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.

Salford Sunday
Richard Thompson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Salford Sunday
Skies are weeping
Dawn is creeping
Through the blind
Salford Sunday
And I'm aching
For the night
I left behind

Salford Sunday
Morning after
Bass drum beating
In my head
Sunday papers
Talking scandal
And a cold
Side of the bed

For I left
A weeping willow
She should be
Lying on my pillow
If I wasn't
Such a hard nose
Such a perfect
Waste of time

Salford Sunday
And I'm dreaming
And it's all
In black and white
I do better
When I'm dreaming
Better than
I did last night

Salford Sunday
And I'm walking
Though the rain
Is pelting down
There's a train goes
Back to London
Hate to leave
This ugly town

For I left
A weeping willow
She should be
Lying on my pillow
If I wasn't
Such a hard nose
Such a perfect
Waste of time

Salford Sunday
Skies are weeping
Dawn is creeping
Through the blind
Salford Sunday
And I'm aching
For the night
I left behind

For the night
I left behind

Overall Meaning

Richard Thompson's song "Salford Sunday" is a melancholic reflection on a night spent in the town of Salford, a suburb of Manchester, England. The lyrics express a feeling of sadness and longing for what was left behind. This is evident in the opening lines of the song, "Skies are weeping, dawn is creeping through the blind." The singer is waking up to a rainy morning and is feeling the weight of the previous night's experiences.

The second verse adds to the dark mood of the song with mentions of a bass drum beating in the singer's head and scandalous stories in the Sunday papers. The chorus reinforces the idea that the singer has left someone behind, referring to a "weeping willow" who should be lying on his pillow. However, it seems that the singer's own flaws are to blame for this separation, as he recognizes that he is a "hard nose" and a "perfect waste of time."

The final verse shows the singer walking in the rain and contemplating leaving Salford behind for London. He is torn between the beauty of the town and the sadness of his own situation. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the theme of loss and regret.

Overall, "Salford Sunday" is a poignant song that captures the feeling of being stuck in a moment and longing for something that has been left behind. Through its imagery and introspective lyrics, the song expresses the universal emotions of heartbreak, regret, and nostalgia.

Line by Line Meaning

Salford Sunday
The day in the town of Salford that’s being narrated

Skies are weeping
It’s raining outside

Dawn is creeping Through the blind
The sun is starting to rise through the window shades

Salford Sunday And I'm aching For the night I left behind
The artist is longing for the past night that he can’t have back

Morning after Bass drum beating In my head
The artist has a hangover from a party with loud music

Sunday papers Talking scandal And a cold Side of the bed
The newspapers are discussing recent scandalous events, and the singer wakes up in a lonely bed

For I left A weeping willow She should be Lying on my pillow
The singer left his crying girlfriend at home and wishes she was there

If I wasn't Such a hard nose Such a perfect Waste of time
If only he wasn't stubborn and wasting time with insignificant things, he'd be with her

Salford Sunday And I'm dreaming And it's all In black and white
The artist is dreaming of his past night, but the memory is colorless, lifeless and not vivid

I do better When I'm dreaming Better than I did last night
The artist’s performance in his dream was better than how he acted in reality during the past night

Salford Sunday And I'm walking Though the rain Is pelting down
The singer is leaving while it’s raining heavily

There's a train goes Back to London Hate to leave This ugly town
The artist has to leave the town he dislikes and return to London on a train

For I left A weeping willow She should be Lying on my pillow
Once again, the singer regrets leaving his weeping girlfriend behind

If I wasn't Such a hard nose Such a perfect Waste of time
If only he wasn't stubborn and wasting time with insignificant things, he'd be with her

Salford Sunday Skies are weeping Dawn is creeping Through the blind
The song ends with the same lines as the beginning, indicating that his longing continues

Salford Sunday And I'm aching For the night I left behind For the night I left behind
He emphasizes his pain and desire for the previous night one more time before closing the song

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD JOHN THOMPSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

wolfcarcass

11y↑5

Saw Richard performing 'Salford Sunday' at the Lowry Theatre,Salford 10th March 2013. His playing was brilliant,as was his 'power trio' band,best gig I've ever seen.

Sam Elowitch

3y↑1

The Richard Thompson Trio is just sublime and I appreciate the chemistry amongst the three of them. Excellent!

David

11y↑1

This is also one of my favourites from "Electric". Looking forward to seeing RT in 2 weeks at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham.

Carol Lyman

11y↑1

My favorite RT song at the moment, from his new album "Electric." No histrionics. Bare bones simplicity.

Tony Keighery

11y↑2

Fantastic performance from one of the most under rated artists of our time. His playing is so unique & he never resorts to cliches, like the rest of us. His new album is outstanding & will certainly pass the test of time.

Tommy McDowell

11y↑2

Michael Jerome Moore, the drummer, is a badass. He plays with so many different bands. I'm pretty.sure if you text /twitter/Facebook him and say you have a drum kit at your house he will show up. He is a great guy all around!