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.
See My Friends
Richard Thompson Lyrics
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See my friends,
See my friends,
Playin' 'cross the river,
See my friends,
See my friends,
She is gone,
She is gone and now there's no one left
'Cept my friends,
Playin' 'cross the river,
She just went,
She just went,
Went across the river.
Now she's gone,
Now she's gone,
Wish that I'd gone with her.
She is gone,
She is gone and now there's no one left
'Cept my friends,
Playin' 'cross the river,
She is gone and now there's no one else to take her place
She is gone and now there's no one else to love
'Cept my friends,
Playin' 'cross the river,
See my friends,
See my friends,
Playin' 'cross the river,
See my friends,
See my friends,
Playin' 'cross the river,
The lyrics to Richard Thompson's song See My Friends, written by Ray Davies, convey a sense of loss and longing for someone who has passed away, with the only comfort being the presence of friends. The opening lines "See my friends, see my friends, playin' 'cross the river" set the scene of friends gathering together, and even though they are playing in a carefree manner, there is an undercurrent of sadness. The repetition of the phrase "she is gone, she is gone" emphasizes the feelings of loss and abandonment, with the singer regretting not going with her. The lyrics imply that the friends are a source of solace for the singer, as the only ones left to fill the void left by the departed loved one.
The song touches on themes of companionship, grief, and the passage of time. The repeated refrain "see my friends" highlights the significance of friendship, especially during difficult times. The river could symbolize the transient and ever-changing nature of life, with the friends playing on the other side, representing a continuation of life despite the loss. The simplicity of the melody and the sparse instrumentation add to the mournful tone of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
See my friends,
I am observing my friends.
See my friends,
I am observing my friends.
Playin' 'cross the river,
My friends are playing across the river.
She is gone,
A woman I cared about has left.
She is gone and now there's no one left
Besides my friends, there is no one left.
'Cept my friends,
Except for my friends.
Playin' 'cross the river,
My friends are playing across the river.
She just went,
The woman I cared about just left.
Went across the river.
She went across the river.
Now she's gone,
She is no longer here with me.
Now she's gone,
She is no longer here with me.
Wish that I'd gone with her.
I regret not leaving with her.
She is gone and now there's no one else to take her place
There is no one else who can replace her.
She is gone and now there's no one else to love
There is no one else to love now that she is gone.
'Cept my friends,
Except for my friends.
Playin' 'cross the river,
My friends are playing across the river.
See my friends,
I am observing my friends.
See my friends,
I am observing my friends.
Playin' 'cross the river,
My friends are playing across the river.
Contributed by Max R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
johnnybsteelriff
Head on collison between two of our greatest songwriters Raymond and RT....yes, the two of them involved in a project would be terrific....
xtenkfarpl xtenkfarpl snr
Richard knows first-class songwriting when he encounters it, doesn't he?
I'd love to hear hear him and Ray do something together... it could be magic!
heinrichvon
A great cover of a great song connecting two great songwriters.
Fonzleclay with Dan Walton
I saw this. I was at Milton Keynes on 25th Jan. Twas brilliant.
brightwhite1
I was at this gig. Spellbinding!!!
Alan Burrall
just finally ran into this song. how did I not know this?
daf827
I was fortunate enough to catch the 1000 Years show when RT and the girls played the Nokia Theater in NYC. I showed up the night of the show and a guy sold me his extra ticket as his girlfriend couldn't make it. Third row! Brilliant as always.