His albums include: "Prussian Blue" (1973)"Girls on the Avenue" (1975) "Main Street Jive" 1976 "Goodbye Tiger" 1977, "Past Hits and Previews" 1978 "Hearts on the Nightline" 1979 "Dark Spaces" 1980 "The Great Escape" 1982 "Solidarity" 1984 "Glory Road" 1987 "The Best Years of Our Lives" 1989 "Distant Thunder" 1993 "Angeltown" 1995, "Diamond Mine" 2004 and "Rewired" 2006.
Although not well-known outside Australia, a number of his songs such as "Girls On The Avenue", "Capricorn Dancer", "Deep Water", "Lucky Country", "The Best Years of Our Lives", and "I Am an Island" are staples of FM radio playlists in Australia.
The early 1970s are often regarded as a stagnant time for Australian rock music. In this context, the emergence of Richard Clapton as a talented and ambitious songwriter in the "troubadour" tradition of, for instance, Neil Young and Jackson Browne (both of whom later expressed their admiration for Clapton) was refreshing. Although no hit singles were on his first album, "Prussian Blue", by the time of his second album, "Girls on the Avenue," Clapton enjoyed a reasonable amount of mainstream success, with the title song from the album reaching #2 spot on the Australian top 40 charts. Clapton's first five albums were produced by Richard Batchens.
At the times of its release, "Goodbye Tiger" was one of the most critically acclaimed albums an Australian artist had produced. It was produced by Richard Batchens, who was one of the most prominent and successful producers of the era.(See articles collected on the fan site linked below for confirmation of this). Many Clapton fans continue to regard this notably melancholic record as Clapton's masterpiece.
Thereafter, Clapton played less of a central role in the music industry; although "The Great Escape" (featuring contributions from members of Cold Chisel and INXS) sold strongly and contained memorable singles in "I Am an Island" and "The Best Years of Our Life." During the early 1980s he was acknowledged as a mentor to several bands emerging from the then vigorous pub-rock scene, in particular INXS whose second LP, Underneath the Colours he produced.
On a 2006 album, Rewired, recorded at his home studio, Clapton produced "unplugged" acoustic versions of his early songs. This album contains many early Clapton Gems that have been reworked to fit in with the acoustic vibe of the album.
(From the Wikipedia entry for Richard Clapton)
Down The Road
Richard Clapton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was turned out of Cafe Cologne
As the sun came up the cock was crowing,
And the ground kept swaying underneath my feet,
All the drifters are Americans,
Chasing dreams to Amsterdam,
Stumbling briskly past me on the street,
That it's time to raise the blinds and change the scene;
AND DOWN THE ROAD I'M GOING
I paint miracles on pavements,
And don't expect no payment,
Unless of course the stranger's feeling kind,
I've lived this way for years and years,
And sometimes shed a madman's tears,
But my head's bursting with life most of the time;
And I've got this feeling in my heart,
That it's time to raise the blinds and change the scene;
And down the road i'm going
The song "Down The Road" by Richard Clapton tells the story of a wandering vagabond living out his life on the streets, drifting from place to place, and living off the kindness of strangers. He begins the song by recounting his experience being kicked out of Cafe Cologne as the sun began to rise and the rooster crowed, indicating a new day was beginning. The singer goes on to describe the sensation of the ground swaying underneath his feet, suggesting he may be drunk or disoriented.
As he moves through the streets, he observes other travelers, noting that they are all Americans chasing their dreams in Amsterdam. Despite not having a fixed destination, the singer is content with his nomadic lifestyle and the freedom it affords him. He paints miracles on the pavement and doesn't seek payment unless a stranger is feeling generous. Despite shedding tears on occasion, the singer's head is seemingly bursting with life most of the time, indicating that this is the way he's always lived and wants to continue living.
The recurring theme throughout the song is the singer's desire and need for change. He has a feeling in his heart that it's time to raise the blinds and move on to a new destination down the road. This is reflective of his restless nature and constant desire for new experiences.
Overall, the song paints a romanticized but realistic picture of life on the streets for a traveler who prefers the freedom of drifting to the constraints of a settled life.
Line by Line Meaning
I was turned out of Cafe Cologne
I got kicked out of Cafe Cologne
As the sun came up the cock was crowing
It was early in the morning when I got kicked out
And the ground kept swaying underneath my feet
I was unsteady on my feet, probably due to drinking
All the drifters are Americans
Most of the people around me who were wandering were American
Chasing dreams to Amsterdam
They were heading to Amsterdam to pursue their dreams
Stumbling briskly past me on the street
They were walking quickly, but unsteadily
And I've got this feeling in my heart
I have a strong sense that I need to make a change
That it's time to raise the blinds and change the scene;
I need to change my lifestyle and move on from where I am now
AND DOWN THE ROAD I'M GOING
I'm moving on to a different place or lifestyle
I paint miracles on pavements,
I create art on the pavement
And don't expect no payment,
I don't expect to be paid for my art
Unless of course the stranger's feeling kind,
Unless someone is feeling generous and offers to pay me
I've lived this way for years and years,
I have been living this lifestyle for a long time
And sometimes shed a madman's tears,
Sometimes I cry uncontrollably like a madman
But my head's bursting with life most of the time;
Most of the time I feel full of life and energy
And down the road i'm going
I'm moving on to a different place or lifestyle
Contributed by Anna Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Allan Anderson
Aussie Legend .I was 16 when I first heard Richard Clapton.61 now takes me back! Thanks!
undercover605
Just love this song...great music
leonardoboy2
Epic track from 'Girls On the Avenue' album.
lukas hynes
never ending filth, suit ya self..... that moon.... diamond mine.