Why did I NOT KNOW about Ralph McTell's Streets of London (Reaction!)

Comments · 193

• SU

  @suepoole8323 · 1 year ago

  Released when I was 17.. I'm 73 now and still remember every word.. had a huge impact on my life, never been rich but have always cared and shared.. People call me a fool, a soft touch.. there but for the Grace of God goes every single one of us.. all around the World these words fit, every single day and night..

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• AN

  @animalian01 · 1 year ago

  This song is a legend in the UK, as is the singer. It was ever present in the 70s when I was growing up.

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• MR

  @MrOakensaxum · 1 year ago (edited)

  In the 1960s this was the song that got to me. now over 6 decades later it still does and sadly is still bloody totally relevant.

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• MA

  @Macilmoyle · 1 year ago (edited)

  Ralph is a national treasure in the UK. He regularly performs shows around Christmas time in aid of the homeless. This is his most famous song, but he's got a tremendous catalogue. I'd suggest "Peppers and Tomatoes" or "From Clare to Here".

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• JO

  @johnmadden2421 · 1 year ago

  I was born and grew up in New Zealand. The homeless were almost non-existent in New Zealand cities at the time this song was first heard and I always thought that its story was historic. In the 80s I came to the UK and found it was contemporary. Sadly the same now applies to New Zealand's cities. Ralph manages a rare act, creating a lyric that is match in emotion by its melody.

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• AU

  @audryhaynes3277 · 1 year ago

  I cry every time I hear this song. Not just tear up, but tears streaming down my cheeks. The line that hits me so hard is "Let me take you by the hand and walk you through the Streets of London, and I will show you something to make you change your mind." That is so powerfully personal. It's not 'If you look around you'll see all this,' It's Let ME take YOU BY THE HAND..." I will go with you and together we'll discover these hard truths. I have tears streaming down my cheeks right now. BTW I'm 78 years old. I remember all the different people singing all these heartfelt songs that were so much about "We're all in this together." What has happened to us?

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• NI

  @NightingRoseGale · 1 year ago

  Growing up in London in the 1960s and 70s we sang this in music lessons at school. It hits as hard now as it did then, beautiful, poignant and always tear jerking. Has anything changed? You only need to look at the cardboard boxes and blankets in doorways to know that it hasn't.

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• JO

  @johnbennett9630 · 1 year ago

  It should remind us that almost all of us are just three pay cheques away from this. NONE of the homeless deserve their situation, most aren't "bums" - many do actually have jobs - they just don't get paid enough.

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• TO

  @tonibaker3823 · 1 year ago

  this song should be an anthem to remind everybody who is a pityme . we should be thankful for what we have and spend more time helping those who have it worse than us . i am 64 and my dad would always sing this to me when i was moaning about whatever i felt deprived of as a teenager

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• CH

  @chrisharris.thesullyhater · 1 year ago

  This was played at my dad’s funeral, my whole family is from east London but my dad was a proper cockney born within the sound of the bow bells.

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• PA

  @papercup2517 · 1 year ago

  I have the lovely memory of shaking the great man's hand, in a small pub somewhere around the back of Leicester Square (Central London).  I'd just tagged along with a musician friend (street busker/ pub band) who said he had to go and see a friend about some business.  When I realised it was Ralph McTell, sitting at the bar in this tiny pub, I was struck dumb and couldn't think of a word to say as out mutual friend introduced us!  For some strange reason (because I was never in the music business, or a groupie) I've met or had close encounters with a lot of rock/music stars, from Bowie to Moonie to Mercury, but meeting Ralph McTell was the one that stayed in my heart like a warm glow.  He just seemed like a lovely man.  <3

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• JI

  @jimmorrish6771 · 6 months ago

  this song was like the irish national anthem when i was a kid , ireland was so poor that tons of people left here to go to london  Some did very well, but some fell into drugs/alcoholism/poverty and died on the streets including some i knew, i still cry every time i hear it

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