S$# 009 Mike & The Mechanics | Word Of Mouth

After the huge hit The Living Years (the song and the album) in 1989, expectations were high for the follow-up from Mike & The Mechanics. Word Of Mouth was released in 1991 on the album of the same name.

The song, written by leader Mike Rutherford and co-producer Christopher Neil, is a rousing live number - but it's not actually live. Audience cheering was mixed in to a studio recording to add effect. Paul Young's vocals are great.

But is Word Of Mouth a political anthem? Is it a statement about gossip or street gab? A rail against propaganda? It's vague enough that the listener can infer from it what she/he wants to:

From the west side to the east side
From the north side to the south
You’ll never get bad information
If you believe in the word of mouth

You don’t believe the information
You don’t believe it when it’s denied
So when you’re reading explanations
You have to read between the lines

Word Of Mouth is also available on the collection called Hits.