Streets of London (song): Difference between revisions
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==Commercial performance== |
==Commercial performance== |
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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<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/streetsoflondon.shtml |title=Sold on Song: Streets of London |website=BBC |accessdate=16 February 2009}}</ref> and winning him the 1974 [[Ivor Novello Award]] for Best Song Musically and Lyrically and a [[List of music recording sales certifications|Silver disc]] for record sales.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx |title=Certified Awards Search: Streets of London |website=Bpi.co.uk |accessdate=22 September 2009}}</ref> This was kept out of the high position, by a combination of "[[Lonely This Christmas]]" of [[Mud (band)|Mud]], and "[[Down Down]]" of [[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]], for two weeks. |
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<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/streetsoflondon.shtml |title=Sold on Song: Streets of London |website=BBC |accessdate=16 February 2009}}</ref> and winning him the 1974 [[Ivor Novello Award]] for Best Song Musically and Lyrically and a [[List of music recording sales certifications|Silver disc]] for record sales.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/certified-awards.aspx |title=Certified Awards Search: Streets of London |website=Bpi.co.uk |accessdate=22 September 2009}}</ref> This was kept out of the high position, by a combination of "[[Lonely This Christmas]]" of [[Mud (band)|Mud]], and "[[Down Down]]" of [[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]], for two weeks. |
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==Roger Whittaker version== |
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In 1971, [[Roger Whittaker]] released his version making the song gain great popularity internationally. It appeared in his album ''New World in the Morning''. The single "Streets of London" had as its B-side his own song "Why". |
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==2017 Crisis single== |
==2017 Crisis single== |
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Revision as of 01:52, 26 May 2020
| "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
Background
The song was inspired by McTell's experiences
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.[citation needed]
Composition
McTell left the song off his debut album,
Similarities of the composition have been noted (along with many others) with certain patterns found in Pachelbel's Canon.[7]
It also bears some resemblance to the first of
Commercial performance
The song was McTell's greatest commercial success, reaching No. 2 in the
Roger Whittaker version
In 1971, Roger Whittaker released his version making the song gain great popularity internationally. It appeared in his album New World in the Morning. The single "Streets of London" had as its B-side his own song "Why".
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]
In March 2020, Ralph McTell agreed to write another verse to the song, inspired by the Coronavirus pandemic gripping the world at the time. The new verse is as follows:
In shop doorways, under bridges, in all our towns and cities
You can glimpse the makeshift bedding from the corner of your eye
Remember what you're seeing barely hides a human being
We're all in this together, brother, sister, you and I.[12]
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 No. 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.
- 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. 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.
- ^ Keane, Fergal (26 March 2020). "Ralph McTell gives hit song a coronavirus update". BBC News.