London
Fiddler's Green Lyrics


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I wander through each chartered street
Near where the chartered Thames does flow
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe

In every cry of every man
In every infant's cry of fear
In every voice, in every ban
The mind-forged manacles I hear

How the chimney-sweeper's cry
Every blackening church appalls
And the hapless soldier's sigh
Runs in blood down palace walls

But most through midnight streets I hear
How the youthful harlot's curse
Blasts the new born infant's tear
And blights with plaques the marriage hearse

London calling
Big city of fear




London calling
Can't you hear

Overall Meaning

The above lyrics are from the song "London" by Fiddler's Green. The song is a commentary on the societal and economic conditions of London during the 19th century. Through these lyrics, the songwriter illustrates a dark and dismal image of the city, where poverty, misery, and exploitation are prevalent.


The opening lines of the song depict the Thames River, which flows through central London. The singer wanders through the streets, observing the faces of people he meets, and he notes the signs of weakness and sorrow in them. The following lines depict the cry of every man, the fear in the infants, and the shackles that they face within their minds. The songwriter is highlighting the psychological bondage experienced by the people living in London, where they are oppressed by the society in which they live.


The next verse details some of the specific scenarios that contribute to the misery and despair of the people of London. The chimney sweeper's cry is heard alongside the blackening church, signifying the pollution, and the church's complicity in the injustice. The hapless soldier's sigh runs in blood down palace walls, implying the violence and bloodshed that had occurred in the city. In the following lines, we can hear the youthful harlot's curse, which brings the tears to the newborn infant's eyes, and plagues the marriage hearse with diseases, further detailing the terrible consequences of societal oppression.


Line by Line Meaning

I wander through each chartered street
I stroll down every designated road


Near where the chartered Thames does flow
I pass by the river Thames where it flows through the city


And mark in every face I meet
And I observe on every face I come across


Marks of weakness, marks of woe
Signs of frailty and sadness


In every cry of every man
In each and every man's cry


In every infant's cry of fear
In every newborn's fearful wail


In every voice, in every ban
In every spoken word, in every spoke threat


The mind-forged manacles I hear
I can hear the imaginary restraints people place on themselves


How the chimney-sweeper's cry
I take note of the chimney sweep's lament


Every blackening church appalls
The sight of every soot-covered church distresses me


And the hapless soldier's sigh
The hopeless soldier's sigh


Runs in blood down palace walls
Resounds throughout the palace as a result of bloodshed


But most through midnight streets I hear
But most frequently, I hear it in the streets past midnight


How the youthful harlot's curse
The speech of a curse coming out of a young prostitute's mouth


Blasts the new born infant's tear
Causing a newborn's tear to well up


And blights with plaques the marriage hearse
A wedding procession that is plagued with sorrow


London calling
London is beckoning


Big city of fear
The metropolis of terror


Can't you hear
Don't you perceive it




Contributed by Landon M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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