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.

O Sleep Fond Fancy
Richard Thompson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

O sleep, fond fancy, my head alas, thou tirest
With false delight of that which thou desirest.
Sleep, I say, fond fancy, and leave my thoughts molesting
Thy master's head hath need of sleep and resting.

Overall Meaning

In Richard Thompson's song "O Sleep Fond Fancy", the singer is addressing a figment of his imagination, a fantasy or a daydream perhaps, pleading with it to allow him to rest. The lyrics express a sense of exhaustion and frustration, as the singer is unable to find peace or solace due to the persistent intrusion of this imagined world. He implores the "fond fancy" to let him sleep, to no longer torment him with false hopes and desires, as he desperately needs rest. This could be interpreted in a number of ways, perhaps as a comment on the difficulty of separating oneself from one's own imagination, or perhaps as an expression of the struggle to break free from a cycle of unattainable dreams or desires.

The language of the lyrics is poetic and emotive, employing alliteration (as in "fond fancy"), repetition ("sleep, I say, fond fancy"), and powerful imagery. The phrase "false delight of that which thou desirest" suggests a degree of self-reflection, acknowledging the role that one's own desires and expectations can play in shaping one's illusions. Overall, the song conveys a sense of longing for freedom from the grasp of one's own imagination, and a yearning for rest and peace.

Line by Line Meaning

O sleep, fond fancy, my head alas, thou tirest
Oh sleep, dear imagination, you tire my mind with false hopes and dreams.

With false delight of that which thou desirest.
You bring me false happiness by making me desire things that are not real.

Sleep, I say, fond fancy, and leave my thoughts molesting
Sleep, I command you, dear imagination, and stop troubling my mind.

Thy master's head hath need of sleep and resting.
My mind, your master, needs rest and sleep to be at ease.

Contributed by Peyton R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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