"All I Need Is a Miracle" by Mike + the Mechanics

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  2665
Date:  03/22/1986
Debut:  74
Peak:  5
Weeks:  19
Genre:  Pop, Soft Rock



Pop Bits:  Mike Rutherford's side project outside of Genesis grabbed their first hit with the eerie single "Silent Running" (#6 Pop/#1 Rock), which was taken from the band's self-titled debut album. This more upbeat and poppy track was selected to be their second single and it would also be a winner getting into the Pop Top 10 while hitting #6 Rock and #7 AC. The song would also earn the band a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance, Duo or Group.

ReduxReview:  They couldn't have put out a better follow-up song to the dark "Silent Running" than this. It was a really well-written and produced pop tune that sounded so fresh and bubbly on the radio. Rutherford certainly proved that Phil Collins wasn't the only member of Genesis who could write tasty, mainstream chart hits.

ReduxRating:  9/10

Trivia:  The lead vocals for the band's songs on their debut album would end up being handled by three different singers: Paul Carrack, Paul Young, and John Kirby. Carrack sang the lead on "Silent Running." For this song, Paul Young was the main voice. The name confused some folks at the time as there was a solo artist named Paul Young who was having solo hits at the time like "Everytime You Go Away." The Mechanics' Paul Young was a different artist who had a little bit of success with his other band Sad Café. They had a big #3 hit in the UK with 1979's "Every Day Hurts." They were less successful in the US and could only manage to get two minor entries on the Pop chart - 1979's "Run Home Girl" (#71) and 1981's "La-Di-Da" (#78). Young would stay with Sad Café until 1989. He remained with Mike + the Mechanics until his sudden death from a heart attack in 2000.

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