Streets of London Ralph McTell
Have you seen the old man
In the closed down market
Kicking up the papers 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
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.
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.
In the all night cafe at a quarter past eleven
The same old man sitting there on his own
Looking at the world over the rim of his teacup
Each tea lasts an hour, and he wanders home alone.
So how can you tell me that 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 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
I'll show you something
To make you change your mind.
Matching exercise sent in by Ishbel Saxton, Manchester, UK
As you listen to the song, put a tick in the box under the person in the song who fits the description in each box on the left.
| the old man in the closed down market | the man in the all night cafe | the old girl | the old man outside the seaman's mission | none of the people in the song | |
| walks the streets of London | |||||
| has worn out shoes | |||||
| drinks coffee alone | |||||
| no pride in his eyes | |||||
| clothes in rags | |||||
| memory fading with his medal ribbons | |||||
| wanders home alone |
