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.
The Sun Never Shines On The Poor
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The urchins are writhing around in the mud
Like eels playing tag in a barrel
The old Sally Army sound mournful and sweet
As they play an old Christmassy carol
The world is as black as a dark night in hell
What kind of a place can this be?
Fearing to say "Do you feel as downtrodden as me?"
Ting-a-ling, Ting-a-ling
The Devil he leans on your bell
The future looks black as before
And the sun never shines, the sun never shines on the poor
The rich man he dreams of his gold and his plate
And his house and his car and his women
The poor man he dreams of his one-roomed estate
And his wage packet, short by one shilling
The last penny falls through a hole in your jeans
Now ain't that the way when you're down?
Just walking in circles for the rest of your life
And feeling so low that your chin scrapes along on the ground
Ting-a-ling, Ting-a-ling
The Devil he leans on your bell
The future looks black as before
And the sun never shines, the sun never shines on the poor
Now some of the people are poor in the purse
They don't have the cash at the ready
And some of the people they're crippled and lame
They can never stand up true and steady
And some of the people they're poor in the head
Like the simpleton fools that you see
But most of the people they're poor in the heart
It's the worst kind of poor, it's the worse kind of poor you can be
Ting-a-ling, Ting-a-ling
The Devil he leans on your bell
The future looks black as before
And the sun never shines, oh the sun never shines on the poor
Richard Thompson's song "The Sun Never Shines On The Poor" is a poignant and insightful commentary on the struggles of poverty. The opening lines depict the desperation of the poor, with children playing in mud and the Salvation Army playing a mournful carol. The world is described as black as hell, emphasizing the bleakness of the situation. Thompson captures the sense of isolation and helplessness that many poor people feel, as they run from door to door seeking help, but feeling too downtrodden to even ask for it.
The refrain "The Devil he leans on your bell, the future looks black as before, and the sun never shines on the poor" underscores the hopelessness and despair of poverty. While the rich dream of their material possessions, the poor simply dream of having enough money to get by. Thompson acknowledges that there are different kinds of poverty, including physical disabilities and mental illness, but he argues that the most insidious poverty is poverty of the heart.
In reflecting on poverty, the song is also a critique of societal structures that perpetuate it. Thompson suggests that the poor are not poor because they lack ambition or intelligence, but because they are held back by circumstance. The song is a call to recognize the humanity of those who suffer from poverty and to work towards greater social and economic justice.
Line by Line Meaning
The urchins are writhing around in the mud
The poverty-stricken children are playing in the dirt, squirming around like eels in a barrel.
Like eels playing tag in a barrel
The children are playing around and having fun without a care, like eels playfully darting around in a barrel.
The old Sally Army sound mournful and sweet
The Salvation Army band plays a mournful yet beautiful song.
As they play an old Christmassy carol
Their song is a classic Christmas hymn.
The world is as black as a dark night in hell
The world is an unhappy and hopeless place, like a dark and oppressive night in hell.
What kind of a place can this be?
The miserable surroundings make one question how anyone can survive in such a terrible place.
Old people like hermit crabs run into doorways
Elderly people move like hermit crabs, scurrying into doorways out of fear and poverty.
Fearing to say "Do you feel as downtrodden as me?"
They are too frightened to ask if others share in their sense of oppression and despair.
Ting-a-ling, Ting-a-ling
The sound of a bell rings out.
The Devil he leans on your bell
The Devil seems to be at one's doorstep, waiting and pressuring them with the bell.
The future looks black as before
There doesn't seem to be any hope for a bright future.
And the sun never shines, the sun never shines on the poor
The poor will never experience the warmth and light of the sun, figuratively and literally.
The rich man he dreams of his gold and his plate
Wealthy people dream about their luxurious lifestyles.
And his house and his car and his women
Their dreams consist of fancy homes, expensive cars, and romantic partners.
The poor man he dreams of his one-roomed estate
Those struggling financially fantasize about owning a small, humble abode.
And his wage packet, short by one shilling
The little they earn is short by even a small amount.
The last penny falls through a hole in your jeans
Even the little money they have falls out of their pockets from the holes in their trousers.
Now ain't that the way when you're down?
Isn't that how things go when you're already struggling?
Just walking in circles for the rest of your life
The poverty cycle seems to continue indefinitely, without a way out.
And feeling so low that your chin scrapes along on the ground
The crushing weight of poverty makes one feel low and defeated.
Now some of the people are poor in the purse
Some don't have any money at all.
They don't have the cash at the ready
They don't have any money readily available.
And some of the people they're crippled and lame
Some are disabled or physically unable to work.
They can never stand up true and steady
They can't depend on themselves for stability or support.
And some of the people they're poor in the head
Some are mentally unwell or lacking in intelligence.
Like the simpleton fools that you see
As if they are foolish and unable to comprehend their situation.
But most of the people they're poor in the heart
The poorest and hardest suffering poverty is internal, in the heart and mind.
It's the worst kind of poor, it's the worst kind of poor you can be
This internal poverty is the most devastating kind, and the one no one wants to experience.
Contributed by Jordan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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.