A Brother Slips Away
Richard Thompson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Seems like just the other day
You and I, we sat and played
Come all ye tramps and hawkers
And the white cockade
Tea was flowing, dice were rolling
We were 20, not much more
And now they say you've crossed over
To that distant shore

And a brother slips away
Like a ship at dawn of day
A brother slips away
Another brother gone
A brother slips away
I reached out my hand too late
A brother slips away
A brother slips away

Juliet, you came up smiling
Wherever life would toss you
You were everybody's friend
Except the fools who crossed you
They rained down death upon your head
You took it in your stride
They'll never knock it out of you
That good old London pride

And a sister slips away
Sing her name to Heaven's gate
A sister slips away
Another sister gone
A sister slips away
I reached out my hand too late
A sister slips away
Yes a sister slips away

Davy, it was through your eyes
That we saw so many things
The dusty feet of pilgrims
The halls of mountain kings
That old poet's vision
Still coursing through your veins
It breaks my heart that I will never
See your face again

And a brother slips away
Like a ship at dawn of day
A brother slips away
Another brother gone
A brother slips away
I reached out my hand too late
A brother slips away
A brother slips away

And a brother slips away
Sing his name to Heaven's gate
A brother slips away
Another brother gone
A brother slips away
I reached out my hand too late




A brother slips away
A brother slips away

Overall Meaning

The song "A Brother Slips Away" by Richard Thompson is a poignant tribute to the memories of those loved ones who have passed away. The song opens with memories of the past; of a time when the singer and the deceased brother would play music together. The song details how one day the brother has passed away, and how the singer wished that he could have somehow brought him back. The song then goes on to describe another deceased loved one, a sister named Juliet. Despite her passing, she remains an inspiration to those who knew her, as she was kind to everyone except those who wronged her. The final verse is about a friend named Davy, whose vision of life and literature was still inspiring others at the time of his death. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus and a sense of loss that is impossible to fully comprehend.


The song is a powerful reminder of the impermanence of life and the pain of loss. The song's mournful tone reflects the emotional pain of losing someone close to us. Through his lyrics, Richard Thompson encourages the listener to reflect on their loved ones who have passed away and to cherish the memory of their life and the time they shared together.


Line by Line Meaning

Seems like just the other day
It feels like not long ago


You and I, we sat and played
We spent time together, perhaps playing music or games


Come all ye tramps and hawkers
A line from a song that we used to sing together


And the white cockade
Another line from a song that we used to sing together


Tea was flowing, dice were rolling
We were having a good time, drinking tea and playing games of chance


We were 20, not much more
We were young and full of life


And now they say you've crossed over
I have heard that you have passed away


To that distant shore
To the afterlife


And a brother slips away
A male sibling has died


Like a ship at dawn of day
Like a ship sailing into the sunrise


A brother slips away
Another brother has died


A brother slips away
A sibling has passed away


I reached out my hand too late
I was not there for them when they needed me


Juliet, you came up smiling
Juliet, you were always optimistic


Wherever life would toss you
No matter what challenges you faced


You were everybody's friend
You were well-liked by everyone


Except the fools who crossed you
Except for those who wronged you


They rained down death upon your head
They caused you a great deal of harm


You took it in your stride
You handled it with grace and strength


They'll never knock it out of you
They could never take away your spirit


That good old London pride
The pride of the city you come from


And a sister slips away
A female sibling has passed away


Sing her name to Heaven's gate
Remember her and honor her memory


I reached out my hand too late
I failed to support her when it mattered


Davy, it was through your eyes
Davy, you showed us the world


That we saw so many things
Through your perspective, we experienced so much


The dusty feet of pilgrims
The journeys of people traveling to holy places


The halls of mountain kings
The grandeur of majestic mountain structures


That old poet's vision
The creative inspiration of classic poets


Still coursing through your veins
You were still inspired by these things


It breaks my heart that I will never
I am deeply saddened that I will not


See your face again
Experience the joy of your presence once more




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD THOMPSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Greg Benson

Oh, this song....

More Versions