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.

Pharaoh
Richard Thompson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Pharaoh he sits in his tower of steel
The dogs of money all at his heel
Magicians cry, Oh Truth! Oh Real
We're all working for the Pharaoh

A thousand eyes, a thousand ears
He feeds us all, he feeds our fears
Don't stir in your sleep tonight, my dears

We're all working for the Pharaoh

Egypt Land, Egypt Land
We're all living in Egypt land
Tell me, brother, don't you understand
We're all working for the Pharaoh

Hidden from the eye of chance
The men of shadow dance a dance
And we're all struck into a trance
We're all working for the Pharaoh

Idols rise into the sky
Pyramids soar, Sphinxes lie
Head of dog, Osiris eye
We're all working for the Pharaoh

Egypt Land, Egypt Land
We're all living in Egypt land
Tell me, brother, don't you understand
We're all working for the Pharaoh

I dig a ditch, I shape a stone
Another battlement for his throne
Another day on earth is flown
We're all working for the Pharaoh

Call it England, call it Spain
Egypt rules with the whip and chain
Moses free my people again
We're all working for the Pharaoh

Egypt Land, Egypt Land
We're all living in Egypt land
Tell me, brother, don't you understand
We're all working for the Pharaoh

Pharaoh he sits in his tower of steel
Around his feet the princes kneel

Far beneath we shoulder the wheel
We're all working for the Pharaoh

Overall Meaning

Richard Thompson's song Pharaoh is a political commentary on the controlling and manipulative nature of those in power. In the opening lines, Pharaoh is introduced as being powerful and influential, with those who serve him following him without question. The use of the metaphor of "dogs of money" suggests that Pharoah's wealth is a motivation driving those who work for him. The phrase "magicians cry, Oh Truth! Oh Real" suggests that the truth and the reality are not what they appear, as the magicians themselves are under the control of Pharaoh. The repetition of the line "We're all working for the Pharaoh" further emphasizes the centralized and absolute nature of power that Pharaoh represents.

The second verse describes how people are fed and kept in line through their fears. They are encouraged not to stir or question their circumstances. The metaphor of "men of shadow dance a dance" refers to the manipulative and deceptive ways of those who hold the power. The third verse continues with the imagery taken from ancient Egypt, where tributes to Pharaoh are built by the people who are beholden to him. The final verse draws a comparison between the power dynamics in ancient Egypt with those in England and Spain, where wealth and power are also concentrated in the hands of the few. The final line serves as a call for liberation from this system of oppression.

Line by Line Meaning

Pharaoh he sits in his tower of steel
The ruler holds absolute power and is untouchable in his majestic metal structure

The dogs of money all at his heel
People motivated by wealth and fame would go to any length to please and be close to the leader

Magicians cry, Oh Truth! Oh Real
Even though some wise men and scholars speak truth to power, they are still manipulated by the ruler and his followers

We're all working for the Pharaoh
The masses are mere pawns in his games and have no individuality or freedom of thought and actions

A thousand eyes, a thousand ears
The leader's control extends beyond his physical reach and spies are everywhere, monitoring the population

He feeds us all, he feeds our fears
The ruler creates and sustains his power by controlling people's basic needs and emotions, and thereby influencing their actions

Don't stir in your sleep tonight, my dears
People are fearful of even voicing their opinions or thoughts, and have to pretend to be asleep and submissive to avoid punishment

Hidden from the eye of chance
The ones in power have made alliances and games away from public view or scrutiny, to maintain their status quo

The men of shadow dance a dance
Secretive groups or individuals enact their hidden agendas, with the rulers and those in power

And we're all struck into a trance
The population is brainwashed and manipulated by the overlords, to think and act in a certain way

Idols rise into the sky
The people worship and look up to larger-than-life personalities, created and nurtured by the ones pulling the strings of power

Pyramids soar, Sphinxes lie
Symbolic structures and hidden meanings are used by the ones in power to obscure the truth and maintain their power

Head of dog, Osiris eye
Different symbols and deities are used to intimidate, awe, and control the masses

I dig a ditch, I shape a stone
The common person's labor is used to build and strengthen the power structures of the Pharaoh

Another battlement for his throne
The Pharoah's power is always expanding, and people continue to work and support that expansion

Another day on earth is flown
People's lives are fleeting, and another day elapses as they toil for their inscrutable overlords

Call it England, call it Spain
No matter the name or location, the same tyrannical forces rule and enslave the masses

Egypt rules with the whip and chain
The leadership style is oppressive and brutal, and the people are enslaved and dominated by whips and chains

Moses free my people again
The people yearn for hope, liberation, and a leader that will set them free from their bondage

Far beneath we shoulder the wheel
The population is subservient and carrying the weight of the Pharaoh's world on their shoulders, with no hope or respite

We're all working for the Pharaoh
In summary, the whole song is a cynical commentary on the exploitative and brutal nature of authoritarian rule and the subjugation of citizens under its yoke

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RICHARD THOMPSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Ken Soehn

on Love in a Faithless Country

33w

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.