McTELL, Ralphの最近のブログ記事

TITLE: The Streets Of London　（ザ・ストリーツ・オブ・ロンドン）
AUTHOR: Ralph McTell　（ラルフ・マクテル）
PERFORMER: Ralph McTell　（ラルフ・マクテル）

ロンドンの街並み、といったら何をイメージするでしょうか。私はロンドンはおろか、日本から一歩も外へ出たことがないので、映画やテレビ、雑誌などでしか味わうことができません。間接的に体験できたロンドンは現代的で華やかな大都会です。

ラルフ・マクテル(Ralph McTell)が描くロンドンは、蓋をしていないロンドンです。目で旅行するよりも耳で旅行したほうが得するかも、なんて負け惜しみをほざいております。

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
And 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
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

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
Show you something
To make you change your mind

In the all night café
At a quarter past eleven
Same old man
Sitting there on his own
Looking at the world
Over the rim of his tea-cup
Each tea last an hour
Then he wanders home alone

So how can you tell me you're lonely
Don't say for you that the sun don't shine
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
Show you something
To make you change your mind

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

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
Show you something
To make you change your mind