Richard & Linda Thompson
From 1973 to 1982, British folk legend Richard Thompson (having quit Fairpo… Read Full Bio ↴From 1973 to 1982, British folk legend Richard Thompson (having quit Fairport Convention in 1971) recorded as a duo with his wife Linda Thompson. This period saw a great amount of critical praise for Richard's songwriting and Linda's voice, though not much popular success. Following their divorce, both pursued solo careers.

The Thompsons recorded three albums I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (1974), Hokey Pokey (1975) and Pour Down Like Silver (1975) before they decided to leave the music business and moved to a Sufi commune in East Anglia. Songwriting was by Richard throughout, lead vocals generally by Linda,and backing by a consistent core band of English folk-rock stalwarts

I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight showed a clear development from Richard Thompson's first solo effort Henry The Human Fly with Linda's vocals adding grace, as well as the opportunity for Richard to write from a female perspective. Although Thompson's trademark gloom is already evident, the lightness and beauty of the arrangements counterbalances this to produce moments of great beauty. The use of brass, from the renowned CWS silver band in particular takes forward Thompson's continuing crusade to find a more contemporary and ordinary expression of Englishness in music,(as opposed to say the forays into the Morris form of his Fairport contemporary Ashley Hutchings, solo and with The Albion Band). The next year's release, Hokey Pokey to some extent repeats the formula, although it is improved in production values, and is stylistically more adventurous still. A Heart Needs a Home is a minor miracle of songwriting, expressing the longing for love without cynicism and has a standout multi-tracked vocal from Linda.

Pour Down Like Silver extended the reach of Richard and Linda's music, and without the occasional weaker tracks of the preceding releases. Here in the writing cynicism is balanced with humour, (Hard Luck Stories, Streets of Paradise), and love and need is expressed directly, and to touching effect ( Jet Plane in a Rocking Chair, Beat the Retreat). The impact of Sufism on their lives is expressed in Night Comes In, which borrows imagery from Sufi mystic poetry, and the practice of finding union with the Spirit through dance. The playing, arrangements and production are uniformly excellent throughout.

In 1978, Thompson decided to take his family out of the commune and go back to their old home in Hampstead. He also decided to return to making music, partly because, as he commented at the time, he'd come to realise "that [he] wasn't really any good at anything else".

Re-uniting the core band, the resulting album, First Light was warmly received by the critics but did not sell particularly well. Neither did its follow up, 1979's harder-edged and more cynical Sunnyvista. Chrysalis Records did not take up their option to renew the contract, and the Thompsons found themselves without a contract, but not without admirers.

About a year later Joe Boyd signed the Thompsons to his small Hannibal label and a new album was recorded. Shoot Out the Lights included new recordings of many of the songs recorded in 1980, and was clearly a very strong album. Linda Thompson was pregnant during the sessions, and so the album's release was held back until the Thompsons could tour in support of the new album. Linda's pregnancy also meant that she did not sing on all of the songs.

On its release in 1982, Shoot Out the Lights was lauded by critics and sold fairly well - especially in the USA. The Thompsons, now a couple for professional purposes only, toured the USA to support the album and then went their separate ways. Both the album and their live shows were well received by the American media, and Shoot Out the Lights effectively relaunched their career - just as their marriage was falling apart.

As against the first phase of their career, this last offering is sparer, without the instrumental augmentation that characterized the earlier albums, much more rock orientated, and altogether more ferocious. Although Thompson in interviews has always resisted over-personal interpretations of his songs, it is difficult not to see in its energy, tone and themes the difficulties of the final stages of the Thompson's marriage, transmuted into musical gold.
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Richard & Linda Thompson Lyrics


30 Shoot Out The Lights In the dark, who can see his face? In the dark,…
A Heart Needs A Home I know the way That I feel about you I'm never going…
Back Street Slide Those backstreet women, watch what you say You turn your bac…
backstreet slide Those backstreet women, watch what you say You turn your ba…
Beat the Retreat I'm beating my retreat Back home to you I'm beating my ret…
Borrowed Time There's riders in this county They're taking heads for bount…
Calvary Cross I was under the Calvary Cross The pale-faced lady she said…
Civilisation They're not human, they're with the Woolwich They eat food …
Crying In The Rain I haven't been outside for a while I didn't want to…
Did She Jump She was there one minute And then she was gone the…
Died For Love I'm in the mood for love Simply because you're near me. Funn…
Dimming of the Day This old house is falling down around my ears I'm drowning…
Don't Let A Thief Steal Into Your Heart Don't let a thief steal into your heart Or you may…



Don't Renege On Our Love Remember when we were hand in hand Remember we sealed it…
Down Where The Drunkards Roll See the boys out walking The boys, they look so fine Dressed…
Drunk I had a silver penny and an apricot tree And I…
End Of The Rainbow I feel for you, you little horror Safe at your mother's…
First Light Give me what I ask for Give me what I long…
For Shame of Doing Wrong It seems like a lifetime since I saw you Lover lover…
Genesis Hall My father he rides with your sheriffs And I know he…
Georgie on a Spree Thompson Me Mammy told me "Isabel, now don't stay out too…
Hard Luck Stories Thompson They say running into you is like running into t…
Has He Got A Friend For Me Saturday night and I'm all alone No ring on the door…
Hokey Pokey Every boy running and the little girl At the money took…
House Of Cards Oh the rain is falling (blow blow down) And the wild…
I Want To See The Bright Lig. I'm so tired of working every day Now the weekend's come I'm…
I'll Regret It All In The Morning Whiskey helps to clear my head Bring it with you into…
I'm Turning Off A Memory You can find me in a dim light bar-room If your…
It'll Be Me Well if you see somebody knocking on your door If you…
Jet Plane in a Rocking Chair Jet plane in a rocking chair Roller coaster roll nowhere Dea…
Just The Motion Remember, when we were hand in hand? Remember, we sealed it…
Justice In The Streets There's sickness in this land Hearts have turned to sand C…
Layla I drew near to the house of Layla It was then…
Little Beggar Girl I'm just a little beggar girl and Sally is my…
Living In Luxury I don't have no credit And I don't know where to…
Lonely Hearts Heart beat pounding so hard it keeps me wide awake…
Lucky In Life Verse 1 Lyrics When I was a baby, …
Man in Need I packed my rags, went down the hill Left my dependents…
Mole In A Hole Waterson Like the flowers, like the bees Like the woodl…
Never Again O who will remember, o who will be sure And still…
Night Comes In Night comes in, like some cool river How can there be,…
Nobody's Wedding Everybody came to nobody's wedding Everybody knew it was bou…
Now Be Thankful When the stone is grown too cold to kneel In crystal…
Old Man Inside A Young Man I was walking down the street When I met with Billy He…
Pavanne Pavanne, cold steel woman Pavanne How do you love a woman …
Restless Highway I am a travelling man, I have no country And travelling…
Saturday Rolling Around Wind's gonna blow my blues away Wind's gonna blow my blues…
Shoot Out The Lights In the dark, who can see his face? In the dark,…
Sisters Remember the time when we two kin were reared There was…
Strange Affair This is a strange affair The time has come to travel…
Streets Of Paradise Thompson The tears fall down like whisky The tears fall …
Sunnyvista In SunnyVista all your dreams are reality It's the smart pl…
Sweet Surrender I gave my heart to you Oh oh oh oh I gave…
The Calvary Cross I was under the Calvary Cross The pale-faced lady she said…
The Egypt Room Thompson Now Hobnail Kelly and the Beefcake Kid Just rol…
The End Of The Rainbow I feel for you, you little horror Safe at your mother's…
The Great Valerio High up above the crowd The great Valerio is walking The rop…
The Little Beggar Girl I'm just a little beggar girl and Sally is my…
The Poor Boy Is Taken Away Thompson Called him poor boy, you took him for fun He dr…
The Poor Ditching Boy Was there ever a winter so cold and so sad The…
The Sun Never Shines On The Poor Thompson The urchins are writhing around in the mud Lik…
The Wrong Heartbeat Don't think my love is something that you can play…
Then He Kissed Me Dans ce train qui m'emmène loin Je me demande pourquoi Dans …
Things You Gave Me For all the times I felt cheated I complained You know…
Time To Ring Some Changes This old house is a-tumbling down The walls are gone but…
Traces Of My Love The songbird sings so clear Like your voice upon my ear I…
Walking on a Wire I hand you my ball and chain You just hand me…
Wall Of Death Let me ride on the Wall Of Death one more…
We Sing Hallelujah A man is like a rusty wheel On a rusty cart He…
When I Get To The Border Dirty people take what's mine I can leave them all behind Th…
Why Don't You Love Me? Why don't you love me like you used to do? How…
Wishing Wishing that I could see you every day Wishing that I…
Withered & Died This cruel country has driven me down Teased me and lied,…
Withered and Died This cruel country has driven me down Teased me and lied,…
You're Going To Need Somebody When you're lost in the dark and you can't find…
ストリーツ・オブ・パラダイス Thompson The tears fall down like whisky The tears fall dow…
フォー・シェイム・オブ・ドゥーイング・ロング It seems like a lifetime since I saw you Lover lover…
プア・ボーイ・イズ・テイクン・アウェイ Thompson Called him poor boy, you took him for fun He dress…


We have lyrics for these tracks by Richard:


Alright When I saw you in the room I took a look…
Autumn Leaves The falling leaves drift by the window The autumn leaves of…
Baby Baby baby baby Won't you come with me? O with me? Baby baby…
Blessed Be the Name If you don't like your sister, don't you carry her…
Blue Moon Blue moon you saw me standing alone Without a dream in…
Body and Soul My heart is sad and lonely For you I sigh, for…
Boogie Woogie Boogie My name is Jerry Lee Lewis, come from Louisiana I'm gonna…
Concrete Concrete and glass are all around They're selling England by…
Das ist schön Das ist die Frage aller Fragen Und du musst mir die…
Deep Purple Woo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo, Wo-o-oo-wo-wo When the…
Don't Mess With Me Don't mess with me I said yeah don't mess with me Say…
Down Where The Drunkards Roll See the boys out walking The boys, they look so fine Dressed…
Dreams Sometimes I feel like be stuck in a dream And then…
Energy Uno Martha Richard yeye Uno dos tres quarto Fine gyal I sit…
Freaks Something takes a part of me Something lost and never seen E…
Go Away Little Girl Won't you go away (little girl) Wish you wouldn't stay (litt…
Good Vibrations I, I love the colorful clothes she wears And the way…
Groove's Blues Groove I wanted to know About the end of the soul Oh, when…
Hallelujah I Love Her So Who would have ever thought I dare say So casually so…
I Can Take The World On With You Wise men say only fools rush in But I can't help…
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight I'm so tired of working every day Now the weekend's come I'm…
I'll Remember April This lovely day will lengthen into evening We'll sigh goodby…
I'm In Love I'm in the mood for love Simply because you're near me. Funn…
I'm Not Jealous Cliff Richard - I'm not a hero I-I had a chance…
Im All I'm all alone Alone in this world I'm all alone And I los…
Intro I trust where I'm going Don't wanna be in the dark I…
Introduction And now, ladies and gentlemen, dig The Who Two, three…
It Might as Well Be Spring I'm as restless as a willow in a windstorm I'm as…
It's Going To Take Some Time It's gonna take some time this time To get myself in…
Ja Nus Hons Pris 1. Ja nus hons pris ne dira sa raison Adroitement, se dolant…
Just Friends Just friends, lovers no more Just friends, but not like befo…
Land of thousand lands One, two, three! One, two, three! You gotta know how to pon…
Laura Viens, mon ami le geôlier A toi, je vais tout raconter Demai…
Man I Love I'm your man (I'm your man) I'm your man (I'm your…
Mandy I remember all my life Raining down as cold as ice A…
Money You know, the landlord rang my front door bell I let…
Moon River Moon river, wider than a mile. I'm crossin' you in style…
More Theres so much envy and greed Collecting more haters Means m…
My One and Only Love The very thought of you makes my heart sing Like an…
Never Let Me Down I see you in the water I see you between my…
No Matter What You Do Tell me what your spirit says Show me what you…
No More I've been working hard for the things I want Leaves you…
On Green Dolphin St It seems like a dream, yet I know it happened A…
Over The Rainbow Oooooo... Somewhere over the rainbow, Way up high. There's a…
Pennies From Heaven Every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven Don't you…
Polka Dots and Moonbeams A country dance was being held in a garden I felt…
Runaway And if our world catches fire Would you die with me,…
Secret Love Oh, yes A kiss in the dark A certain time I can…
Singing About You And Me Tell me about the place you're from Tell me about you Tell…
Song For My Father If there was ever a man Who was generous, gracious and…
Speak Low Speak low when you speak, love, Our summer day withers away…
Strangers in the Night Strangers in the night Exchanging glances Wandering the nigh…
That Is Mahalakshmi How much is that doggie in the windows The one…
The Calvary Cross I was under the Calvary Cross The pale-faced lady she said…
The Feeling Discovered the feeling Of feeling again I went for a walk In…
The Great Valerio High up above the crowd The great Valerio is walking The rop…
The Launch Get ready for the launch Get ready for the launch Get ready …
The More I See You Each time I look at you is like the first…
The Shadow of Your Smile The shadow of your smile When you have gone Will color all…
The Walrus The sun was shining on the sea Shining with all his…
There Is No Greater Love There is no greater love Than what I feel for you No…
These Foolish Things Oh! Will you never let me be? Oh! Will you never…
Trust In Me Oh, my hand shakes steady and my words are sweet And…
Tussen Treine Ek wonder wat van jou geword het Jy wat nog so By…
When I Get To The Border Dirty people take what's mine I can leave them all behind Th…
When you're evil Well look at me, the guy who's got it all Tryin'…
Where or When Oh what happened You fear the things we hide Losing sight wi…
Whispers Next time I promise I will be ready Ready to move when…
With This Ring (There’s nothing that I wouldn’t do to be with you…
Withered And Died This cruel country has driven me down Teased me and lied,…
You've Got it Bad Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears W…


We have lyrics for these tracks by Linda Thompson:


A Heart Needs A Home I know the way That I feel about you I'm never going…
A Man In Need I packed my rags, went down the hill Left my dependents…
All I See I'm so tired of working every day Now the weekend's come I'm…
Back Street Slide Those backstreet women, watch what you say You turn your bac…
Beauty Beauty, you make me sad All you beautiful babies been had Wh…
Blue & Gold Tell me, Mother, who will I marry? Tell me as we…
Blue Bleezin Blind Drunk I had a silver penny and an apricot tree And I…
Calvary Cross I was under the Calvary Cross The pale-faced lady she said…
Day After Tomorrow I got your letter today And I miss you all so…
Dear Old Man of Mine Here's to the mind that we thought was dead Singing like…
Dimming of the Day This old house is falling down around my ears I'm drowning…
Do Your Best For Rock 'n' Roll I feel no pain but I'm so dry Take me to…
Down River Good to see you again Rosy, I know I've changed a…
Down Where The Drunkards Roll See the boys out walking The boys, they look so fine Dressed…
Fire and Rain Just yesterday mornin', they let me know you were gone Suzan…
For Shame Of Doing Wrong It seems like a lifetime since I saw you Lover lover…
Give Me A Sad Song You'll drive me crazy with no hesitation Giving me the cruel…
Hokey Pokey Every boy running and the little girl At the money took…
I Want To See The Bright Lights I'm so tired of working every day Now the weekend's come I'm…
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight I'm so tired of working every day Now the weekend's come I…
If I Were a Bluebird I am but a poor girl, My misfortunes seem sad Many months…
It'll Be Me Well if you see somebody knocking on your door If you…
It's Just The Motion Remember, when we were hand in hand? Remember, we sealed it…
Katy Cruel First when I came to town, they called me the roving…
Never Again O who will remember, o who will be sure And still…
Never The Bride At sixteen I fell for Billy He was a tall and…
Nice Cars Here in my Mercedes wondering what could be Wrong with the…
Night Comes In Night comes in, like some cool river How can there be,…
Nine Stone Rig They shot him dead at the nine stone rig beside…
Now Be Thankful When the stone is grown too cold to kneel In crystal…
Nursery Rhyme of Innocence and Experience I had a silver penny and an apricot tree And I…
Old Man Inside A Young Man I was walking down the street When I met with Billy He…
Paddy's Lamentation Well it's by the hush, me boys, and sure that's…
Shoot Out The Lights In the dark, who can see his face? In the dark,…
The Calvary Cross I was under the Calvary Cross The pale-faced lady she said…
The End Of The Rainbow I feel for you, you little horror Safe at your mother's…
The Great Valerio High up above the crowd The great Valerio is walking The rop…
The Way I Love You I wish that you were here Running round my heels Only you…
Together Again Together again My tears have stopped falling The long lonely…
Versatile Heart You should have told me Never should have sold me down…
Walking on a Wire I hand you my ball and chain You just hand me…
When I Get To The Border Dirty people take what's mine I can leave them all behind Th…
Withered And Died This cruel country has driven me down Teased me and lied,…


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