Streets of London (song): Difference between revisions
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'''"Streets of London"''' is a song by [[Ralph McTell]], who first recorded it for his 1969 album ''[[Spiral Staircase (Ralph McTell album)|Spiral Staircase]].'' It was not released in the United Kingdom as a single until 1974. The song has been covered by over 200 artists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ralphmctell.co.uk/features/spiral-staircase/ |title=Spiral Staircase |work=Ralphmctell.co.uk|accessdate=22 August 2016}}</ref> The song was re-released, on 4 December 2017, featuring McTell with [[Annie Lennox]] as a [[charity single]] for [[Crisis (charity)|CRISIS, the Homelessness Charity]]. Roger Whittaker also recorded a well received version in 1971. |
'''"Streets of London"''' is a song by [[Ralph McTell]], who first recorded it for his 1969 album ''[[Spiral Staircase (Ralph McTell album)|Spiral Staircase]].'' It was not released in the United Kingdom as a single until 1974. The song has been covered by over 200 artists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ralphmctell.co.uk/features/spiral-staircase/ |title=Spiral Staircase |work=Ralphmctell.co.uk|accessdate=22 August 2016}}</ref> The song was re-released, on 4 December 2017, featuring McTell with [[Annie Lennox]] as a [[charity single]] for [[Crisis (charity)|CRISIS, the Homelessness Charity]]. [[Roger Whittaker]] also recorded a well received version in 1971. |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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Revision as of 20:14, 17 September 2019
| "Streets of London" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Ralph McTell | |
| from the album Spiral Staircase | |
| Released | 1969 Spiral Staircase 1970 Revisited 1971 You Well-Meaning Brought Me Here (US release) 1974 UK single 1975 Streets... 2017 CD single |
| Recorded | 1968, 1970, 1971, 1974, 2017 |
| Songwriter(s) | Ralph McTell |
"Streets of London" is a song by Ralph McTell, who first recorded it for his 1969 album Spiral Staircase. It was not released in the United Kingdom as a single until 1974. The song has been covered by over 200 artists.[1] The song was re-released, on 4 December 2017, featuring McTell with Annie Lennox as a charity single for CRISIS, the Homelessness Charity. Roger Whittaker also recorded a well received version in 1971.
Background
The song was inspired by McTell's experiences busking and hitchhiking throughout Europe, especially in Paris and the individual stories are taken from Parisians. McTell was originally going to call the song "Streets of Paris"[2]—eventually London was chosen, because he realised he was singing about London;[3] also, there was another song called "The Poor People of Paris".[4] McTell's song contrasts the common problems of everyday people with those of the homeless, lonely, elderly, ignored and forgotten members of society. In an interview on Radio 5 with Danny Baker on 16 July 2016, McTell said that the market he referred to in the song was Surrey Street Market in Croydon.
Composition
McTell left the song off his debut album, Eight Frames a Second, since he regarded it as too depressing, and did not record it until persuaded by his producer, Gus Dudgeon, for his second album in 1969. A re-recorded version charted in the Netherlands in April 1972, notching up to No. 9 the next month.[5] McTell re-recorded it for the UK single release in 1974. McTell played the song in a fingerpicking style with an AABA chord progression.[6]
It is often remarked upon that the composition (along with many others) echoes certain musical patterns found in Pachelbel's Canon.[7]
It also bears some resemblance to Dvorak Romantic Pieces Op75, B150:1 Allegro Moderato (which in turn echoes certain musical patterns found in Pachelbel's Canon).[citation needed]
Commercial performance
The song was McTell's greatest commercial success, reaching No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart, at one point selling 90,000 copies a day[8] and winning him the 1974 Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically and a Silver disc for record sales.[9] This was kept out of the high position, by a combination of "Lonely This Christmas" of Mud, and "Down Down" of Status Quo, for two weeks.
2017 Crisis single
In 2017, Ralph McTell re-recorded the song with Annie Lennox and clients of UK national charity Crisis, a charity for single homeless people. This was to mark the 50th anniversary of both the song and the charity.[10] The CD Single of this release was Number 1 in the Christmas 2017 Official Physical Singles Chart (for CD sales).[11]
References
- ^ "Spiral Staircase". Ralphmctell.co.uk. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
- ^ Ralph McTell: Streets of London. YouTube. 18 June 2009.
- ^ McCormick, Neil. "The rock star and the prime minister". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
- ^ "Ralph McTell Streets of London". YouTube. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
(interview with the artist)
- ^ "Streets of London holding on to the #9 slot for the 2nd and last week on Veronica Top 40". Radio538.nl. 20 May 1972. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Raven, Michael (1 April 2006). English Folk Guitar. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-906114-74-2.
- ^ "Canon in the 1990s: From Spiritualized to Coolio, Regurgitating Pachelbel's Canon". Drownedinsound.com. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ^ "Sold on Song: Streets of London". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2009.
- ^ "Certified Awards Search: Streets of London". Bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
- ^ "Streets of London". Crisis.org.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
- ^ "Official Physical Singles Chart". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 6 December 2018.