ストリーツ・オブ・パラダイス
FolkFolk rockSinger-songwriterBritish folkFolk-rock
From 1973 to 1982, British folk legend Richard Thompson (having quit Fairpo… Read Full Bio ↴From 1973 to 1982, British folk legend Richard Thompson (having quit Fairport Convention in 1971) recorded as a duo with his wife Linda Thompson. This period saw a great amount of critical praise for Richard's songwriting and Linda's voice, though not much popular success. Following their divorce, both pursued solo careers. The Thompsons recorded three albums I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (1974), Hokey Pokey (1975) and Pour Down Like Silver (1975) before they decided to leave the music business and moved to a Sufi commune in East Anglia. Songwriting was by Richard throughout, lead vocals generally by Linda,and backing by a consistent core band of English folk-rock stalwarts I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight showed a clear development from Richard Thompson's first solo effort Henry The Human Fly with Linda's vocals adding grace, as well as the opportunity for Richard to write from a female perspective. Although Thompson's trademark gloom is already evident, the lightness and beauty of the arrangements counterbalances this to produce moments of great beauty. The use of brass, from the renowned CWS silver band in particular takes forward Thompson's continuing crusade to find a more contemporary and ordinary expression of Englishness in music,(as opposed to say the forays into the Morris form of his Fairport contemporary Ashley Hutchings, solo and with The Albion Band). The next year's release, Hokey Pokey to some extent repeats the formula, although it is improved in production values, and is stylistically more adventurous still. A Heart Needs a Home is a minor miracle of songwriting, expressing the longing for love without cynicism and has a standout multi-tracked vocal from Linda. Pour Down Like Silver extended the reach of Richard and Linda's music, and without the occasional weaker tracks of the preceding releases. Here in the writing cynicism is balanced with humour, (Hard Luck Stories, Streets of Paradise), and love and need is expressed directly, and to touching effect ( Jet Plane in a Rocking Chair, Beat the Retreat). The impact of Sufism on their lives is expressed in Night Comes In, which borrows imagery from Sufi mystic poetry, and the practice of finding union with the Spirit through dance. The playing, arrangements and production are uniformly excellent throughout. In 1978, Thompson decided to take his family out of the commune and go back to their old home in Hampstead. He also decided to return to making music, partly because, as he commented at the time, he'd come to realise "that [he] wasn't really any good at anything else". Re-uniting the core band, the resulting album, First Light was warmly received by the critics but did not sell particularly well. Neither did its follow up, 1979's harder-edged and more cynical Sunnyvista. Chrysalis Records did not take up their option to renew the contract, and the Thompsons found themselves without a contract, but not without admirers. About a year later Joe Boyd signed the Thompsons to his small Hannibal label and a new album was recorded. Shoot Out the Lights included new recordings of many of the songs recorded in 1980, and was clearly a very strong album. Linda Thompson was pregnant during the sessions, and so the album's release was held back until the Thompsons could tour in support of the new album. Linda's pregnancy also meant that she did not sing on all of the songs. On its release in 1982, Shoot Out the Lights was lauded by critics and sold fairly well - especially in the USA. The Thompsons, now a couple for professional purposes only, toured the USA to support the album and then went their separate ways. Both the album and their live shows were well received by the American media, and Shoot Out the Lights effectively relaunched their career - just as their marriage was falling apart. As against the first phase of their career, this last offering is sparer, without the instrumental augmentation that characterized the earlier albums, much more rock orientated, and altogether more ferocious. Although Thompson in interviews has always resisted over-personal interpretations of his songs, it is difficult not to see in its energy, tone and themes the difficulties of the final stages of the Thompson's marriage, transmuted into musical gold.
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Thompson
The tears fall down like whisky
The tears fall down like wine
On an island made of cocaine
In a sea of turpentine
We all need some assistance
But won't that day be fine
When we're walking down the streets of Paradise
Tar brush on the corner
I've never seen him before
He drank ten fingers of what they had
Now his feet don't touch the floor
He can't see me or this dirty old town
He's got nothing to look for
He's walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise
I'd trade my silver mansion
With a guard on every door
I'd trade my wealth and treasure
And the sash my father wore
I'd trade my little sister
And my brother who went before
To be walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise
I asked you for a racehorse
Now don't hand me no mule
I asked you for a fast car
Don't you take me for a fool
Just hand me down my telescope
And a bullet I can chew
I'll be walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise
The lyrics of the song "Streets of Paradise" by Richard & Linda Thompson paint a vivid image of a world consumed by addiction and despair. The first stanza talks about tears falling down like whisky and wine on an island made of cocaine in a sea of turpentine. It seems to be a metaphor for the struggle of addiction and the feeling of being trapped in a never-ending cycle. The chorus suggests that everyone needs assistance, but the day when they can finally walk down the streets of paradise will be a fine one.
The second stanza describes a man on the corner, seemingly intoxicated and disconnected from the world around him. The singer describes the man's inability to see anything good in the town and suggests that he may be walking towards the streets of paradise, which could either be seen as a hopeful or a tragic ending. The final stanza seems to be a plea for escape from the singer, who wants to trade everything he has for a chance to walk on the streets of paradise. He asks for a racehorse, a fast car, and finally, a telescope and a bullet to help him reach his destination. This could imply that the journey towards paradise might require some kind of physical action or sacrifice.
The tears fall down like whisky
The tears are flowing heavily as if they were alcoholic spirits
The tears fall down like wine
The tears are flowing heavily as if they were a fine wine
On an island made of cocaine
The surroundings are so influenced by drugs that it feels like a whole island made of cocaine
In a sea of turpentine
The place is full of toxic substances like turpentine
We all need some assistance
Everyone could use some help occasionally
But won't that day be fine
It will be great when we can finally get by without any help
When we're walking down the streets of Paradise
A day when everything comes into place will be as if we're walking in a paradise
Tar brush on the corner
An unfamiliar person with a dark skin color seen in that area
I've never seen him before
The person is not known to the artist
He drank ten fingers of what they had
He took a heavy amount of the available drink
Now his feet don't touch the floor
He is too intoxicated to balance himself
He can't see me or this dirty old town
He is so drunk that he is unaware of his surroundings and people around him
He's got nothing to look for
The person is not concerned with anything around him due to being drunk
He's walking down the streets of Paradise
His state of mind feels euphoric and delusional, as if he's in a paradise
I'd trade my silver mansion
The singer would happily give up their luxurious lifestyle
With a guard on every door
Even with all the security measures in place, the artist would give up their mansion
I'd trade my wealth and treasure
The artist would forsake their riches
And the sash my father wore
Even the sentimental things left by their father would be traded
I'd trade my little sister
The love the singer has for their family is not as important as finding Paradise
And my brother who went before
The artist's sibling who has already passed on would also be traded away
To be walking down the streets of Paradise
Nothing is more important to the artist than finding this elusive paradise
I asked you for a racehorse
The artist is requesting something great from someone
Now don't hand me no mule
The singer does not want to be given something that is significantly lesser than what was requested
I asked you for a fast car
The artist desires a mode of transportation that is quick and efficient
Don't you take me for a fool
The singer does not want to be taken advantage of or underestimated for their desires
Just hand me down my telescope
The singer has their sights set on something particular
And a bullet I can chew
The singer is willing to do whatever it takes to reach their desired destination
I'll be walking down the streets of Paradise
The artist is confident that they will find their paradise by any means necessary
Writer(s): Richard Thompson Contributed by Peyton E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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01ストリーツ・オブ・パラダイス
02I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
03The Calvary Cross
04When I Get To The Border
05Withered and Died
06Down Where The Drunkards Roll
07The End Of The Rainbow
08We Sing Hallelujah
09The Great Valerio
10Has He Got A Friend For Me
11Wall Of Death
12The Little Beggar Girl
13Shoot Out the Lights
14Walking on a Wire
15Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed?
16Don't Renege On Our Love
17Just the Motion
18Man in Need
19Back Street Slide
20A Heart Needs a Home
21Dimming Of The Day / Dargai - Edit
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