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.

Streets Of Paradise
Richard Thompson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The tears fall down like whisky
The tears fall down like wine
On an island made of cocaine
In a sea of turpentine
We all need some assistance
But won't that day be fine
When we're walking down the streets of Paradise

Tar brush on the corner
I've never seen him before
He drank ten fingers of what they had
Now his feet don't touch the floor
He can't see me or this dirty old town
He's got nothing to look for
He's walking down the streets of Paradise

Walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise

I'd trade my silver mansion
With a guard on every door
I'd trade my wealth and treasure
And the sash my father wore
I'd trade my little sister
And my brother who went before
To be walking down the streets of Paradise

Walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise

I asked you for a racehorse
Now don't hand me no mule
I asked you for a fast car
Don't you take me for a fool
Just hand me down my telescope
And a bullet I can chew
I'll be walking down the streets of Paradise

Walking down the streets of Paradise
Walking down the streets of Paradise

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Richard Thompson's song Streets of Paradise convey a message of longing for a better life. The opening lines with the metaphor of tears falling down like whisky and wine imply sadness and desperation. The reference to an island made of cocaine and a sea of turpentine depicts a world of addiction and despair where people need assistance to escape. The singer dreams of a day when they can walk down the streets of paradise, implying a place where all their sorrows will be gone, and they will experience ultimate happiness.

The second stanza introduces a character called Tar brush who is drunk, and his feet don't touch the floor. He cannot see the dirty old town and has nothing to look for, which implies that he is in a state of hallucination and has given up on his life. The refrain 'walking down the streets of Paradise' repeats like a mantra, emphasizing the singer's desire for a better life where there is no pain, no suffering, and no addiction.

In the final stanza, the singer is asking for a racehorse, a fast car, and a telescope, implying that he wants to escape his present life. The reference to a bullet he can chew could mean that he is willing to take risks to escape the world of despair. The overall message of the song is that people need hope, a vision of a better future, and the determination to pursue their dreams to escape their current situation.

Line by Line Meaning

The tears fall down like whisky
The tears are coming down heavily just like the impact of drinking whisky.

The tears fall down like wine
The tears are as intoxicating as the effect of drinking wine.

On an island made of cocaine
The whole place is covered with drugs which make it seem like an island on its own.

In a sea of turpentine
The environment is quite hazardous and uncomfortable as turpentine emits strong odors.

We all need some assistance
Every individual requires help at some point in time.

But won't that day be fine
When someone can finally recover and feel accomplished, the resulting feeling of joy will be exhilarating.

When we're walking down the streets of Paradise
The idea of being in a peaceful and happy place where everything is okay indicates that one can be happy despite challenges.

Tar brush on the corner
The substance covers the corner which can indicate imperfection or being unwanted.

I've never seen him before
The artist has had no prior interaction or connection with this individual.

He drank ten fingers of what they had
He imbibed quickly and drank all that was provided.

Now his feet don't touch the floor
The man is heavily intoxicated and can't balance himself on his feet properly.

He can't see me or this dirty old town
He's completely drunk and is oblivious to his surroundings.

He's got nothing to look for
The man is lost but has no purpose or direction in his life.

Walking down the streets of Paradise
The town has now become an idyllic and beautiful place with no sadness or fears.

I'd trade my silver mansion
The singer would relinquish his luxurious home and standard of living.

With a guard on every door
Even though it's an upscale place to live, safety remains vital with security personnel posted at every entrance.

I'd trade my wealth and treasure
The artist is willing to surrender his monetary possessions and riches.

And the sash my father wore
The singer would relinquish his family's heirlooms or sentimental items.

I'd trade my little sister
The singer is willing to part ways with his/her sibling.

And my brother who went before
The artist would give away everything and anything to be in a happier place like Paradise.

To be walking down the streets of Paradise
The artist hopes that one day they will experience what it's like to be in a happy and peaceful place.

I asked you for a racehorse
The artist requested for an animal that could run swiftly.

Now don't hand me no mule
The singer was disappointed as, instead of the requested animal, they received a slow or stubborn animal.

I asked you for a fast car
The artist wanted a vehicle that can move very quickly.

Don't you take me for a fool
The singer does not wish to be deceived or mislead.

Just hand me down my telescope
The singer is requesting their telescope which they would use to search for far-off or distant things.

And a bullet I can chew
The singer looks to be giving up on their current situation as chewing a bullet indicates they'd rather end their life.

I'll be walking down the streets of Paradise
The artist is willing to do anything to experience happiness and live in a beautiful place like Paradise.

Walking down the streets of Paradise
The idea of a perfect and beautiful world where there's no sadness or evil will always be appealing to humans.

Contributed by Mason H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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