This might be the best musical thing I've ever seen on YouTube. My favorite song of one of my all-time favorite guitarists, and a spectacular performance of it.
Richard Thompson
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millponddave
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That was so cool. Thanks for sharing
Dave
Dave
What a fantastic performance. Took me right back to the Cambridge Festival! If ever a song deserved a lesson................
This clip appears to be from the excellent BBC series Songwriter's Circle (probably copied from and /or by other countries?) in which 3 established songwriters share a stage, usually with just an acoustic guitar, and perform some of their best known songs. Suzanne Vega and Loudon Wainwright can be seen on stage with RT. A recent show had Neil Finn, Janis Ian and Ryan Adams and before that Donovan, Buffy Saint Marie and Roger Cook. Well worth checking out if you get the chance.
Stuart
This clip appears to be from the excellent BBC series Songwriter's Circle (probably copied from and /or by other countries?) in which 3 established songwriters share a stage, usually with just an acoustic guitar, and perform some of their best known songs. Suzanne Vega and Loudon Wainwright can be seen on stage with RT. A recent show had Neil Finn, Janis Ian and Ryan Adams and before that Donovan, Buffy Saint Marie and Roger Cook. Well worth checking out if you get the chance.
Stuart
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neverfoundthetime
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Thanks Walt, that was brill.
I caught the show with Donovan, Buffy and Roger Cook, cool show.
I caught the show with Donovan, Buffy and Roger Cook, cool show.
Thanks Walt, that was a great show with Suzanne Vega and Louden Wainwright. What a roller-coaster of a career RT has had I first remember seeing him with Fairport Convention in Edinburgh Scotland many moons ago. One of my favourite Fairport songs was written by him 'Meet On The Ledge' with Sandy Denny on vocals. Listen to RT's guitar in this
As brilliant as Thompson' performance is, the best thing about the video might be Loudon Wainwright's argyle socks, so prominently featured.
My favorite thing about 1952 VBL might be its arrangement. It follows a very regular pattern, and then in the climactic verse, he adds a line where you don't expect it, leading into that single set of pounding chords after all that busy, lilting fingerpicking as he hails the swooping angels on ariels. Where in the studio version, he stays basically even on the "home" in "to carry me home," here, he reaches for the clouds with it, giving it the soaring feeling it deserves. It's dramatic in the studio; here, it's downright thrilling. But I think it's partly so by comparison to the studio version, so I'm glad he did it both ways.
My favorite thing about 1952 VBL might be its arrangement. It follows a very regular pattern, and then in the climactic verse, he adds a line where you don't expect it, leading into that single set of pounding chords after all that busy, lilting fingerpicking as he hails the swooping angels on ariels. Where in the studio version, he stays basically even on the "home" in "to carry me home," here, he reaches for the clouds with it, giving it the soaring feeling it deserves. It's dramatic in the studio; here, it's downright thrilling. But I think it's partly so by comparison to the studio version, so I'm glad he did it both ways.
UncleWalt, yeah, like others have said...thanks for putting this up. GREAT SONG!
I am still in mourning that I didn't get to see him at the big Ellnora GuitarFest here in Champaign, Il a few months ago.
Thompson is amazing!! He might be one of the best of all-time!
As far as covers of the tune go...nobody does it quite like Mr. Thompson.
Greg Brown does a half-decent version of the song. And the Del Mcoury Band do it justice, INHO...
I am still in mourning that I didn't get to see him at the big Ellnora GuitarFest here in Champaign, Il a few months ago.
Thompson is amazing!! He might be one of the best of all-time!
As far as covers of the tune go...nobody does it quite like Mr. Thompson.
Greg Brown does a half-decent version of the song. And the Del Mcoury Band do it justice, INHO...
I liked that Del McCoury version, Cori, but wow does it have a different feel to it! It's very Grand Old Opry, and I don't know if it's just the voice, or the addition of the banjo, but (to me at least) there isn't the same gut-wrenching feel that you get in RT's version. Again, not to say I didn't like it. I love that classic bluegrass sound. I'd like to hear Greg Brown's cover, but I couldn't find it on YT, alas 
Suzi
Suzi