Thompson, Richard - The Dark End Of The Street Lyrics

How did their love not withstand the test of time?

To have this and Gram Parsons is too much. And they're both just cover versions!

First heard this on Linda Ronstadt album Heart like A Wheel, R&L Thompson always do a good deal on this sort of song, I particularly enjoy the harmony

state of decay 2 😀

#stateofdecay2

At the dark end of the street
That's where we'd always meet
Hiding in shadows where we don't belong
Living in darkness to hide our wrong
You and me, at the dark end of the street
You and me
I know that time's gonna take it's toll
We've got to give back all the love that we stole
It's a sin and we know it's wrong
Oh but our love keeps coming on strong
Steal away, to the dark end of the street


They're going to find us
They're going to find us
They're going to find us
Oh someday
You and me, at the dark end of the street
You and me


And if by chance we walk downtown
If you should see me just walk on by
Oh darling, please don't cry
Tonight we'll meet, at the dark end of the street

!!!!

it keeps me moving, this song, the 'religious' aspect, i don't know too much of - i think it's a bit like astral weeks by van morrison. there is no real 'end' to it. a true love song has a beginning, but no end. like in reality...

good. but prefer Ry Cooder

I do too, somewhat. And I prefer Diamanda Galás's version, and James Carr's original even more than Ry's.

Just beautiful and moving to the heart ❤️💕💕

beautiful, thank you for posting

In my opinion, the best version of this song: its sadness is perfectly expressed by the moving Richard acoustic guitar

+Mario Fiorentini an acoustic guitar, unamplified, close to the mic. It was the seventies, those were the days, I tell ya.

gord, You are right, never more times like those and music like this!

+Mario Fiorentini We loved the music then, but didn't realize how great it was until it went away

@Mark Kelly Well said, Mark 

still think Flying Burritos Brothers is the one to bring on a desert island

I love the Island years. "The sum is often greater. . ."

The guitar on this song is sublime.

I think Gram Parsons and Ry Cooder do the best.

Nah, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham is the definitive duet.

Valentina Sacco , although I haven't heard Gram Parsons version, the live version of Dark End of the Street on Ry Cooder's Showtime album is wonderful. with terrific soulful vocals from Bobby King and Terry Evans, and a lovely Bittersweet slide guitar solo.

Gram Parsons!

So perfect - their voices, blending as one. Just one of the greatest, if not THE, greatest version of this killer song. ...I miss them together - only Allison Krause and Robert Plant come close.

I see this as an Irish song two people one catholic one protestant meet in the dark for their love to blossom.......I dont see here a terst against marriage...."ther'yr going to find us"

It does not say he is going to find us or she is going to find us.......
For what its worth....food for thought

I agree, for me this is a revolutionary song Romeo and Juliet style. now whether that means, catholic and protestant, or black and white, or gay and straight, or polyamory and monocentrist is what makes it so powerful. This song is for everyone. But to be honest, it's even more than that for me. I hear the terrorism of people being told what it's okay to love, I hear the control and oppression of powers that be (religion, family, police, military, friends), every type of social control, telling people they're wrong, and i hear honest loving people, who were raised to believe that society is correct in judging them (because they love their parents, their religion, and their country and want to believe them, even if it means hating themselves), finding through their own experiences of love, that society (and it's controlling limitations claiming to love, but actually destroying) is wrong, and that love is correct, not control. The line 'It's a sin and we know it's wrong' doesn't necessarily speak of religion, but of various forms of social control and expectations, and i think that's why so many people have covered it. When i hear this song, i don't generally think of affairs, I think of it all. I imagine every person struggling with the creative power of love in our hearts, versus the destructive power of control from the world, and it makes me smile for the revolutionary nature of our beautiful lives, and how much more important what we feel is than what we are told.

Kathleen - I don't know if you've heard the version by Christy Moore, when he was part of Moving Hearts. It would have fitted your suggestion, perhaps. Otherwise, it is the standard cheating song, like "Walk On By (Wait On The Corner)"....

Edward Davis, excellent comments ! and for what it's worth, I actually see and hear Thompson's song Dimming of the Day as kind of his own variant version of Dark End of the Street.

Think its more likely cheating Song or RACISM segragation if you think the originaalia of the Song.who cares imagination Power of music... ry cooders version Is amazing. its on youtube

Is everyone who posts a comment on here insane, or is it me?

Roland Hawken

Guilty for causing suicides? My local radio station told me for the Lincoln Police I've caused countless suicides. They said my name and told they can tell I was listening.

Frightsky: I hear ya.

Oh my god.

This is really nice. My heart aches about the passage. How is that possible? How can this be so? Something in me sees something else, and it feels like utter loss, but it looks like something just as beautiful, a loss, a sad, sad thing that I desperately want to touch and yet feel very very alone from that. Oh my dear, this endless failing, just know how I love what you did . . . and will not, will not, forget that.

Only 14000 some hits. No wonder the Mayans are trying to get rid of us.

just love this song ,and a beautiful simple rendition.

This was on Live More or Less.

Yes! I had that LP. Great stuff!

Oh Gawd, I was there too, wasn't that the gig where they dragged Sandy on stage to do "When will I Be Loved" with Linda? It all gets a bit hazy after 37 years.....

Ry Cooder still does it best!

Ray cooder

Where did this come from? Great version.

Whoa.

My favourite version of this much covered song. Only a man wracked with as much guilt as Richard Thompson (surely folk music's George Orwell - for both guilt AND talent!) can do justice to this tale of illicit desire, and Linda, as always, sings it so well!

@mthivier it was on the re-issue of pour down like silver

they should have put this song on one of their albums. They do a great job with it!