‘Bulo’s Saturday Music for the Masses-Richard Thompson Edition
If there is a greater singer/songwriter/guitarist currently performing, the Beast Who Slumbers hasn’t heard them. In fact, El Somnambulo considers Richard Thompson to be the best guitar player he’s ever heard live. Yet, RT remains a relatively well-kept secret. Not to WXPN listeners, who named his “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” the #1 all-time quintessential ‘XPN song in the 2008 WXPN Countdown.
But Thompson, who started his career with the seminal British folk-rock band Fairport Convention, then recorded a series of wonderful albums with then-wife Linda Thompson, and has perhaps surpassed this work during his subsequent solo career, remains atop the list of what Robert Christgau calls ’semi-popular’ musicians. His audience is fiercely loyal, and El Somnambulo is among that audience. ‘Bulo strongly encourages you to sample a song or two. You might just realize what you’ve been missing:
“I’ll always be a man who’s open to…persuasion”
‘Persuasion’ (w/Teddy Thompson)- “Action-Packed: The Capitol Years”
“Oh, she was a rare thing, fine as a bee’s wing, and I miss her more than ever words could say…”
‘Beeswing’- “Mirror Blue”. This one actually brings tears to ‘bulo’s eyes. Just beautiful.
“Well my head was beating like a song by the Clash
It was writing cheques that my body couldn’t cash”
‘Tear Stained Letter’- “Hand of Kindness”
“I thought she was saying ‘good luck’, she was saying ‘goodbye’.”
‘I Misunderstood’- “Rumor and Sigh”
“It’s a secret, but no secret. It’s a rule, but no rule.
Where you find the darkest avenue, there you’ll find the brightest jewel.”
‘Cooksferry Queen’- “Mock Tudor”
“… red hair and black leather, my favorite color scheme.”
CAUTION: Amateur Guitar Pickers-Do not try this at home!
‘1952 Vincent Black Lightning’- “Rumor and Sigh”
Comment by Miscreant on 11 April 2009 at 7:18 am:
Thanks for the RT flashbacks, Bulo. I’ve been listening since his Fairport Convention days with Sandy Denny, another great voice. “Beeswing” always reminds me of my lovely, delicate wife. In my opinion, his “Al Bowlly’s in Heaven” was a powerful anti-war song.
http://richardthompson-music.com/song_o_matic.asp?id=150
Comment by mikeb302000 on 11 April 2009 at 7:46 am:
Thanks for those great videos. I remember Fairport Convention very well and fondly.
Comment by El Somnambulo on 11 April 2009 at 8:05 am:
RT generally pays homage to both Fairport and Sandy during his shows. ‘Bulo’s seen him do “Waltzing’s For Dreamers”, “Down Where the Drunkards Roll”, and even “Tam Lin”.
Though he does some of the songs he performed with Linda Thompson, notably “Wall of Death” and “Shoot Out the Lights”, he doesn’t exactly pay ‘homage’ to her. By the time of their final tour, she was known to read a newspaper on stage while he was talking…
Oh, and Miscreant, thanks for the great link. Here’s another powerful RT anti-war song right back atcha, called ” ‘Dad’s Gonna Kill Me”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDNzhiR_hp8
Pingback by Run, don’t walk, to Delaware Liberal — Down With Absolutes! on 11 April 2009 at 8:08 am:
[...] Beast Who Sleeps has an awesome compendium of Richard Thompson videos on Delaware Liberal today. For those who remember DWA in the good ‘ol days, I used to frequently do a “Song [...]
Comment by TommyWonk on 11 April 2009 at 9:05 am:
Richard Thompson put on a great solo show at the Arden Gild Hall back in 2006.
And speaking of great concerts, the nearly indescribable Horse Flies are playing tonight. For more information:
http://www.ardenclub.com/concerts.htm
Maybe we’ll see you there…
Comment by Donsquishydishimaharishi on 11 April 2009 at 9:21 am:
The Jonas brothers rock it out man. Don’t underestimate them.
Comment by El Somnambulo on 11 April 2009 at 9:26 am:
‘Bulo just may be AT that Horse Flies show tonight. Even though it’s tough dealing with all those tie-dyed granola eaters.
Tommywonk knows who he is, but he ain’t talkin’…if he knows what’s good for him. The Wonkster knows that the Beast Who Slumbers is a Martial Arts Master.
Comment by anon on 11 April 2009 at 9:35 am:
“Liege and Lief” (Fairport Convention) plus a couple of RT solo songs are in the rotation in my car CD player. Check out “Cooksferry Queen” for a blues rock maelstrom.
There is also a quirky live version of RT doing “Oops I Did It Again” and he actually manages to bring some gravitas to it.
Comment by Ron Ozer on 12 April 2009 at 5:35 pm:
I proudly produced the Arden RT show in 2006, I’ll never forget that night. It was so hot, sweat was streaming off his arm and onto his guitar while he played! Some of my favorite songs are from his Linda years including “Wall of Death” “Heart Needs a Home” “Dimming of the Day” For an out of body experience listen to Dimming as done by Blind Boys of Alabama:
http://www.ithou.org/?q=node/2781