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.
She Steers By Lightning
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's telling me the storm is friendly
She says the volts are inviting
She talks in couplets, she steers by lightning
She takes a knife to my seatbelt
She says the brakes, it needs mending
She says my mood, it needs heightening
Two angels sitting in the back seat
They're pointing at their watches
I feel eternity biting
She talks in couplets, she steers by lightning
My Maggie, she's got a lose one
She uses Milton as a road map
My Maggie, she is a bright thing
She talks in couplets, she steers by lightning
The lyrics of Richard Thompson's "She Steers By Lightning" seem to be an ode to a woman named Maggie, who displays an almost mystical connection to the forces of nature. Maggie is depicted as a fearless driver, who navigates through storms without the aid of headlights, and even welcomes the electricity of the lightning as a guide. She is also portrayed as someone who can sense when things need fixing, whether it's the car's brakes, the singer's mood or his seatbelt (which she cuts as a way to encourage him to let go of his fears). Despite her quirks, Maggie is celebrated as a bright and special person, who communicates with wit and poetry, avoiding the mundane or the ordinary.
The song also introduces a pair of mysterious "angels" who inhabit the back seat of the car that Maggie drives. These beings seem to be aware of the passage of time, and possibly of the transient nature of human existence, since they keep pointing to their watches. The singer is aware of their presence and is affected by a sense of "eternity biting", which could be interpreted as a fear of death or a realization of the temporal quality of life. However, Maggie's presence and her poetic language seem to offer a counterbalance to this existential angst, suggesting that there is beauty and meaning to be found in the fleeting moments of life.
Line by Line Meaning
She's telling me she don't need headlights
She is so confident in her navigation skills that she believes headlights are redundant.
She's telling me the storm is friendly
The storm is not a threat to her, rather it is an ally in guiding her way.
She says the volts are inviting
She feels a magnetic pull towards the lightning strikes as if they are calling her.
She talks in couplets, she steers by lightning
She speaks only in rhyming couplets and trusts the lightning to guide her steering.
She takes a knife to my seatbelt
She wants to eliminate any sense of safety or restriction.
She says the brakes, it needs mending
She sees the need for speed and views braking as a hindrance.
She says my mood, it needs heightening
She thinks a heightened emotional state is necessary for her driving style.
Two angels sitting in the back seat
The presence of angels signifies danger, yet she is unfazed.
They're pointing at their watches
The angels are warning that time is running out.
I feel eternity biting
He is scared of losing his life.
My Maggie, she's got a lose one
Maggie has a daring spirit that can lead her into danger.
She uses Milton as a road map
She seeks inspiration from 17th-century poet John Milton's work, which is filled with danger and adventure.
My Maggie, she is a bright thing
Maggie is a shiny, luminous object that attracts admiration.
She talks in couplets, she steers by lightning
She speaks in rhyming couplets as if this is the only way to communicate and trusts the lightning to guide her steering.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: RICHARD 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.