Richard Thompson
Wed, 2004-04-21 17:29
#1
Richard Thompson
Following on from Jude's thread about Ralph McTell's song, 'Streets of London', and for the benefit of those that have not yet discovered the mind-blowing talents of Richard Thompson (can there be anyone?), I nominate this song as being maybe the best anti-war song of the last 30yrs. I know a few of you have heard my favourite rendition (by my friend Dave Burland) as I've sent it to them.
How Will I Ever Be Simple Again.
Oh she danced in the street with the guns all around her
All torn like a rag doll bare foot in the rain
And she sang like a child too ra day too ra daddy
Oh how will I ever be simple again
And she sat by the bank of a dirty grey river
And tried for a fish with a worm on a pin
There was nothing but fever and ghosts in the water
Oh how will I ever be simple again
War was my love and my friend and companion
What did I care for the pity and pain
For her smile was so clear and my heart was so troubled
Oh how will I ever be simple again
In her poor burned out house I sat at her table
The smell of her hair was like corn fields in May
And I wanted to weep and my eyes ached from trying
Oh how will I ever be simple again
So graceful she moved through the dust and the ruin
Happy she was in her dances and games
Oh teach me to see with your innocent eyes love
Oh how will I ever be simple again.
Richard Thompson.
mississippi
So who else watched it last night? I thought it was a fair programme about where he's at now, though they skipped over large parts of his life detail. At the risk of sounding like a well-known name-dropper, I have to say it was weird seeing so many people I know personally in one TV documentary. It was even weirder to see the show that followed, a BBC session with June Tabor, someone I've known and whose career I've followed since she was still a librarian in London, and girlfriend to my now deceased friend, folksinger Tony Rose. She used to go with him to his gigs and do floor-spots.
Yorkshire Blork
Great surname.
mississippi
Spoiled only by some other users.
1legspider
I watched it... A brilliant guitarist no doubt. He seems miles away now from his depressing songs of old. It is funny what a change of perspective can do.
shackleton
Well Mississippi, I've never heard of this guy before and I never saw him on telly either. But........ to this point in the history of my life, I've always thought that a song called 'The Green Fields Of France' by a guy called Eric Bogle was the best ever anti-war song (the Fureys did the best version of it)...... but I'll look up this song that you mention and this artist that you mention. Thanks for the recomendation and I'll get back to you on the song and the artist.
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Rokkitnite
Who else uses the name Thompson, missus? And why do they spoil it?
Surely you don't mean Daley.
Yorkshire Blork
Ahem.
Something tells me he meant...erm...
...Emma.
Yorkshire Blork
Or Anthony Worrall...
mississippi
Look under your nose, Tim
Emma
My name's not Thompson...
*hears everyone groan and say bu**er off'
Rokkitnite
There's only bumfluff there, Missi... not a Thompson in sight.
Flash
What about the Thompson twins in Tintin what were their christian names.
mississippi
Shacky, the Eric Bogle song is actually called 'No Man's Land', it was the Furey's that changed the title, an insignificant detail I accept, but in the interests of accuracy... Eerily strange to me that you mention that particular song because June Tabor did a bloody good job on it on one of her early albums. Another fine anti-war song is 'Freedom Come Ye' written by Hamish Henderson, folklorist and lecturer at the School for Scottish Studies in Edinburgh and recorded by several artists including Scottish revivalist Dick Gaughan. The best version for my money though was recorded by Irishman Luke Kelly (now deceased), the amazingly powerful singer with the original Dubliners.
mississippi
And to think your education is costing a sum equivalent to the GNP of a third world country, Tim.
Andorra
Their names are Thompson and Thomson.
mississippi
'...Waltzing Matilda', is a very descriptive piece, written about the Crimean War of course, in which the Aussies suffered heavy casualties. Although Eric lives in Adelaide, and has done for many years, he is in fact a Scot, hailing from Peebles, where he worked as an accountant before embarking on his professional singer/songwriter career. I've met him several times over the years during my 'folkie' period. He played at my local club one time and I remember asking him if it was ok to tape his performance. He wasn't bothered and I sat in the front row 2 feet from him with my cassette recorder. At the end of the evening, just before he sang his last song he said tp the audience, 'This bloody George here has been sitting in front of me all night with his recorder and hasn't clapped once. Not fucking ONCE!' He then addressed me and said, 'What's the prob? Am I really THAT bad?' 'No', I replied 'If I clap this close to the recorder it spoils the tape. How the hell can I flog a crap tape in the market?' He couldn't help laughing, but forgave me saying, 'Well you can bloody well clap after this one cos there won't be anymore.' I duly obliged.
Hey, anyone wanna cheap tape?
mississippi
correction..... 'Freedom Come All Ye'
mississippi
You can find out here, Shacky,
Rokkitnite
What can I say? I've overindulged a bit during my student career. Is it any wonder I have all the acumen of a geriatric Ozzy Osbourne who has just awoken from a year-long coma?
Flash
excellent stuff.
Jeff Prince
It's a beautiful song. I'm afraid I've never heard Thompson, George, although my musical tastes are quite eclectic. I'm liable to be watching Popworld on T4 one minute and listening to Bob Harris Country the next, though I veer towards pop music. The last CD I bought was J-Lo special edition, mainly for the R Kelly remix.
I heard on the radio tonight that one senator is calling for conscription in the US. That'll go down well with Joe Public.
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Flash
Thomo is a fantastic guitarist i love 'Dimming of the day,' and 'tear stained letter,' and his ex wife has got a bad voice either.
Jeff Prince
Who is she?
mississippi
Well, give or take a month.
Flash
correction********Hasn't got a bad voice********
Linda Thompson.
Emma
I rarely like a woman called Linda.
Jeff Prince
On which radio programme would I be able to sample their music, Flash?
Flash
Radio? What's a radio?
Seriously i haven't got a clue. If that chap who did the TOGWT is still around he might be playing their stuff somewhere.
you'll have to ask Missi.
mississippi
I believe Bob Harris is doing a country radio show these days, on one of the regional stations.
Andorra
I like Abel & Rawls. Beautiful voices, original sound and strange, fascinating lyrics.
Category: Rock, Pop, College/Indie/Lo-Fi, Progressive Rock.
Ward Abel writes the lyrics (wonderful poet, too).
Clips of their music are on the internet - including 'Oh, Calais!' but they
don't know Linda Thompson.
Ralph
Richard Thompson is tops!