Richard Thompson - The Great Valerio Lyrics






High up above the crowd
The great Valerio is walking
The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
And time stands still while he is walking
His eye is steady on the target
His foot is sure upon the rope
Alone and peaceful as a mountain
And certain as the mountain slope

We falter at the sight
We stumble in the mire
Fools who think they see the light
Prepare to balance on the wire
But we learn to watch together
And feed on what we see above
Until our heart turn like the seasons
And we are acrobats of love
How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio

Come all you upstart jugglers
Are you really ready yet?
Who will help the tightrope walker
When he tumbles to the net?
So come with me to see Valerio
As he dances through the air
I'm your friend until you use me
And then be sure I won't be there

How we wonder, how we wonder
Watching far below
We would all be that great hero
The great Valerio





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Richard Thompson The Great Valerio Comments
  1. d.... d....

    I'm asoming, this is about using someone, instead of being there friend!

  2. J.... B....

    High up above the crowd
    The great Valerio is walking
    The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
    And time stands still while he is walking
    His eye is steady on the target
    His foot is sure upon the rope
    Alone and peaceful as a mountain
    And certain as the mountain slope
    We falter at the sight
    We stumble in the mire
    Fools who think they see the light
    Prepare to balance on the wire
    But we learn to watch together,
    And feed on what we see above
    'Til our hearts turn like the seasons
    And we are acrobats of love
    How we wonder, how we wonder
    Watching far below
    We would all be that great hero
    The great Valerio
    Come all you upstart jugglers
    Are you…

  3. v.... ....

    My name is Valerio, i didn't know that there was a song with that name. Also very beautiful

  4. T.... K....

    the gloves really come off toward the end with that line, "I'm your friend until you use me ... "

  5. B.... C....

    High up above the crowd
    The great Valerio is walking
    The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud
    And time stands still while he is walking
    His eye is steady on the target
    His foot is sure upon the rope
    Alone and peaceful as a mountain
    And certain as the mountain slope

    We falter at the sight
    We stumble in the mire
    Fools who think they see the light
    Prepare to balance on the wire
    But we learn to watch together
    And feed on what we see above
    Until our heart turn like the seasons
    And we are acrobats of love
    How we wonder, how we wonder
    Watching far below
    We would all be that great hero
    The great Valerio

    Come all you upstart jugglers
    Are you really ready yet?
    Who will help the tightrope walker
    When he tumbles to the net?
    So come with me to see Valerio
    As he dances through the air
    I'm your friend until you use me
    And then be sure I won't be there

    How we wonder, how we wonder
    Watching far below
    We would all be that great hero
    The great Valerio

  6. M.... M....

    Need a sober doom cover of this. Thinking Blood Ceremony or Windhand

    M.... M....

    Yes, by Windhand.

  7. A.... V....

    Not often you have a song with your last name...lol

    A.... V....

    First for me

  8. R.... D....

    I'd forgotten how dreary folk music is. I'm going back to the 21st C

    R.... D....

    Richard Du Plessis - not everyone can handle the darkness !!!

    R.... D....

    Richard Du Plessis please let us know what you find when you get there.

  9. M.... H....

    One of the darkest, deepest songs of the last 50 years. Thompson's choice of "La Balançoire" by Erik Satie as the coda is a stroke of brilliance. Linda Thompson's singing on this is spectacular. This is as close to a perfect song as you'll ever hear, and so full of mystery. Who is Valerio? He's more than a tightrope walker, I'll guarantee that.

  10. P.... W....

    This may be my favorite album closer of all time. After a record full of spark and illusion (and disilusionment), the Thompsons join us in the crowd, all in the dark together. focussing our attention to that glaring follow-spot. The ending is abrupt. Don't we all wish we had just a little more time?

  11. C.... ....

    That's absolutely stunning how this song, its mood and how the singer sings, how all that atmosphere fits Amber Asylum ambience. I never knew it was a cover until today, that's nice to know.

    C.... ....

    +Gentle Cat And maybe I would even say that this track could be one of the things that inspired them to craft their style, among other inspirations, because there is many elements in this song that you can feel throughout Amber Asylum's albums.

  12. s.... ....

    love this song

  13. D.... B....

    Her timing is pure genius.

  14. a.... ....

    Hardest song I've ever learned to play on guitar.

  15. j.... f....

    Haunting to say the least...almost a Marianne Faithfull scraqtch to Linda's voice and none of the charts I've seen come anywhere close to the real chord structure...and a classical guitar....it will never cease to mezmerize my skinny white ass. ,

    ,,wonder if Richard was tryin to be a Rolling Stone (BIRDS) when this one came out...?
    Guess the Nick Drake cat wasn't getting stable around him in the control room...but hey I tryta recall certain grey days back then/when. Glad they are behind.

  16. A.... ....

    And the only reason for why he didn't work on Pink Moon, is because the only musicians appearing on that is Drake himself

  17. D.... S....

    This is fabulous. Linda Thompson has the most wonderful voice. Don't need to comment about Richard Thompson - everyone knows he is a genius.

  18. F.... ....

    Fantastic vocals from Linda

  19. m.... b....

    dark folk. amazing atmosphere

  20. n.... ....

    @marvy1118 you may be recognizing the instrumental coda, which is Satie ("The Swing" from the Sports et Divertissements).

  21. l.... ....

    @eruption257 Yes but I've never liked Nick Drake's music!

  22. e.... ....

    @lyonslaforet You do know Richard Thompson worked on Nick Drake's first two albums, right?

  23. m.... ....

    Reminds me of Erik Satie. Very darkly beautiful. It should be used in a movie. Incredibly atmospheric.

    m.... ....

    marvy1118: Satie is a favorite of mine, he is great at setting a mood. I'm sure you recognize his "La Balancoire" at the end.

  24. l.... ....

    @Eterney Because both albums are generally regarded as landmark albums in English folk music.

  25. J.... T....

    @lyonslaforet
    I don't even see why you're comparing

  26. l.... ....

    I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974) is one of the best folk albums ever recorded! It's much superior to Nick Drake's stuff!

    l.... ....

    I don't see why, both are brilliant in their own right. However, I can't argue that this track (The Great Valerio) has some incredibly tense mistery about it that is simply not there in Nick's songwriting. It's almost unbearably sinister and beautiful at the same time and Linda's vocals are flawlessly haunting. 10/10

    l.... ....

    Fuck off

  27. m.... b....

    wow ! i waited for someone to upload this song
    thanks.