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.
Mascara Tears
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was trying to be mean and cruel and unkind
Don't take it too hard
There's another man inside me wants to break us apart
You were chic off the peg, bang up to the minute
I had to put my big foot in it
Don't shout it all about
There's another man inside me and he wants to get out
[CHORUS]
Mascara tears, bitter and black
A spent bullet drilled a hole in my back
Salt for the memory, black for the years
Black as forever, mascara tears
There's hell and hoodoo in your kitchen
Scratch the place you're itching
How long will it take
There's another girl inside you and she never got a break
[CHORUS]
You just moan and weep and moan and weep
Dirty rivers running down your face
Tears all down your party face
[CHORUS]
The Richard Thompson song "Mascara Tears" is a powerful expression of regret, pain, and self-loathing. The singer is addressing a former lover, admitting that he behaved badly and hurtfully towards her in the past. He acknowledges that he was trying to be "mean and cruel and unkind," but that he was "out of his mind" at the time. He begs her not to take it too hard, but then reveals a dark truth: "there's another man inside me wants to break us apart." This suggests that his previous behavior may have been part of a destructive pattern that he struggles to control.
The chorus of "Mascara Tears" is haunting and evocative, using vivid imagery to describe the emotional fallout from the singer's actions. He sings that his tears are "bitter and black" like mascara, and that he feels as though he has been shot in the back with a spent bullet. The tears are described as "salt for the memory, black for the years," suggesting that his pain is both a reminder of the past and a burden for the future. The final verse of the song shifts the focus to the woman, who is also struggling with her own pain and sorrow. The singer describes her as moaning and weeping, with "dirty rivers running down your face." This image is both powerful and sad, suggesting that both characters are trapped in the past and unable to move on from their pain.
Line by Line Meaning
When I said those things I was out of my mind
I wasn't in my right state of mind when I spoke those words
I was trying to be mean and cruel and unkind
I was intentionally being callous and malicious
Don't take it too hard
Don't be too upset over what I said
There's another man inside me wants to break us apart
There's a part of me that wants to ruin our relationship
You were chic off the peg, bang up to the minute
You looked fashionable and up to date
I had to put my big foot in it
I made a mistake and put myself in an awkward position
Don't shout it all about
Don't tell everyone what I did
There's another man inside me and he wants to get out
There's a part of me that wants to act recklessly and irresponsibly
Mascara tears, bitter and black
The tears shed are dark and depressing
A spent bullet drilled a hole in my back
Something hurtful was done to me in the past
Salt for the memory, black for the years
The memories are painful and the hurt has endured for a long time
Black as forever, mascara tears
The pain of the past is very deep and long-lasting
There's hell and hoodoo in your kitchen
There's a sense of foreboding or negativity present in your life
Scratch the place you're itching
Address the issues or problems that are troubling you
How long will it take
How much time will it take to heal and move on?
There's another girl inside you and she never got a break
There's a part of you that feels hurt and neglected
You just moan and weep and moan and weep
You express your sadness and pain through crying and complaining
Dirty rivers running down your face
Your tears are a sign of pain and suffering
Tears all down your party face
Your appearance of happiness is a false representation of how you feel
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD JOHN 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.