1952 Vincent Black Lightning is one of my favourite songs. If I could learn to play that before I die, I’ll die a happy man.
I’m just popping in to say that I have 10 row tickets for RT on Friday.
I know it’s the obvious choice, but “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” still makes my jaw drop.
I have a friend who is a really good guitar player and songwriter and he started playing guitar because of Richard Thompson. He saw Thompson play live and went and bought a guitar the next day.
I plant me a green willow tree. on the dulcimer, no less.
I first came to him via “who knows where the time goes?”. I know that is Sandy Denny’s song but still, he treats it so beautifully and gently.
He is a true great, particularly for knowing that sometimes (mostly) less is more. He saves the fancy stuff for when it is truly necessary (1952 Vincent Black Lightning)
I own Rumor and Sigh and the new one, Still. I wasn’t super impressed by his early work with Linda, but I didn’t hate it. So far I think R&S has the best songs (I really dig “Read About Love”), and Still has the best guitar work, but of course, those are the only two albums I’m familiar with.
So give me suggestions for which RT album or albums I should buy or listen to next.
I like “House of Cards,” from First Light (1978).
My favorite is Withered and Died, with either Richard singing, or Linda. Or Kate Rusby.
Withered and Died - Kate Rusby - YouTube (Kate Rusby)
I really dislike Beeswing for some unfathomable reason.
Solo or with a band? I’ve mostly seen him solo but the one time with a band was awesome.
Hand of Kindness
I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight - with Linda, a classic.
I like Amnesia since that was the album he was touring for when we saw him first, and the first we bought.
I think Richard jokes about Henry the Human Fly being the lowest selling album in the catalog. It’s not that bad but …
We even rented Sweet Talker, the movie he did the soundtrack for. Not your top choice either.
There are some bootlegs of concerts floating around if you go to the right places, but these three are a good start.
I’ve seen both too. This show is solo first set, band second set.
IMHO, 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, Wall Of Death, and Tear Stained Letter are perfect songs, and will admit getting a bit verklempt everytime I hear them, marveling at their perfection. Really, anyone who doesn’t get choked up a bit listening to 1952 VBL might not have a soul; maybe 500 years from now, it’ll be one of those tunes listed as “Traditional”.
That being said, some other of my favorites that haven’t been mentioned:
Jet Plane In A Rocking Chair
Down Where The Drunkards Roll
Time To Ring Some Changes
Valerie
No Peace No End
I also want to put in a word for “Hope You Like the New Me.”
Your post prompted me to check the Tour Dates section of Thompson’s website and now I’m going to see Richard Thompson in Santa Fe on Nov. 20! Thanks a bunch; I’ve seen him do a solo acoustic show but never electric. Can’t wait.
Oh yeah, favorite song- Shoot Out The Lights or Cooksferry Queen- or Hots for the Smarts or 1952 Vincent Black Lightning or any of the other nominees.
A good start would be Watching the Dark, a three-album career retrospective. It includes a Fairport Convention song, some with Linda. About a third of it is live recordings. That should point you in the directions you might be interested in.
Otherwise, you could go with Mock Tudor or The Old Kit Bag.
Frank stole my post! Those are exactly the albums I was going to suggest.
Also “Shoot Out The Lights” if it hasn’t already been suggested.
You are in for a treat. The electric band is a trio. RT, bass and drums. The drummer was particularly good.
Acoustic: “1952 Vincent Black Lightning“
Electric: “Shoot Out The Lights“
I came to listen to Richard Thomson quite late in my life, but both those songs let my jaw drop on first listen. They still blow my mind each time. “Beeswing“ is almost as good, especially lyrically.
A friend of mine posted this on Facebook today:
Tommy is my friend that I mentioned in post #24.