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.
MGB-GT
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's the mistress of my heart now
She's a '65 with an overdrive
And I fixed her in every part now
Two in the front and two in the back
110 on the old Hog's Back
MGB-GT
Oh my MGB-GT, she's a runner now
Oh I welded the sills and the old floor pan
Cut the rust with the torch and the hacksaw
Took the Restyles off, put the spoked wheels on
Got a brand new Salisbury axle
When I come to town the girls all smile
They say, "Here's the man with the retro style"
My MGB-GT, she's a runner now
MGB-GT
Oh my MGB-GT, she's a runner now
Lockheed discs and twin SUs
Original chrome on the grille now
She looks like a dream in her racing green
Competition's standing still now
I sprayed up her body, I strengthened the frame
I stripped her right down and I built her up again
Now an Alpine's fine if you've got the time
And a Healey'll set you back some
And a TR4 costs a little bit more
But it don't have the same attraction
Hard top handy, in case of the weather
I don't care if it rains forever
In my MGB-GT, she's a runner now
MGB-GT
In my MGB-GT, she's a runner now
MGB-GT
In my MGB-GT, she's a runner now
The song "MGB-GT" is a tribute to Thompson's car, a 1965 MGB-GT, and the love that he has for it. In the first verse, he describes the car as the mistress of his heart, which shows how much he values it. He also mentions fixing the car in every part, which suggests that he has put a lot of effort into making it run smoothly. The second verse includes details of the work he has done on the car, including welding the sills and old floor pan, cutting the rust with a torch and hacksaw, and putting spoked wheels on. He also mentions the brand new Salisbury axle and the original chrome on the grille, which further emphasizes the effort he has put into the car to make it look and run like new.
The chorus of the song consists of the phrase "MGB-GT, she's a runner now," which reinforces Thompson's love for the car and shows how much pride he has in it. The final verse compares the MGB-GT to other cars, such as the Alpine, Healey, and TR4. Thompson suggests that while these cars may be fine, they don't hold the same attraction for him as his MGB-GT does.
Overall, the song is a celebration of the hard work and dedication that Thompson has put into his car, as well as his love for it. The lyrics are filled with specific details about the car and the work he has done on it, which shows how much he cares about it.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I've got a little car and she might go far
I own a small but powerful car that has the potential to go great distances.
She's the mistress of my heart now
This car holds a special place in my heart, and I have great affection for it.
She's a '65 with an overdrive
My car is a 1965 model with an overdrive system that allows the car to operate at high speeds without straining the engine.
And I fixed her in every part now
I have put a lot of effort into repairing and improving every part of this car.
Two in the front and two in the back
This car has two seats in the front and two in the back.
110 on the old Hog's Back
I was able to drive this car at a speed of 110 mph on the Hog's Back, which is a popular driving road in the UK.
Oh I welded the sills and the old floor pan
I fixed the sills and the old floor pan on this car using a welding machine.
Cut the rust with the torch and the hacksaw
I had to use a torch and a hacksaw to remove the rust from this car's body.
Took the Restyles off, put the spoked wheels on
I removed the Restyles wheels and replaced them with spoked wheels.
Got a brand new Salisbury axle
I installed a new Salisbury axle into this car to improve its performance.
When I come to town the girls all smile
This car gets a lot of attention from women when I drive it around town.
They say, "Here's the man with the retro style"
People admire this car's retro style and associate it with the person driving the car.
Lockheed discs and twin SUs
This car has Lockheed brake discs and twin carburetors made by SU.
Original chrome on the grille now
I have maintained the original chrome on the grille of this car.
She looks like a dream in her racing green
This car is painted in a beautiful racing green color that makes it look like a dream.
Competition's standing still now
This car is so fast that other cars in competition can't keep up with it.
I sprayed up her body, I strengthened the frame
I have repainted this car's body and strengthened its frame for better durability and performance.
I stripped her right down and I built her up again
I disassembled this car and rebuilt it from the ground up, making a lot of improvements in the process.
Now an Alpine's fine if you've got the time
While an Alpine car is a great choice if someone has enough time to invest, mine is the better choice for me.
And a Healey'll set you back some
A Healey car is a more expensive option compared to mine.
And a TR4 costs a little bit more
The TR4 car is slightly more expensive compared to mine.
But it don't have the same attraction
Despite being less expensive, other car models don't have the same allure or appeal as mine.
Hard top handy, in case of the weather
I have equipped my car with a hard top so that I am prepared for any type of weather conditions.
I don't care if it rains forever
I am not afraid to drive this car even in heavy rain.
In my MGB-GT, she's a runner now
This car is now in top condition and ready to run smoothly.
MGB-GT
MGB-GT is the name of this car model.
Oh my MGB-GT, she's a runner now
I am excited that my MGB-GT is now in great condition and ready to perform its best.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD JOHN THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Hazehill
Love it!
Lee Williams
Nice job with video. Love the song , love my '74 MGB GT!
Michael Schrenk
Love my '71 MGB/GT. (Just flushed the gearbox.) Now, I'm rebuilding my cooling system (typical weekend ;-).
Steve Watts
I wonder if RT actually renovated one himself, he seems well informed! :-)
Perry Stephenson
Fantastic video :) Great looking car. Well done mate..
MW Bennett
Good tune. Wish I could say my 1979 MGB Roadster "was a runner now". Purchased new in August 1979. Last driven in August 1993. Has been parked in the driveway ever since. Maybe some day.... Also purchased a 1974 MGB-GT more or less new. Car was "Tundra" green. I called it British Racing Khaki, a friend called it boiled spinach. Loved everything about that car but there was a certain amount of pain associated with it. Fair winds and following seas.
chicousa
Cool song! I can't play it in my '69 MGB-GT because I blanked the radio, I only listen to 1800cc FM :)
MGB Interceptor
Motivational Music
VWNate1
Thank you ! nice car , good music . I miss my old '67 MGB GT MKI . Tannyo's RHD MGB GT is even nicer than this one . -Nate
Blues Chewy
This song would have been perfect for the episode of Wheeler Dealers when Edd China worked his magic on an MGB GT.