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.
Terminus
Ralph McTell Lyrics
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Come and here we stand
And all the words have gone
Along with all the plans
And though the hands
Are surely moving on the clock
For us, this moment
Time itself has stopped
Our early-morning eyes
Still feel a little sore
And bodies sweetly aching
From the night before
I can feel
The cold platform through my shoes
There must be someting to be said
But what's the use?
The wind picks up some paper
Blows it past our feet
We watch it grateful
That our eyes don't have to meet
A screaming whistle rips the air
And takes away
The last seconds we have shared
And still photographs
The train begins its run
And suddenly all the words
I should have said had come
Someone touches me
And asks me for a light
And wonders if
I'm feeling quite alright
And I say yes...
On another platform there's a train
The same old scene is to be shot again
The wind picks up some paper
And with it I shall ride
Out through the door marked exit
Into the world ouside
The song Terminus by Ralph McTell depicts the bittersweet moment of a departure. The lyrics convey a sense of finality, resignation and helplessness. The opening lines are particularly haunting as they convey a sense of emptiness and uncertainty, “Finally the moment’s come and here we stand, and all the words have gone along with all the plans.” The singer is at a train station, waiting for a train to depart, and he realizes that there is nothing he can say or do to change the situation. Time seems to stand still for him as he realizes that his journey is coming to an end.
The second verse describes the physical sensations of the moment, the sore eyes, and aching bodies after a long night’s journey. The uncertainty of the situation is further enhanced by the lines “there must be something to be said, but what’s the use?” The wind picks up some paper and blows it past their feet, a symbolic representation of the fleeting nature of life and chance encounters.
The third verse sees the departure of the train and the singer realizing that he has missed his opportunity to say what he really wanted to say. In the final verse, the train sets off, and the singer is left alone with his regrets. It is a poignant and beautiful song, filled with melancholy and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
Finally the moment's
After waiting for a long time, the desired moment has arrived
Come and here we stand
We are present and ready for this moment
And all the words have gone
We can't find the right words to say
Along with all the plans
All our initial plans have failed or become irrelevant
And though the hands
The clock continues to tick
Are surely moving on the clock
Time is passing by
For us, this moment
Despite the passage of time, we feel stuck in this moment
Time itself has stopped
Our perception of time has slowed or stopped altogether
Our early-morning eyes
Our eyes are still adjusting to the early hour
Still feel a little sore
We are tired and groggy
And bodies sweetly aching
Our bodies feel good from the activities of the previous night
From the night before
Refers to the previous night
I can feel
I am aware of
The cold platform through my shoes
The platform is uncomfortably cold, even through my shoes
There must be someting to be said
There is something important that needs to be said
But what's the use?
We feel it's pointless to say anything now
The wind picks up some paper
The wind blows by and stirs up some litter
Blows it past our feet
The wind carries the litter past us
We watch it grateful
We are thankful we don't have to look at each other
That our eyes don't have to meet
We don't want to make eye contact
A screaming whistle rips the air
The train whistle is very loud and disturbing
And takes away
It marks the end of our time together
The last seconds we have shared
The end of the time we had together
And still photographs
Mentally, we take a still photograph of the moment
The train begins its run
The train starts moving
And suddenly all the words
All of the words we should have said come to mind
I should have said had come
We regret not having spoken earlier
Someone touches me
Someone physically touches me
And asks me for a light
They ask me for a cigarette lighter
And wonders if
They are curious as to
I'm feeling quite alright
If everything is okay with me
And I say yes...
I lie and say that everything is fine, despite my feelings
On another platform there's a train
Another train is visible on a different platform
The same old scene is to be shot again
The same situation is about to happen again
And with it I shall ride
I will board the train and leave
Out through the door marked exit
I will exit the station through the designated door
Into the world outside
I will leave behind this moment and move on to the future
Contributed by Jonathan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mike Cohen
This is a beautiful song-originally from Ralph's album Spiral Staircase 1969. Ralph is currently on tour and has a fab new album Somewhere Down the Road. We are blessed to have still playing, writing and performing so strongly
John Timney
I saw Ralph last Saturday (20th October 2013). He finished with this song. Truly beautiful.
Keith Bickerstaffe
The first time I saw Ralph...
Back in the late 70's I went to a concert performed by Ralph in the room of an Oxford undergrad. It was cold as hell that evening and the way he kept his hands from freezing was with a small space heater. As he was almost at the end of the gig
he introduced a song he was later to identify as 'The Ferryman.' After playing he asked if anyone knew the story behind
it... no one did, so he explained that after reading Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse he was inspired to write this tribute. I went to an all-night bookstore, bought the book and sat up until dawn to finish it. Thus began a life-long love affair with Ralph's music and the novels of a distinguished German-born Swiss poet and novelist.
MrGoldenthroat
A delightful offering by the great Ralph McTell!
Asloem A
@Blindarthur I couldn't agree more. I wasn't born when this video was filmed and consider myself lucky that he still tours. He was amazing last month.
Barry Eva
I first saw Ralph back in 1970's just after 8 frames and he had just released Spiral Staircase Streets and all, in fact I think I even saw him before that with Famous Jug Band.. This however is still one of my favorite songs...
Duncan Hall
I wonder if the rest of this "in concert" footage will see the light of day some time?
Jim Shepherd
Back in 73. Standing on the platform at Kings Cross. The train to Hull departs and the song plays over. Can't give the committment to up sticks and live there. Wonderful song. Wonderful girl.
VNTPLA
Search ffor his "Royal, Albert and Sidney", one of the most beautiful live in the history of rock (?), folk (?), music.
Bjowolf2
And don't forget Sand in Your Shoes, Travelling Man ( 2 live CD - incl. wonderful versions of Hands of Joseph & Hiring Fair ) ), Songs for Six Strings II ( CD of various live performances - incl. a goosebump inducing version of his wonderful song Red and Gold, written for Fairport Convention ( hear it elsewhere on YT), Red Sky, Somewhere Down the Road etc.