The Streets of London
Wandering Souls in Urban Tales
Lyrics
Have you seen the old man
Observation of an elderly man
In the closed-down market
Location description of a closed-down market
Kicking up the paper
Describing the man kicking up discarded newspapers
With his worn out shoes?
Highlighting the worn-out condition of the man's shoes
In his eyes you see no pride
Expression of no pride in the man's eyes
Hands held loosely by his side
Hands hanging loosely by his side
Yesterday's paper telling yesterday's news
Reference to yesterday's news in yesterday's paper
So how can you tell me you're lonely
Rhetorical question challenging the listener's claim of loneliness
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Questioning the validity of claiming the absence of sunshine
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London
Offer to guide and show something to change the listener's perspective
I'll show you something to make you change your mind
Promising a revelation through a tour of the streets of London
Have you seen the old girl
Introduction of an old woman in London
Who walks the streets of London
Description of her appearance with dirt in her hair and ragged clothes
Dirt in her hair and her clothes in rags
Continuation of the description of the woman
She's no time for talking
Indication that she has no time for talking
She just keeps right on walking
Emphasis on her continuous walking with her belongings
Carrying her home in two carrier bags
Specifics about carrying her home in two carrier bags
So how can you tell me you're lonely
Rhetorical question similar to line 9
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Reiteration of questioning the absence of sunshine
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London
Repeated offer to guide and change the listener's perspective
I'll show you something to make you change your mind
Reiteration of promising a revelation through the streets of London
In the all night cafe
Introduction of an all-night cafe
At a quarter past eleven
Specific time reference at a quarter past eleven
Same old man, sitting there on his own
Reintroduction of the old man, now in a cafe alone
Looking at the world
His contemplation while looking at the world
Over the rim of his tea-cup
Observation over the rim of his tea-cup
Each tea lasts an hour
Emphasis on the duration of each tea
Then he wanders home alone
His solitary return home after spending time in the cafe
So how can you tell me you're lonely
Reiteration of the rhetorical question about loneliness
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Reiteration of questioning the absence of sunshine
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London
Repeated offer to guide and change the listener's perspective
I'll show you something to make you change your mind
Reiteration of promising a revelation through the streets of London
How can you tell me you're lonely
Repetition of the rhetorical question about loneliness
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Repetition of questioning the absence of sunshine
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London
Final offer to guide and change the listener's perspective
I'll show you something to make you change your mind
Final promise of revealing something to change the listener's mind
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