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.
Walking Through A Wasted Land
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of soft sell concrete and rust
What ever happened to this country?
Where is the hand you can trust?
Walk down, walk down, walk down
I remember when a farmer was ashamed
If he never put his hand to a plough
He's riding in a limousine now
Walk down, walk down, walk down, walk down!
Sweat is the name of this town
It's an ugly old, dirty old disgrace
And now that the steel's shut down
It's fear puts the sweat in a man's face
Walk down, walk down, walk down
Oh now I should have a break like you
But somebody stacked up the decks
Heads are going to roll some day
If we ever get this yoke off our necks
Walk down, walk down, walk down, oh
Well I'm walking through a wasted land
I'm walking through a wasted land
Where is the future we planned
I'm walking through a wasted land
Walk down, walk down, walk down, walk down!
Richard Thompson's song "Walking Through A Wasted Land" is a commentary on the state of the world and society. The verse "I'm walking through a wasted land of soft sell concrete and rust" is describing the stark and desolate landscape that people are moving through, a place where everything seems abandoned, rusted, and forgotten. It's as if the world has been stripped of its vitality and is now nothing more than a wasteland.
The lines "What ever happened to this country? Where is the hand you can trust?" express the sense of betrayal that many people feel by politicians and leaders who have let them down. The idea that people once looked up to farmers and that they were symbols of hard work and honesty is highlighted in the lines "I remember when a farmer was ashamed if he never put his hand to a plough." The contrast with today, where people can buy their way out of shame and poverty, is emphasized in the following line: "You can buy a lot of shame with your money, he's riding in a limousine now."
The song then shifts to a nameless, dying steel town: "Sweat is the name of this town, it's an ugly old, dirty old disgrace." The closing lines, "Where is the future we planned? I'm walking through a wasted land," are a call to action. People need to take responsibility for the world they are creating, or they will end up in a desolate and forgotten wasteland.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm walking through a wasted land
I am traversing a region that has been desolated.
Of soft sell concrete and rust
A place infested with consumerism and decayed by rusted materials.
What ever happened to this country?
What has become of this nation?
Where is the hand you can trust?
Where can you find someone who you can put your faith in?
Walk down, walk down, walk down
A repeated phrase that emphasizes walking down this path of despair.
I remember when a farmer was ashamed
I can recall a time when not being a hardworking farmer was a source of shame.
If he never put his hand to a plough
If he didn't work on the farm using a plow.
You can buy a lot of shame with your money
Nowadays, shame can be avoided by purchasing it away with money.
He's riding in a limousine now
But now he is wealthy and riding in a fancy car.
Sweat is the name of this town
This town is full of sweat and hard labor.
It's an ugly old, dirty old disgrace
This is an old, unpleasant, revolting scene.
And now that the steel's shut down
Now that the metal industry has closed.
It's fear puts the sweat in a man's face
Fear now results in hard labor.
Oh now I should have a break like you
I too deserve a break similar to your rest time.
But somebody stacked up the decks
But someone here has unfairly arranged things.
Heads are going to roll some day
Someone will have to answer for this.
If we ever get this yoke off our necks
Only by finding relief from this burden will we end up receiving justice.
Well I'm walking through a wasted land
I am stepping through a destroyed place.
Where is the future we planned
Where did the future we expected disappear?
Walk down, walk down, walk down, walk down!
A repeated sentence that emphasizes the burden of walking down this lost path.
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.