Meaningful songs #6 - RALPH McTELL

This is the sixth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990. 

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Streets Of London", released in 1974, is by a singer called RALPH McTELL.

Hear the song here

  

As a social commentary woven into a story, this is a powerful song protesting avoidable inequality, still relevant today 50 years later. The rich get richer and poorer get lost.

STREETS OF LONDON

Have you seen the old man

In the closed-down market

Kicking up the paper

With his worn out shoes?

In his eyes you see no pride

And held loosely at his side

Yesterday's paper telling yesterday's news

CHORUS

So how can you ?tell me you're lonely

And say for you ?the sun don't shine?

Let me take you by the hand and

Lead you through the streets of London

Show you something to make you change your mind

Have you seen the old girl

Who walks the streets of London

Dirt in her hair and her clothes in rags?

She's no time for talking

She just keeps on walking

Carrying her home in two carrier bags

  

CHORUS

In the all night cafe

At a quarter past eleven

Same old man sitting there on his own

Looking at the world

Over the rim of his teacup

Each tea lasts a hour

And he wanders home alone

CHORUS

Have you seen the old man

Outside the Seaman's Mission

Memory fading with the medal ribbons that he wears

In our winter city

The rain cries a little pity

For one more forgotten hero

And a world that doesn't care

CHORUS

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

For more information start here.