Streets of London – Ralph McTell

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 Streets of London – Ralph McTell

I first became aware of this song at school, but I can’t remember if we just sang it in assembly or supposedly learnt to play it in our music lessons. I guess it’s a perfect song for kids, totally non offensive with a powerful social message about homelessness and life not being fair for everyone. It’s a funny song for its time, not exactly glam rock, lots of well crafted story lyrics with each verse telling a sorry tale.

It was also one of the first songs I learnt to play on the guitar and only then did I associate it with Ralph McTell. I knew him from my childhood, he present the oddly named Tickle On The Tum kids TV show. Ralph used to sit on a stool just singing songs and telling stories. I can recall be enchanted by the program, it probably helped my love of storytelling without me even knowing it.

This song came into my mind the other day on a songwriting co-write, my fellow musician was finger picking his way through a lovely melody and his voice and style reminded me of Ralph’s. The streets of London are sadly still as busy with homeless folks as they were when this song was released in 1974. It probably could have a million different verses with a million sad tales to tell.

 Funnily enough it was going to be called Streets of Paris, the stories Ralph tells are all things he saw in France, but he decided to change it around and make it about London.

Favourite lyric : Looking at the world / Over the rim of his teacup / Each tea lasts an hour /And he wanders home alone


Location: Rayleigh, UK

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