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.

Patty Don't You Put Me Down
Richard Thompson Lyrics

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Patty don't tell me one thing and change your mind
We might be in bed together but the deal's not signed
They say you collect shrunken heads, would you like to have mine?

Patty Don't You Put Me Down
Don't colour me cruel

You're so used to skimming the ace and palming the jack

The right hand giving and the left hand taking it back
At society functions they probably give you more slack

Patty Don't You Put Me Down
Don't colour me cruel

You can stamp all you want, but this ain't television
I can't fix it all with a small incision
It's a meltdown you're having, not nuclear fission
There's no room service at the seaman's mission

In your ten watt world it's beyond any pleasure you know
To stick your fingers in the socket, and give yourself a glow
Keep that up and they might make you part of the show

Patty Don't You Put Me Down
Don't colour me cruel

Overall Meaning

Richard Thompson's "Patty Don't You Put Me Down" is a song about a hopeless relationship with an unreliable partner. The lyrics express the singer's frustration with Patty's inconsistency and indecisiveness, as she wavers between affection and rejection. The first stanza refers to the ambiguity of their relationship, where the singer reveals that despite the couple possibly intimate, Patty's intentions are unclear. The second stanza elaborates on Patty's knack for manipulating people, with her skills at skimming and palming cards. The third stanza references the singer's inability to fix Patty's issues, no matter how much he may want to. In this nihilistic world, there is no room for human emotions or connections.

Line by Line Meaning

Patty don't tell me one thing and change your mind
Don't say something and then do the opposite, we aren't committed yet

We might be in bed together but the deal's not signed
We may have slept together, but that doesn't mean we're in a committed relationship

They say you collect shrunken heads, would you like to have mine?
I've heard you collect unusual things, do you want my head too?

You're so used to skimming the ace and palming the jack
You're good at cheating, taking what you want and tricking others

The right hand giving and the left hand taking it back
You act like you're giving, but you're really just taking

At society functions they probably give you more slack
People may let you get away with more at fancy events because of your status

You can stamp all you want, but this ain't television
You can throw a tantrum, but this isn't a scripted drama

I can't fix it all with a small incision
I can't fix our problems with a quick fix

It's a meltdown you're having, not nuclear fission
You're acting out emotionally, not like a nuclear explosion

There's no room service at the seaman's mission
There won't always be someone there to cater to your every whim

In your ten watt world it's beyond any pleasure you know
The excitement you experience is limited to your small world

To stick your fingers in the socket, and give yourself a glow
Trying to create excitement by doing something dangerous or risky

Keep that up and they might make you part of the show
If you keep up your behavior, you might become the center of attention

Patty Don't You Put Me Down
Patty, please don't criticize me or make me feel bad

Don't colour me cruel
Don't give me a bad reputation or make me seem like a bad person

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: B.A. WELCH, CHUCK BERRY, DALE HAWKINS, DUKE ELLINGTON, ELEANOR BROADWATER, HANK MARVIN, J HARRIS, JEAN REINHARDT, JUAN TIZOL, RICHARD JOHN THOMPSON, STANLEY J LEWIS

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