Streets of LondonRalph McTell

Have you seen the old man in the closed-down market
Kicking up the paper with his worn out shoes?
In his eyes you see no pride
Hand held loosely at his side
Yesterday's paper telling yesterday's news

*So how can you tell me you're lonely
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something to make you change your mind

Have you seen the old girl who walks the streets of London
Dirt in her hair and her clothes in rags
She's no time for talking
She just keeps right on walking
Carrying her home in two carrier bags (*)

In the all night cafe at a quarter past eleven
Same old man is sitting there on his own
Looking at the world over the rim of his tea-cup
Each tea lasts an hour
Then he wanders home alone (*)

Have you seen the old man outside the Seaman's Mission
Memory fading with the medal ribbons that he wears
In our winter city, the rain cries a little pity
For one more forgotten hero
And a world that doesn't care

伦敦的街道雷夫麦泰尔

你可曾看过那个在已收摊的市场里的老人
用他磨破的鞋子踢着报纸
在他的眼里你看不到尊严
手无力的垂在两旁
昨日的报纸述说着昨日的新闻

所以，你怎能还告诉我说你很孤独
说阳光不再为你照耀？
让我牵着你的手，带你穿越过伦敦的街道
我要让你看一些事情，改变你的想法

你可曾看过那个走过伦敦街头的老太太
她的发上沾满泥沙，衣服破烂不堪
她没有时间聊天
只是不停的走着
用两只购物袋携带着她的家

十一点十五分，在一家通宵营业的咖啡馆
同一个老人孤独的坐着
他越过杯缘，注视着这个世界
每杯茶都喝上一个钟头
然后，独自乱晃走回家去

你可曾看过在海军士兵之家外面的那个老人
回忆随着他披在身上的勋章彩带逐渐褪色
在我们的冬日城市里，雨水哭喊着一丝怜悯
为又一个被遗忘的英雄
还有一个漠不关心的世界

" Streets of London 伦敦街道  "是雷夫麦泰尔写曲生涯中的第三首作品，却未收录在他的首张专辑里，后来因为制作人的坚持，才收录在第二张专辑「Spiral Staircase」中。这首歌的原始版本只有木吉他伴奏，1974 年，美国主流厂牌华纳集团和他签约，请他重新灌录此曲，推出后在世界各地大受欢迎，在他的家乡英国爬升到亚军的位置，在德国曾有四个版本同时在排行榜上，其中三个版本是雷夫麦泰尔自己的演唱，另一个是德国歌手的翻唱。这首歌至今被翻唱的版本已超过两百个，包括摇滚大老 Bruce Springsteen 和灵魂夫人 Aretha Franklin等。