Streets of London

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z91n5Vskjg

Let me take a stab at this, though there are some beautiful comments below that are hard to top.

I first heard this song on WNEW-FM during my sophomore year of high school, 1972-3. Though my family life was decent, I did not enjoy social acceptance. That year was the first year I had some. This song reminded me that there were others less fortunate.

That period of my life was particularly meaningful for other reasons. My Dad died of rectal cancer. I met my soon to be stepfather almost immediately thereafter. It was a case of going from great to greater as far as parents, at the stage of my life where the male parent simply mattered more. So the lyric "so how can you tell me you're lonely and say for you that the sun don't shine" really rang true.

One example of this was in October 1972. There was a kid, let's call him "Bobby S." who was intermittently a good playmate and a tormentor. When we came back to school that September he really didn't look or seem good. My parents (my father was still alive) were driving me back from evening adult education at the high school. I said, in the car "Bobby really doesn't look or seem right these days." My father said "I detect a note of concern in your voice." Evidently he was surprised given the very negative history. I said "yes."

That was one of the most meaningful moments of my last days with Dad, and ties into the song lyric quite well.



Chris Reynolds
3 years ago
Many years ago, as a teenager, my mum had died and my father wanted to thrash me, I ran out with just the clothes on my back. I walked miles to the nearest town centre and sat on a bench crying. About 1 in the morning, two police men came over and asked me what I thought I was doing. I told them and said I was never going back, even though I was scared of being outside on my own. Those policemen drove me to a B & B and out of their own pockets paid for me to stay there. One came back next morning with some of his daughters clothes for me.... I got a job and was able to pay for a little bedsit within a couple of weeks. Life was tough - being so young and alone - but when I consider, now as an older woman, what could have happened to me - I thank those kind men with all my heart. So I never judge anyone I see on the streets. I always donate. And always hope that someone will come along and give them a hand into a brighter future.
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Sean Paul
7 years ago
I heard this song in my childhood，the rhythm and melody still fresh to me everytime as now as I was young.
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alexthomsonuk
7 years ago
I sang this at school as a kid as part of our hymns in assembly. I am so grateful they had us sing this, as I searched it now and looked into the meaning. I'm glad my school did this as it was a clever way to communicate with our future selves when we're down in the dumps just to say "hey, you haven't lost it all yet, you're not at that point yet, pick yourself up, be thankful for what you have and get going.." I think we all need to get that message from time to time.
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i love this song ...its so special for me becouse im spanish but when my mom heard me singing this song for english class she was impressed
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ASUS_ROG_NVIDIA
1 year ago
It's my favorite song, and there's no way in the world I'm going to stop hearing it
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wolf gaming 144
6 years ago
Such a sad song makes me think of the fact that not every one has a nice life and that these people need friends and help
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Carl Sixsmith
6 years ago
Next time you see someone sat on their own, maybe offer to have chat with them. I remember my brothers friend - I used to see his mum walk to work every day I went to school and I always smiled and said hello. 20 years later she told me that little bit of kindness I showed her was what helped her get through a very difficult patch in her life. I never knew that a simple smile and hello could have such a profound affect.
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Shannon Slight
7 years ago
This is what my mum sang to me at night it makes me so happy and sad so many memories
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Leong Hoi
2 years ago
This song will always remind me to be happy and contended with i have and to help those less fortunate people whenever possible.