Ralph McTell is probably best known for the song Streets of London which has been covered by over a hundred artists around the world. From Clare to Here has proved almost as popular, during a long and continuing recording and performing career.
McTell's guitar style has been influenced by many of the USA's country blues 'Piedmont- style' guitar players of the early 20th century, including Blind Blake and Blind Willie McTell, from whom he took his name.
England
Ralph McTell Lyrics
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The tired sun drops slowly in the sky.
And everywhere the gentle air hangs heavy with the day song
Evening calls the lamplight out to come
Children's wooden hoops go clattering down the street
Soon they're called inside, it's getting late.
The grand canal
Reflects on swallows wings.
The lamplighter knows the song the evening sings.
But the gas-lamps stand like soldiers
Hiss warnings to the wind
Their evening vespers prophicy a war.
The world divides
And men take sides
The spark bursts into flame
Nothing can be quite the same again.
Dog barks in the distance
Child cries in her sleep
Night waits for the dawn with baited breath.
The old school, the old rule
Rung out on a muffinman's bell
The lamplighter has made his nightly call.
Dreams of hope and peace
Sent clattering down the streets
Empty like the promises they made.
The wars rage on, and different wrongs
Will someone please explain
That peace is not the lamplighter
'Cause he's not coming back again
The above lyrics are from the song "England 1914" by Ralph McTell. The song reflects on the mood of England in 1914, just before the outbreak of World War I. The first verse paints a picture of the evening, as the sun sets and the night takes over. The air is heavy with a sense of melancholy, and there is a feeling that something is about to happen.
The second verse describes the children playing in the street, but they are called in as it is getting late. The grand canal is now splashed with red, reflecting the sunset. The lamplighter knows the song of the evening, but the gas-lamps stand like soldiers, warning of the impending war. The third verse speaks of how the spark bursts into flame, and nothing will be quite the same again. The world divides and men take sides, and the wars rage on. The song ends with a poignant reminder that peace is not the lamplighter, because he's not coming back again.
Overall, the song effectively captures the mood of England in 1914, just before the start of World War I. It speaks of the sense of foreboding and the inevitability of war that hung over the country at the time, and serves as a reminder of the devastating impact that conflict can have on the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Night stirs her inky finger in the water of the day,
The darkness of the night begins to take over the brightness of the day.
The tired sun drops slowly in the sky.
The sunset is a sign of exhaustion of the day.
And everywhere the gentle air hangs heavy with the day song
The atmosphere is filled with the sounds of the day that are coming to an end.
Evening calls the lamplight out to come
The end of the day brings in the enlightenment of the lamplight.
Children's wooden hoops go clattering down the street
The children play in the streets before it gets too late.
Soon they're called inside, it's getting late.
It's time for children to return home as the night approaches.
The grand canal
The canal that's full of life.
Now splashed with red
Now tainted with the blood of war.
Reflects on swallows wings.
The reflection of the canal is seen on the wings of the swallows.
The lamplighter knows the song the evening sings.
The lamplighter is in sync with the evening vibes.
But the gas-lamps stand like soldiers
The gas-lamps are standing strong together.
Hiss warnings to the wind
The gas lamps are warning about impending danger, but in vain.
Their evening vespers prophicy a war.
The evening prayers predict the arrival of a war.
The world divides
The world is segregated and divided due to the war.
And men take sides
People choose sides based on their beliefs and loyalties.
The spark bursts into flame
The beginning of war is like a spark that eventually becomes a blazing fire.
Nothing can be quite the same again.
The impact of war will be everlasting and things will never return to how they were.
Dog barks in the distance
The barking of a dog is heard faintly in the distance.
Child cries in her sleep
The child is disturbed and crying even in her sleep, due to fear of war.
Night waits for the dawn with baited breath.
The night is uneasy and awaits the dawn with hope and anticipation.
The old school, the old rule
The traditions and old ways of life are being disrupted by the onset of war.
Rung out on a muffinman's bell
Announced loudly by the bell of the muffin man.
The lamplighter has made his nightly call.
The lamplighter has completed his duty by lighting up the streets with the lamps.
Dreams of hope and peace
Dreams of a life without war filled with hope and peace.
Sent clattering down the streets
The dreams are being futilely spread and discarded just like a waste that's thrown down the streets.
Empty like the promises they made.
The promises of peace and hope are empty as war continues to rage on.
The wars rage on, and different wrongs
Even though the war persists, there are different reasons why it's happening.
Will someone please explain
Will anyone provide a meaningful explanation for the turmoil?
That peace is not the lamplighter
Peace is not something that can be brought about by the simple act of lighting up the streets with the lamps.
'Cause he's not coming back again
The lamplighter who once lit the streets cannot come back again to bring about peace.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RALPH MC TELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ARK Ministries
What is it about you, makes me feel this way?
When I'm leaving you, when I'm coming home
I'm lost for words to say.
And I know your faults and failures,
And the troubles that you've been through.
But it's more about what happens now
And what were coming to.
And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets,
And the sun when it shines on England
Well it lifts the heart in me.
What is it about you that took men into war?
Rows and rows of crosses, who remembers why what for?
The corners of these foreign fields,
The dust in them concealed.
Out of sight but not out of mind,
Don't you know that England feels?
And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets.
The rain that falls on England
Well it washes care from me.
England, oh England
England, oh England
England, oh England
Don't make this out a battle hymn or a song for victory.
It's just a way to try to say what England means to me.
And our accents and our colours change
From the city to the farmland
From the moorland to the mountain,
From the river to the sea.
And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets
The wind that blows through England
Breathes its life in you and me.
England, oh England
England, oh England
England, oh England
From the rolling road to the winding lane,
From the field to factory,
From summer's haze to winter's glaze,
And all the colours in between.
It's a stillness in the evening.
It's the heartbeat that I'm feeling.
From Cornwall to Northumberland,
From the Pennines to the sea.
And the echo from the green hills
Runs through the city streets.
And the wind that blows through England
Well it breathes its life in you and me.
England, oh England
England, oh England
foundation of Britain 1603
@Leigh-Marie Hamilton I don't think you understand what the U.K. is... the UK is not the like the EU where members can join and leave at will.
Constitutionally speaking... the UK is three Realms in a personal and political union... its even a little more complex then that... as you see... one of the Realms is made up of two parts but is one entity, (Kingdom of England),... and that Realm is in a personal and political union with one of the other Realms, (Kingdom of Scotland),...which then makes them sub-Realms of a much bigger Realm or the put it another way... these two Kingdoms held in union are there for sub-Kingdoms of a bigger Kingdom, (Kingdom of Great Britain),... which is then in a personal and political union with the last of the tree Realms, (Kingdom of Ireland),... which there for makes these two Kingdoms, (Kingdom of Great Britain), (Kingdom of Ireland),... sub-Kingdoms of a bigger Kingdom, (United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland),... however... one of the sub-Kingdoms has had is territory reduced to only six Counties, (no guess's which one that is),... its now been that way for a little over 100 years now... and so the UK changed its name to... the United Kingdom of of Great Britain & Northern Ireland.
If the union with what remans of the Kingdom of Ireland, (Northern Ireland),... is dissolved... then there will be NO UK... as the only way we still have the UK is because the Kingdom of Ireland is still in union with the Kingdom of Great Britain in the form of Northern Ireland... if the six counties has not remained then we would just be the Kingdom of Great Britain... and the flag would have to go back to the pre-1801 flag.
If the union between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland is dissolved... (which is the only way you can get ether English or Scottish independence),... then there will be NO Kingdom of Great Britain... let alone sill have the UK.
The UK dose not exist outside of legal documents... its not a physical thing nor is the Kingdom of Great Britain which is also a legal creation born from the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland being in a union together... if these two Kingdoms are no longer in union together... then both the Kingdom of Great Britain as well as the UK itself... will just disappear almost as if both had never existed at all.
The Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland are real physical places and not of legal fiction like that of the Kingdom of Great Britain... which is why we don't speak of it outside that of history or when we say the full name of the UK... because we recognise that it is a legal fiction... but what we all do NOT recognise is that... The UK... is also a legal fiction.
Willi Busch
i"m from germany, but i often was in england and i have learn to love this beautiful country!!! this song expresses my feelings, your a wonderful artist to transport this, dear ralph, thank you!!!
psycho bartus
Great words
ken the bean
Raymond, you're so right! This is such a poignant song for our current time in history. Sing it, play it, and celebrate our wonderful country. England!
alydon2
Great song by one of our very underrated but brilliant song writers.
Thomas Harper
alydon2 and one of the most underrated guitarists, whom I have seen many times!
Ger Manley
Ralph has always been one of the most popular English guy in Ireland
Leigh-Marie Hamilton
This song has my heart. I love it so very much. It should be the anthem for England at all Football, Rugby and Commonwealth Games.
Alison Shaw
Love this, my dad used to listen to it. He has it on record. Dad music rules!
Paul Murray
It sure does put a bit of warmth into your heart and bones. Thanks Ralph, thanks for England.
Andrew Brentnall
Back in October 1991 I flew out to Croatia to serve as a European Community Monitor to try and supervise the various ceasefires between the warring parties. I was not there long, but I had this song on a tape (yes, that was the technology back then!) and I cannot describe the comfort it gave me, and how it encapsualted how I felt when I flew back into England.