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Have you seen the old man,
In the closed down market,
Picking up the papers,
With his worn out shoes,
In his eyes you see no pride,
And hanging loosely at his side,
Yesterdays paper,
Telling yesterdays news,
So how can you tell me you're lonely,
And say for you that the sun don't shine,
Well 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,
And have you seen the old dear,
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,
Well 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,
And in the all night cafe,
At a quarter past eleven,
Same old man,
Sitting there on his own,
Looking at the world over the rim of his teacup
And 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,
Well 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,
And have you seen the old man,
Outside the seaman's mission,
Memory fading with the medal ribbons that he wears,
And in the winter city,
The rain cries a little pity,
One more forgotten hero,
And a World that doesn't care,
So how can you tell me that you're lonely,
And say for you that the sun don't shine,
Well 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 closed down market,
Picking up the papers,
With his worn out shoes,
In his eyes you see no pride,
And hanging loosely at his side,
Yesterdays paper,
Telling yesterdays news,
So how can you tell me you're lonely,
And say for you that the sun don't shine,
Well 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,
And have you seen the old dear,
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,
Well 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,
And in the all night cafe,
At a quarter past eleven,
Same old man,
Sitting there on his own,
Looking at the world over the rim of his teacup
And 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,
Well 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,
And have you seen the old man,
Outside the seaman's mission,
Memory fading with the medal ribbons that he wears,
And in the winter city,
The rain cries a little pity,
One more forgotten hero,
And a World that doesn't care,
So how can you tell me that you're lonely,
And say for you that the sun don't shine,
Well 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.
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And have you seen the old man - An aged man.
Outside the seaman's mission - He's by the water or the port
His memory is fading, - He's old
With those metal ribbons he wears (its METAL ribbons , not medal) - Wait... he's by the port and seaman's mission, and has fading metal ribbons? Seems as if he was a sea captain at one point! You can tell he was of high stature, because the lyrics say RIBBONS, not RIBBON (meaning he had more than one). And in the navy, aren't ribbons awards? Could he have been famous?
And in our winter city, - Filler text, just to give a more gloomy atmosphere
the rain cries a little pity - Symbolizes that people feel pity to this man (or if people don't then the rain does!)
For one more forgotten hero - FORGOTTEN HERO!?!? I think that cemented the fact that he was at one point a navy captain or something like that! He was a hero, someone who changed lives and maybe even fought in wars! But he was forgotten??? Well, maybe the last line will help us.
And a world that doesn't care - Ahhh... see? Even though he did so much, everyone just took him for granted and doesn't care about him anymore, he's just another old man, homeless, and forgotten.
I hope you understood what I wrote here!
.It,s neck-and neck with peter sarstedt,s where do you go to my lovely for worst song of all time. Only one thing in life worse than being homeless and that,s having to listen to this trite bilge!
love and laughter harmonee
i doubt it would be aimed at a poor or struggling person, as it would illustrate that their lives are hopeless.
just my ten cents, but it makes sense