The Great Valerio
Richard (& Linda) Thompson Lyrics
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The great Valerio is walking
The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
And time stands still while he is walking
His eye is steady on the target
His foot is sure upon the rope
Alone and peaceful as a mountain
And certain as the mountain slope
We falter at the sight
We stumble in the mire
Fools who think they see the light
Prepare to balance on the wire
But we learn to watch together,
And feed on what we see above
'Til our hearts turn like the seasons
And we are acrobats of love
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
Come all you upstart jugglers
Are you really ready yet?
Who will help the tightrope walker
When he tumbles to the net
So come with me to see Valerio
As he dances through the air
I'm your friend until you use me
And then be sure I won't be there
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
"The Great Valerio" is a song by British singer-songwriter Richard Thompson that appears on his 1972 album Henry the Human Fly. The song is about an acrobat named Valerio who walks on a tightrope high above the crowd while everyone below watches in awe. Thompson uses Valerio as a metaphor for the desire to be great and the risks we take to achieve success.
The beginning of the song sets the tone with descriptions of Valerio walking on the rope, his focus, and certainty, juxtaposing the chaos and confusion of the crowd below. The second verse speaks directly to the audience, warning them not to be fooled by appearances but to learn to watch and grow together. The final verse is a call to action, urging the listener to take risks and pursue greatness, even in the face of uncertainty and danger.
The song's lyrics are poetry in motion, with Thompson's evocative language and vivid imagery drawing the listener into the world of the circus and the exhilaration of putting oneself on the line. It is a song about the human desire to overcome fear and doubt, to strive for something greater than ourselves, and to push beyond our limitations to achieve greatness.
Line by Line Meaning
High up above the crowd
Valerio is walking above the people
The great Valerio is walking
The performer named Valerio is walking on a tightrope
The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
The tightrope looks like it is suspended between the clouds
And time stands still while he is walking
Everyone is so focused on Valerio that time seems to stop moving forward
His eye is steady on the target
Valerio is focused on where he needs to go and is not distracted
His foot is sure upon the rope
Valerio is confident and stable as he walks on the tightrope
Alone and peaceful as a mountain
Valerio is calm and serene like a mountain
And certain as the mountain slope
Valerio is sure-footed and unwavering like a mountain slope
We falter at the sight
We are overwhelmed and unsure when we see Valerio walking on the tightrope
We stumble in the mire
We struggle and fumble on solid ground
Fools who think they see the light
People who think they understand what Valerio is doing are mistaken
Prepare to balance on the wire
They attempt to walk on the tightrope themselves
But we learn to watch together,
Eventually, people come together to watch Valerio's performance
And feed on what we see above
They are all inspired by what they see Valerio doing up in the air
Til our hearts turn like the seasons
Their emotions fluctuate like the changing seasons
And we are acrobats of love
We are all performers of love inspired by Valerio's acrobatic feats
How we wonder, how we wonder
We are in awe and amazement
Watching far below
Looking up at Valerio from the ground
We would all be that great hero
We want to be like Valerio and achieve amazing feats
Come all you upstart jugglers
All those new to performing are welcome to watch
Are you really ready yet?
Are you prepared to handle the pressures of performing?
Who will help the tightrope walker
Who will be there to help Valerio if he falls?
When he tumbles to the net
If Valerio falls, he will land on the safety net
So come with me to see Valerio
Come with me to watch Valerio's performance
As he dances through the air
Valerio's movements on the tightrope look like he is dancing
I'm your friend until you use me
I will be your friend until you take advantage of me
And then be sure I won't be there
Once you use me, I will no longer be around for you
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Brian Collins
High up above the crowd
The great Valerio is walking
The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
And time stands still while he is walking
His eye is steady on the target
His foot is sure upon the rope
Alone and peaceful as a mountain
And certain as the mountain slope
We falter at the sight
We stumble in the mire
Fools who think they see the light
Prepare to balance on the wire
But we learn to watch together
And feed on what we see above
Until our heart turn like the seasons
And we are acrobats of love
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
Come all you upstart jugglers
Are you really ready yet?
Who will help the tightrope walker
When he tumbles to the net?
So come with me to see Valerio
As he dances through the air
I'm your friend until you use me
And then be sure I won't be there
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
Johann Bogason
High up above the crowd
The great Valerio is walking
The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
And time stands still while he is walking
His eye is steady on the target
His foot is sure upon the rope
Alone and peaceful as a mountain
And certain as the mountain slope
We falter at the sight
We stumble in the mire
Fools who think they see the light
Prepare to balance on the wire
But we learn to watch together,
And feed on what we see above
'Til our hearts turn like the seasons
And we are acrobats of love
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
Come all you upstart jugglers
Are you…
Mark Hoffman
One of the darkest, deepest songs of the last 50 years. Thompson's choice of "La Balançoire" by Erik Satie as the coda is a stroke of brilliance. Linda Thompson's singing on this is spectacular. This is as close to a perfect song as you'll ever hear, and so full of mystery. Who is Valerio? He's more than a tightrope walker, I'll guarantee that.
rca88
@Mark Hoffman - thanks for the Satie info. i had no idea. i have a pretty good ear, but it took me hours to work out the highly unusual chords to this song (not including the coda which is an easy one chord). that was how i first realized how what an amazing composer richard thompson is. also, the coda may sound easy to play, but it's not. to do it right requires a staccato bass, and ringing high notes at the same time.
Mark Hoffman
@rca88 You're right: The chords are unusual. I could only figure them out by studying an official Richard Thompson transcription book. They're finger-stretchers, but worth getting right. I find the coda to be relatively easy to play as an Em chord with alternating bass on 6th and 4th strings. I'm playing it the easy way, though -- not exactly like the Satie piece but more like "in the spirit of Satie." God, I love this song!
Marika
Very dark.
Patrick Weston
This may be my favorite album closer of all time. After a record full of spark and illusion (and disilusionment), the Thompsons join us in the crowd, all in the dark together. focussing our attention to that glaring follow-spot. The ending is abrupt. Don't we all wish we had just a little more time?
Brian Collins
High up above the crowd
The great Valerio is walking
The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
And time stands still while he is walking
His eye is steady on the target
His foot is sure upon the rope
Alone and peaceful as a mountain
And certain as the mountain slope
We falter at the sight
We stumble in the mire
Fools who think they see the light
Prepare to balance on the wire
But we learn to watch together
And feed on what we see above
Until our heart turn like the seasons
And we are acrobats of love
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
Come all you upstart jugglers
Are you really ready yet?
Who will help the tightrope walker
When he tumbles to the net?
So come with me to see Valerio
As he dances through the air
I'm your friend until you use me
And then be sure I won't be there
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio
David Shaw
This is fabulous. Linda Thompson has the most wonderful voice. Don't need to comment about Richard Thompson - everyone knows he is a genius.
Farmlandsfallfan
Fantastic vocals from Linda
Stu Donaldson
Memories of first listening to this album forty years ago now,hard to believe. But this is timeless, suspended in space like the man himself, thanks. Stu X
Cracoucass
That's absolutely stunning how this song, its mood and how the singer sings, how all that atmosphere fits Amber Asylum ambience. I never knew it was a cover until today, that's nice to know.