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.
It Won
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It won't be long yeah, yeah, yeah
It won't be long yeah, till I belong to you
Every night when everybody has fun
Here am I sitting all on my own
It won't be long yeah, yeah, yeah
It won't be long yeah, till I belong to you
Since you left me, I'm so alone
Now you're coming, you're coming on home
I'll be good like I know I should
You're coming home, you're coming home
Every night the tears come down from my eyes
Every day I've done nothing but cry
It won't be long yeah, yeah, yeah
It won't be long yeah, yeah, yeah
It won't be long yeah, till I belong to you
Since you left me, I'm so alone
Now you're coming, you're coming on home
I'll be good like I know I should
You're coming home, you're coming home
So every day we'll be happy I know
Not I know that you won't leave me no more
It won't be long yeah, yeah, yeah
It won't be long yeah, yeah
It won't be long yeah, till I belong to you, woo
The lyrics to "It Won't Be Long" by Richard Thompson tell the story of a person who has been left alone and heartbroken, but is now eagerly anticipating the return of their lover. The song reflects the emotions of someone who has suffered through a period of loneliness and regret and who is now filled with hope and anticipation.
Throughout the first verse and chorus, the singer highlights the sadness and isolation they have felt since their lover left. They emphasize the pain that they have experienced while watching other people having fun and enjoying themselves. However, in the second verse, their lover is returning home and they vow to be good and loyal, hoping for a happy future together.
The final lines of the song express a reassurance that they will be happy together and that there will be no more separation. The repetition of the phrase "It won't be long" reinforces this sense of hope and anticipation.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the pain of loneliness and the power of love to heal and bring people together.
Line by Line Meaning
It won't be long yeah, yeah, yeah
The wait for the person he longs to belong to will not take much time
It won't be long yeah, till I belong to you
The singer will soon become a part of the person he wants to belong to
Every night when everybody has fun
While everyone else is enjoying themselves during the night
Here am I sitting all on my own
The singer is alone and sad, without the person he wants to belong to by his side
Since you left me, I'm so alone
The singer feels lonely and abandoned since the person he loves left him
Now you're coming, you're coming on home
The person he loves is returning back home
I'll be good like I know I should
The singer promises to behave well and make the person he loves happy
Every night the tears come down from my eyes
The singer cries every night due to the sadness and loneliness he feels
Every day I've done nothing but cry
The singer cries continuously throughout the day, without doing anything else
So every day we'll be happy I know
The singer is sure that both he and the person he loves will be happy every day from now on
Not I know that you won't leave me no more
The singer is confident that the person he loves will not leave him again
It won't be long yeah, yeah
The wait for the person he longs to belong to will not take much time
It won't be long yeah, till I belong to you, woo
The singer will soon become a part of the person he wants to belong to
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JERMAINE A. COLE, JERMAINE L. COLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andrew Graham
The coda is one of RT's greatest solos, which is indeed saying something. It seemingly encompasses almost all of his origin genres, changing measure to measure, shape-shifting from Celtic runs to rockabilly snap and so on and so forth. Not mere virtuosity, either. Makes sense musically for the duration. Just awesome. Great overall song, too, with the sort of evocative, poetic, open-to- interpretation lyrics Richard writes when he is in top form. As an American, this is pretty much the song I need to hear right now. Cheers.
Peter Zarrella
Absolutely fantastic, both in voice and guitar!
Tom Dwyer
Wonderful production as usual, at the cut's beginning contrasting soft vocals by RT against very quiet musical background, and then crescendo into a musical storm until it blows itself out. Brilliant!!!
Sqwubbsy
We are certainly longing for the storm here in the uk, the ground is bone dry and the flowers wilted. Great song, Thompson delivers again. Can’t wait to see this live x
Angel
First-level lyrics, haunting tune. Driven by understated bass and drums. RT's "lived-in" voice...care-worn but carrying on
John LaStrada
Thompson exemplifies what many singer-songwriters don't seem to engage in. The construction of the song, the arrangement, how all the pieces come together and fit tightly, seamlessly. This tune is not legendary like "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" but it is nonetheless a masterful piece of songwriting. Thompson voice, of course, doesn't fail him. His guitar work is impeccable. The band is dynamic.
No matter how good any performer is -- to sound like this is magical. And how many years has Richard been at this? (Even worked with the late genius Nick Drake).
Mark Glassman
Amazing singer-songwriter and guitarist of impeccable magnificence! Yet another great album.
Janet Hornby
Can't stop playing this track even better live
moodlefyful
Powerful performance of this last week in Dublin...great stuff!!
The Authority
This is a classic....listen to it x5 times and you are hooked..."the storm must come to me"....