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.

I Ride In Your Slipstream
Richard Thompson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I ride in your slipstream
I wear your reflection
I echo your heartbeat
In the wind
You might say we're lovers
You might say we're strangers
You think you don't know me
But you're wearing my ring

Good road, bad road
Just don't mean a thing
Good dream, bad dream
Just don't mean a thing
Down in the while of the wheels
You'll hear me sing
I'm like a TV eye in the sky but I'm right behind you
I'm like your signed confession but I'm right behind you
I'm like the child you never were but I'm right behind you
Let's ride
I ride in your slipstream
but don't try to touch me
Just trust me to love you
I love you
I ride in your slipstream

I ride in your slipstream
I ride in your slipstream

Overall Meaning

In Richard Thompson's song "I Ride In Your Slipstream," the singer describes a deep connection with someone else. He says he rides in their slipstream, meaning he follows closely behind them, almost like a shadow or an echo. He wears their reflection and echoes their heartbeat in the wind, suggesting that he is so closely tied to this person that he has taken on some of their qualities. He acknowledges that others may see them as lovers or strangers, but regardless, they have a bond that cannot be easily explained.

The singer then speaks to his partner directly, telling them that they may not know each other as well as they think they do. He suggests that the good road and the bad road don't matter, nor do good dreams and bad dreams, because their connection transcends these things. He likens himself to different things - a "TV eye in the sky," a "signed confession," and even "the child you never were" - all of which suggest a deep level of intimacy and understanding.

Finally, he tells his partner that while he rides in their slipstream, they shouldn't try to touch him. Instead, they should trust him to love them. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer repeating the phrase "I ride in your slipstream," emphasizing the deep connection he has with his partner.

Overall, the song portrays a connection between two people that may be difficult for others to understand, but is very real and very powerful for the two individuals involved. It suggests a deep level of intimacy, understanding, and connection that transcends the physical world.

Line by Line Meaning

I ride in your slipstream
I follow closely behind you, benefitting from the air resistance you deflect

I wear your reflection
I see myself in you, and my actions are influenced by yours

I echo your heartbeat
I am attuned to your emotions and react to them

In the wind
The sound of our journey together is carried away by the passing air

You might say we're lovers
Our closeness could be interpreted as romantic, but that's not the whole story

You might say we're strangers
Despite our proximity, we haven't truly gotten to know each other

You think you don't know me
You may be unaware of the true extent of my connection to you

But you're wearing my ring
There is a symbolic bond between us, though it may not be overt

Good road, bad road
The quality of the path we travel is irrelevant to our relationship

Just don't mean a thing
It's all about the journey itself, not the external factors

Good dream, bad dream
Whether our experiences are positive or negative doesn't impact our connection

Down in the while of the wheels
Amidst the mechanics of our journey, you can hear me singing

You'll hear me sing
My presence on this trip is significant, even if you can't see me

I'm like a TV eye in the sky but I'm right behind you
I have a unique, objective perspective on our shared experience, even though I'm physically close

I'm like your signed confession but I'm right behind you
My influence on you is significant but may not be readily apparent

I'm like the child you never were but I'm right behind you
I represent a lost or unseen part of yourself, always present but not fully realized

Let's ride
We continue on together, regardless of the destination

but don't try to touch me
Our connection is more ephemeral than physical

Just trust me to love you
My closeness to you is motivated by care and devotion

I love you
My presence is an expression of affection and support

I ride in your slipstream
I continue to follow in your wake

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Ken Soehn

on Love in a Faithless Country

33w

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.