Cressida
Richard Thompson OBE (born 3 April 1949, Notting Hill, London) is a British… Read Full Bio ↴Richard Thompson OBE (born 3 April 1949, Notting Hill, London) is a British singer/songwriter and guitarist. Highly regarded for his guitar techniques, Thompson was awarded the Orville H. Gibson award for best acoustic guitar player in 1991. Similarly, his songwriting has earned him an Ivor Novello Award and, in 2006, a lifetime achievement award from BBC Radio. Thompson made his debut as a recording artist as a member of Fairport Convention in September 1967. He left the group in 1971 and began recording with his wife as Richard & Linda Thompson, before their marriage dissolved in 1983. Since then, Thompson has maintained a critically-acclaimed solo career.

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.

Cressida
Richard Thompson Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Love that holds its breath for fear
Of scaring love away
I rush my lines, I care too deeply
Oh, will she keep me for idle games?

I raise my eyes to see her there
Shining in a daydream
I raise my eyes, I see too much
I know her touch, what her touch would mean





I stare into, I stare into
The dying flames

Overall Meaning

The song "Cressida" by Richard Thompson tells the story of a person who is struggling with their own insecurities and doubts about their love for someone else. The singer mentions that they are afraid of scaring their loved one away due to their intense feelings. They rush their interactions and question whether their loved one is simply keeping them around for entertainment rather than true love. The chorus expresses the singer's realization of their own vulnerability as they gaze into the dying flames, which symbolize the fleeting nature of their love.


Line by Line Meaning

Love that holds its breath for fear
Love that is afraid to be spoken due to fear of rejection


Of scaring love away
The fear that confessing love might push the other person away


I rush my lines, I care too deeply
Being over-eager while communicating with someone you love


Oh, will she keep me for idle games?
Worrying whether the other person takes the relationship seriously or not


I raise my eyes to see her there
Looking up to see the person you love


Shining in a daydream
Appearing ideal or perfect in a dream-like way


I raise my eyes, I see too much
Seeing the flaws and imperfections in the other person


I know her touch, what her touch would mean
Knowing the emotional significance of a physical touch from the other person


I stare into, I stare into
Continuously looking at something


The dying flames
The loss or end of a passionate and intense emotion or relationship




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RICHARD THOMPSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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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.

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