Teddy Thompson (born 19 February, 1976, in London, England) is a British fo… Read Full Bio ↴Teddy Thompson (born 19 February, 1976, in London, England) is a British folk and rock musician. He is the son of Linda thompson and Richard Thompson (who famously performed and recorded as Richard & Linda Thompson), and the brother of singer Kami Thompson. His fifth studio album, Bella, was released in 2011.

Thompson's style is difficult to categorize, because his influences are varied. Growing up around folk music, he listened to a musical gamut that covered Hank Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sam Cooke and gospel. As he fell in with other musical progeny, most notably close friend Rufus Wainwright, his sound developed into his own combination of country/western, rock, and his father's folk-rock.

Thompson played regular shows at Jon Brion's venue, Largo, in Los Angeles, while getting his first album contract together. He signed with Geffen who had big plans for him - but Geffen was soon after swallowed up by Virgin, who did not. In 2000 Thompson released his debut album, Teddy Thompson, which received much critical acclaim but little commercial success. He took a few years to tour and write before finally recording his second album on his own. While reviews for his first album were generally positive, the critics have gushed over his second album. Thompson has found his own sound and voice, although his family remains heavily involved in his music.

Thompson's fourth album, A Piece of What You Need was released in 2008. His fifth studio album, Bella, was released in 2011.

On My Way
Teddy Thompson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All night, hey,
I am on my way
Plane rides, long drives
I am on on my way

Sent out on a mission
Unfamiliar ways
Have fun on the road, boys

But don't forget who pays

I found love in Kansas
Not the place for me
I may pass through your town
But I live in the city

All night, hey,
I am on my way
Plane rides, long drives,
I am on my way

Drive through this country
All looks the same
No one knows my face here
And nobody knows my name

People look at me sideways
Everywhere I go
Twenty-three for the journey
And one for the show

All night, hey,
I am on my way

Plane rides, long drives,
I am on my way (x2)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "On My Way" by Teddy Thompson describe the life of a musician on tour. The first line "All night, hey, I am on my way" sets the tone for the rest of the song which details the long nights and journeying that come with being a professional musician. The artist sings about plane rides and long drives, and how he is constantly on the move.

He also talks about being sent out on a mission and traveling through unfamiliar places. The line "Have fun on the road, boys, but don't forget who pays" seems to refer to his team and crew, reminding them that they are still working and must keep their focus on their job. Despite the travel, the artist has found love in Kansas, though it might not be his ideal location.

Throughout the song, he describes the monotony of traveling through different towns and states, where no one knows his face or name. He contrasts this with his life in the city where he resides, highlighting the sharp contrast between his life on the road and his life back home. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, "All night, hey, I am on my way," emphasizing the continuous nature of the artist's life on tour.

Line by Line Meaning

All night, hey,
I am staying up through the night, hey.

I am on my way
I am en route to my destination.

Plane rides, long drives
I am taking both plane and car rides to get where I need to go.

Sent out on a mission
I was given a task to do.

Unfamiliar ways
I am traveling through unfamiliar territory.

Have fun on the road, boys
Enjoy yourselves during travels, gentlemen.

But don't forget who pays
Remember who is footing the bill for this trip.

I found love in Kansas
I fell in love while in Kansas.

Not the place for me
Kansas is not where I want to be.

I may pass through your town
I might travel through your town.

But I live in the city
I call the city my home.