He continues to write and record new material and performs live frequently throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia.
Thompson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to music. On 5 July 2011, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy honoris causa was conferred on Thompson by the University of Aberdeen, in a ceremony at the University's Elphinstone Hall.
Among the Gorse Among the Grey
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Among the gorse, among the grey
And wondrous dreams he spun
Among the gorse, among the grey
And he chased the clouds and
He kissed the wind
Barefoot and bloody at the knee
It is, he said,
And the elders gathered round
Among the gorse, among the grey
And they staked him to the ground
Among the gorse, among the grey
And they sucked the joy
From his beating heart
Washed his eyes with rue
Now come, they said,
Come to the world we made for you
Richard Thompson's song "Among the Gorse Among the Grey" tells the story of a young man who once had a spirit of wonder and adventure. The lyrics describe a time when he was free to chase clouds and kiss the wind, barefoot and careless. The imagery of the "gorse" and the "grey" suggests a rugged, harsh landscape that may have been difficult to navigate, but which also provided the young man with a sense of freedom and possibility.
However, the elder generation felt threatened by his carefree spirit and decided to take control of him. They staked him to the ground, "sucked the joy from his beating heart," and washed his eyes with rue. They wanted to force him into their vision of the world, which was likely far more limited and constrained than what he had imagined for himself. The contrast between the young man's dreams and the elders' harsh reality is stark and poignant, and suggests the conflict between individualism and conformity that can arise between different generations.
The song's haunting lyrics are matched by its spare, plaintive instrumentation, with Thompson's plaintive vocals and mournful guitar work combining to create a powerful sense of loss and regret. The song captures the essence of how youthful dreams can be crushed by a society that values conformity over individuality, and it is a powerful reminder of the importance of nurturing and protecting the creative spirit within each of us.
Line by Line Meaning
Once there was a son
There was a boy
Among the gorse, among the grey
Living in a tough, barren place
And wondrous dreams he spun
He had great ideas
Among the gorse, among the grey
Despite his harsh surroundings
And he chased the clouds and
He followed his imagination
He kissed the wind
He felt free and open
Barefoot and bloody at the knee
Despite getting hurt, he kept going
It is, he said,
He thought
As if the world were made for me
The world was perfect
And the elders gathered round
Adults in power came
Among the gorse, among the grey
In the same rough place
And they staked him to the ground
They held him down
Among the gorse, among the grey
Even in this hard place
And they sucked the joy
They took away the happiness
From his beating heart
Taking away his spirit
Washed his eyes with rue
They made him see how ugly the world is
Now come, they said,
They invited him to follow
Come to the world we made for you
Come to our version of the world
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ken Soehn
on Love in a Faithless Country
At a show at the Culch (The Vancouver East Cultural Centre) decades ago, Thompson said the song was inspired by two British serial killers, who seemed to be inspiring each other through the newspapers. Now you know why it sounds so spooky.
Mark Apelman
on Devonside
Not sure what this song means, but I love the feeling of it.