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.
When The Spell Is Broken
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the spell is broken
How you ever gonna keep her now
You can't cry if you don't know how
When the spell is broken
When the spell is broken
All the joy is gone from her face
Welcome back to the human race
Of love remain
When you curse and fight
And never see like
Or hear like spoken
When the spell is broken
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
When the spell is broken
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
Oh when the spell is broken
All your magic and your ways and schemes
All your lies come and tear at your dreams
When the spell is broken
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
When the spell is broken
Now you're handing her that same old line
It's just straws in the wind this time
When love has died,
There's none starry-eyed
No kiss, no tears,
No farewell souvenirs
Not even a token, when the spell is broken
Don't swear your heart
From the very start
Love letters you wrote
Are pushed back down you throat
And leave you choking, when the spell is broken
(When the spell, When the spell, When the spell is broken)
When the spell is broken
When the spell is broken
(When the spell, When the spell, When the spell is broken)
When the spell is broken
When the spell is broken
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(You can't cry if you don't know how)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
"When The Spell Is Broken" by Richard Thompson is a song about the end of a relationship and how the realization that the love is gone affects both parties involved. The lyrics suggest that the power struggle in the relationship has been lost, leaving the singer with nothing but regrets and unanswered questions. The lines "All your magic and your ways and schemes/ All your lies come and tear at your dreams" suggest that the singer's efforts to control the relationship and preserve the love have been in vain, leading to the ultimate demise of the relationship. The refrain "How you ever gonna keep her now/ You can't cry if you don't know how" implies that the singer has lost any chance of salvaging the relationship and will have to learn how to deal with the pain of the loss.
The lyrics also suggest a certain level of emotional immaturity on the part of the singer, who seems to be struggling with the reality of the end of the relationship. The lines "When love has died/ There's none starry-eyed/ No kiss, no tears/ No farewell souvenirs" convey a sense of disappointment at the reality of the end of the relationship, suggesting that the singer was not prepared for the breakup and was expecting a more romanticized ending to the relationship. The singer's tone is often defensive and resentful, suggesting that they may not yet have come to terms with the end of the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
When the spell is broken
When the enchantment is gone
When the spell is broken
When the glamour is over
How you ever gonna keep her now
How can you expect to keep her once the allure fades
You can't cry if you don't know how
One cannot cry without the ability to do so
All the joy is gone from her face
She no longer shows happiness on her face
Welcome back to the human race
Welcome back to reality
How long can the flame
How long can the passion
Of love remain
Of intense feelings remain
When you curse and fight
When you argue and swear
And never see like
And never see eye-to-eye
Or hear like spoken
Or speak to each other with love
When the spell is broken
When the enchantment is gone
Oh when the spell is broken
Oh, when the enchantment is gone
All your magic and your ways and schemes
All your tricks and tactics
All your lies come and tear at your dreams
All your falsehoods destroy your aspirations
Now you're handing her that same old line
Now you're using the same old excuses on her
It's just straws in the wind this time
This time your excuses are meaningless
When love has died,
When the relationship has ended
There's none starry-eyed
No one is filled with love and hope
No kiss, no tears,
No expressions of love or sadness
No farewell souvenirs
No mementos of the relationship
Not even a token, when the spell is broken
Not even a small gesture of affection, when the enchantment is gone
Don't swear your heart
Don't pledge your heart
From the very start
From the beginning
Love letters you wrote
The letters you wrote expressing love
Are pushed back down you throat
Are rejected and become a burden
And leave you choking, when the spell is broken
And leave you struggling, when the enchantment is gone
(When the spell, When the spell, When the spell is broken)
(When the enchantment, when the enchantment, when the enchantment is gone)
(Can't cry if you don't know how)
(One cannot cry without the ability to do so)
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD JOHN THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David E. Vogel
This is my favorite Richard Thompson live band. Christine Collister and Clive Gregson are a perfect vocal match for Thompson. The Collister- Gregson-Thompson union lasted about 4 years. For me, Thompson was at the top of his game.
And yes, I was fortunate to see them perform at a club in Denver years ago.
Willie McGee
This guy is just amazing, all the great songs he's written. True legend.
Paul Burgess
It's almost hard to comprehend how many great songs this guy has written. If he couldn't play guitar at all, he would still be a legend, but the fact that he is an absolutely mind-blowing virtuoso of startling originality and vision who can also sing beautifully makes him seem like something of a miracle.
MsWaltWhitman
I can feel the weight of this song deep in the middle of my chest. I believe this song teaches us how to cry if we can't.
sullivan2339
This song slays me- I can't even handle it today. His lyrics his voice hiss playing is unique.
Doug Sheffield
I LOVE Richard Thompson form his days with Fairport Convention to his collaborations with his former wife Linda Thompson to his solo career. One of the greatest guitarists ever.
Simon Drew
Melancholic number from a master guitarist. Quite a few tracks from 'Across a Crowded Room' have a similar dark feel to them, but the album is full of excellent songs nonetheless, and remains one of my favourites.
Daisy Jane
This one and also "You Don't Say" for me :)
David E. Vogel
"master guitarist"
Agree. I would have to name Thompson as one of my top-10 favorite guitarists. His style is unique and sounds like no other.
GeorgeC AV
Amazing song and album, so underrated! Perfect in all ways