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.
Reckless Kind
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Parting ways, loved in vain
Never knew you'd be the reckless kind
I reached out to catch your fall
Said you needed a place to crawl
Never knew you'd be the reckless kind
The reckless kind
The reckless kind
Say you run with a breakneck crowd
Live your love scenes right out loud
Break hearts all around you're the reckless kind
Said you were well satisfied
Proud to see me by your side
Pride's a worthless thing to the reckless kind
The reckless kind
The reckless kind
Love lies shattered on the ground
Jagged pieces all around
Say you'll come back, but I know you're the restless kind
The reckless kind
The reckless kind
You're his, not mine
His, not mine
The reckless kind
The reckless kind
Richard Thompson’s song “Reckless Kind” is a heartbreaking tale of a failed relationship with a partner who turned out to be unpredictable and reckless. The song opens with the singer describing the couple standing in the rain, realizing that their love was in vain. The singer’s partner turns out to be reckless and fills their life with chaos. The singer admits that he was not aware of his partner's unpredictable nature.
The chorus emphasizes that the singer's partner is reckless and that she belongs to someone else. The second verse highlights how the partner loved to break hearts in their circle and was unapologetic about it. The bridge of the song presents a scene where the couple’s love lies shattered on the ground, and the partner walks away without remorse. The final chorus reveals the singer’s acceptance of his partner's recklessness and his realization that she is his no more.
Richard Thompson’s beautiful melody and poignant lyrics make “Reckless Kind” a beautiful yet heartbreaking song. The song captures the pain of being in a toxic relationship where one is unaware of the partner's true nature. It is a sad reminder of how people can be unpredictable, and relationships can fail despite one's best efforts.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we stand in sheets of rain
We are standing in a heavy rain shower.
Parting ways, loved in vain
We are separating after a failed love affair.
Never knew you'd be the reckless kind
I didn't realize that you would be so thoughtless and careless.
I reached out to catch your fall
I tried to help you when you were struggling or in trouble.
Said you needed a place to crawl
You told me that you needed a safe place to recover or hide.
Say you run with a breakneck crowd
You claim that you associate with a really dangerous group of people.
Live your love scenes right out loud
You are very open and public with your romantic relationships.
Break hearts all around you're the reckless kind
You have no regard for the feelings of others and often hurt them in your relationships.
Said you were well satisfied
You told me that you were very pleased or content with something.
Proud to see me by your side
You were happy or honored to be seen with me.
Pride's a worthless thing to the reckless kind
Your arrogance or self-importance means nothing to someone who is thoughtless and careless.
Love lies shattered on the ground
Our love has been destroyed and ruined.
Jagged pieces all around
Our love is in ruins with sharp and rough edges everywhere.
Say you'll come back, but I know you're the restless kind
You claim you will return, but I know you never stay in one place for long.
You're his, not mine
You belong to someone else, not me.
His, not mine
You are owned or claimed by someone else, not me.
The reckless kind
Someone who is thoughtless and careless, likely to cause damage and hurt to those around them.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ERROL 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.