Too Long (2023): Don’t Wait Too Long HL

How Long Has This Been Going On Paul Carrack

Covers: 1974-2024 Released: August 23, 2024 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: pop rock

Tracks: (1) How Long (2) Groovin’ (3) Eyes of Blue (4) Satisfy My Soul (5) Don’t Shed a Tear (6) Dedicated (7) The Living Years (8) Moon River (9) Don’t Wait Too Long (10) Love Will Keep Us Alive (11) Sleep on It (12) Let Me Love Again (13) Tempted (14) I Don’t Want to Hear Any More (15) You’re Not Alone (16) I Need You (17) Over My Shoulder (18) Don’t Dream It’s Over (19) Raining in My Heart About the Album: This is another odd attempt at pretending to be a career retrospective but substituting some of Carrack’s earlier works with re-recorded versions. Not Featured on a Previously Noted Album: Raining in My Heart HL

Resources/References: PaulCarrack.net (official website) WK Wikipedia page for Paul Carrack Related DMDB Links: First posted 10/12/2020; last updated 4/9/2026.

Paul Carrack - Happy 70th birthday! His Top 30 Songs

Paul Carrack Top 30 Songs

The pop/rock singer and keyboardist Paul Carrack was born April 22, 1951 in Sheffield, England. Fronted the band Ace, offered guest vocals for Squeeze, and worked with Mike + the Mechanics. Also worked as a solo singer. For a complete list of this act’s DMDB honors, check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entry. Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

Awards:

Top 30 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. This list includes songs by Ace, Squeeze, and Mike + the Mechanics which featured Carrack on lead vocals. Unless otherwise noted, songs are by Paul Carrack as a solo artist. Songs which hit #1 on the following charts are noted: Billboard Hot 100 (US), Cashbox (CB), Billboard adult contemporary chart (AC), Billboard album rock track chart (AR), Canadian pop chart (CN), and Australian pop chart (AU). DMDB Top 5%: 1. The Living Years (Mike + the Mechanics, 1988) #1 US, CB, AC, CN, AU 2. Tempted (Squeeze, 1981) 3. How Long (Ace, 1974) #1 CB DMDB Top 10%: 4. Silent Running (Mike + the Mechanics, 1985) #1 AR 5. Don’t Shed a Tear (1987) DMDB Top 20%: 6. I Need You (1982) 7. One Good Reason (1987) 8. I Live by the Groove (1989) 9. Everybody Gets a Second Chance (Mike + the Mechanics, 1991) 10. Over My Shoulder (Mike + the Mechanics, 1995) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 11. When You Walk in the Room (1987) 12. Button Off My Shirt (1987) 13. Rock and Roll Runaway (Ace, 1974) 14. Now That You’re Gone (Mike + the Mechanics, 1999) 15. Nobody Knows (Mike + the Mechanics, 1988) 16. Loving You Tonight (Squeeze, 1993) 17. Whenever I Stop (Mike + the Mechanics, 1999) 18. Romance (Paul Carrack with Terri Nunn, 1989) 19. Another Cup of Coffee (Mike + the Mechanics, 1995) 20. Eyes of Blue (1996) 21. Lesson in Love (1982) 22. Revolution (Mike + the Mechanics, 1989) 23. Battlefield (1989) 24. For Once in Our Lives (1997) 25. A Time and a Place (Mike + the Mechanics, 1991) 26. Love Will Keep Us Alive (1997) 27. Do Me Lover (Carlene Carter with Paul Carrack, 1981) 28. Beggar on a Beach of Gold (Mike + the Mechanics, 1995) 29. A Call to Arms (Mike + the Mechanics, 1985) 30. Oh How Happy (Carlene Carter with Paul Carrack, 1981) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Paul Carrack DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Mike + the Mechanics DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Squeeze Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 12/23/2019; updated 6/5/2022.

Mike + the Mechanics “Silent Running” released

Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) Mike + the Mechanics

Writer(s): Mike Rutherford, B.A. Robertson (see lyrics here) Released: November 4, 1985 First Charted: November 9, 1985 Peak: 6 US, 5 CB, 5 GR, 5 RR, 7 AC, 15 AR, 21 UK, 8 CN, 23 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 10.9 video, 13.81 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Bassist/guitarist Mike Rutherford was a founding member of the British rock band Genesis in 1967. He stayed with the band throughout their history, watching them move from their artsier, progressive side with Peter Gabriel on vocals to their more commercial style with Phil Collins at the helm. In the early 1980s, Rutherford released two solo albums. The most successful song from either effort was “Maxine,” a #39 album rock hit in 1982. At the same time, Genesis was reaching its commercial peak. Their self-titled 1983 release was the group’s third straight of five consecutive chart-toppers in the UK and second of four consecutive top-10 albums in the U.S. “That’s All,” from 1983, became the group’s first top-10 hit in the United States, preceding five top-5 hits from their 1986 Invisible Touch album. In between the two Genesis albums, Rutherford formed a side project, Mike + the Mechanics. The group featured Paul Carrack and Paul Young on vocals, Adrian Lee on keyboards, and Peter Van Hooke on drums. Their 1985 self-titled debut produced two top-10 hits, “Silent Running” and “All I Need Is a Miracle.” Carrack, who’d previously taken the mike for hits like Ace’s “How Long,” Squeeze’s “Tempted,” and his own “I Need You,” sang lead on “Silent Running.” Rutherford explained that the song, which he wrote with Scottish musician B.A. Robertson, was about “time travel. The story is about the idea that this father of this family is ahead in time, so he can look back and see what’s going to happen…He’s trying to get a message back to his family to warn them that impending disaster is coming. Hence the line, ‘Can you hear me, can you hear me calling you?” SF According to Casey Kasem’s American Top 40, he titled it after the 1972 sci-fi movie Silent Running because he thought the song had a spacey feel to it, WK although he also told Songfacts.com he hadn’t heard of the movie before writing the song. SF The song was given the subtite “On Dangerous Ground” after it was chosen to be featured in the 1986 movie of the same name, although the movie was retitled Choke Canyon in the United States. WK The video featured clips from the movie. The BBC banned the song during the Gulf War because of its message regarding war, nationalism, and religion, including a direct reference to weaponry (“There s a gun and ammunition / Just inside the doorway.”). WK Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 11/19/2022; last updated 12/28/2022.

Mike + the Mechanics released self-titled debut

Mike + the Mechanics Mike + the Mechanics

Released: October 5, 1985 Peak: 26 US, 78 UK, 10 CN, 36 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US Genre: mainstream rock

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) (Rutherford, B.A. Robertson) [6:10] v: Carrack (11/9/85, 6 US, 5 CB, 5 RR, 6 US, 1 AR, 21 UK, 8 CN, 23 AU) All I Need Is a Miracle [4:10] v: Young (2/1/86, 5 US, 9 CB, 3 RR, 6 AR, 27 UK, 10 CN, 6 AU) Par Avion [3:36] Hanging by a Thread (Rutherford, Neil, Robertson) [4:40] v: Young I Get the Feeling [4:27] v: Carrack Take the Reins (Rutherford, Neil, Robertson) [4:18] v: Young You Are the One [3:41] A Call to Arms (Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Rutherford, Neil, Robertson) [4:38] v: Carrack, Young Taken In [4:17] v: Young (6/28/86, 32 US, 30 CB, 22 RR, 39 CN) Songs by Mike Rutherford and Christopher Neil unless noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 39:57 The Players: Mike Rutherford (guitar, bass) Paul Carrack (vocals) Paul Young (vocals) Adrian Lee (keyboards) Peter Van Hooke (drums)

Rating: 3.776 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: Mike Rutherford had been the bassist for British prog-rock group Genesis since its formation in 1967. In 1980, he branched out with his first solo album, Smallcreep’s Day and followed it with Acting Very Strange in 1982. The albums reached #13 and 23 in the UK respectively, but neither made much noise in the United States, peaking at #163 and 145 respectively. It was hard to know what to expect from Rutherford’s side project, Mike + the Mechanics, in 1985. Genesis was coming off the success of its second consecutive top-10, multi-platinum album in the United States and the most successful single of their career thus far with “That’s All” (#4). Still, Rutherford hadn’t exactly proven himself as a chart juggernaut outside of Genesis. It was hard not to assume this would only be a one-off vanity project. Instead, Mike + the Mechanics surprised the pop and rock worlds “with the somber stir of Silent Running, the album’s first release.” AMG The song reached #1 on the album rock chart and #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also put Paul Carrack in the unique position of having provided lead vocals to successful songs for three different groups. Ace reached #3 with their 1974 song “How Long” and Squeeze had a new-wave classic with “Tempted” in 1981. He’d also reached the top 40 on his own with “I Need You” in 1982. “Carrack sounds just as sharp as he did with Ace or Squeeze throughout” AMG the album. Paul Young, the other lead singer for the Mechanics had previously charted in the UK with his band Sad Café, most notably the #3 hit “Every Day Hurts” in 1979. He was fairly unknown in the United States, however. None of that prevented Mike + the Mechanics from breaking the one-hit wonder curse with second single All I Need Is a Miracle. With “its Genesis-like tempo and polished chorus,” AMG the song bettered “Silent Running” on the pop charts, hitting #5 and gave Rutherford & Co. another top-10 hit on the album rock chart. Taken In, “a simple ballad that’s bettered by Paul Young’s genuine emotional charm,” AMG made the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was a top-10 adult contemporary hit. Par Avion wasn’t a single, but did get noticed because it was featured in the Miami Vice episode “Yankee Dollar.” WK A Call to Arms was an unfinished Genesis song. It emerged out of the sessions for the band’s self-titled 1983 album, but Rutherford’s bandmates didn’t like it. Rutherford got their permission to use it and developed it into a full song with help from Neil and B.A. Robertson. WK “The songwriting comes out on top before anything else.” AMG Rutherford presented demo tapes, sometimes with nothing more “than isolated riffs and fragments” WK to producer Christopher Neil who pinpointed which he considered worthy of more development. Rutherford then built them into “full-fledged songs.” WK His “guitar work isn’t overwhelming, both his six-string and bass guitar contributions complete a sound foundation for the vocals.” AMG “Rutherford’s overseeing of the entire project is apparent” AMG but it benefits from “all of its members exercising their expertise.” AMG In addition to the two accomplished vocalists, “the mood setting drum work of Peter Van Hooke and the keyboard fills from Adrian Lee play a large part in setting the album’s tone, and add some pop zest to the majority of the tracks.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: AMG All Music Guide review by Mike DeGagne WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 1/17/2009; last updated 9/1/2021.