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 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 repeated the formula, although it wass improved in production values, and was stylistically more adventurous still.
Pour down Like Silver extended the reach of the Thompsons' music, and without the occasional weaker tracks of the preceding releases.
In 1975 they decided to leave the music business and move 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 musicians. In 1978 Richard 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. 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 careers - just as their marriage was falling apart.
Never Again
Richard and Linda Thompson Lyrics
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And still feel the silence as close as before
And was there a season without any rain,
And never, o never, o never again?
The time for dividing and no-one will speak
Of the sadness of hiding, and the softness of sleep
O will there be nothing of peace â??till the end,
Old man how you tarry, old man how you weep
The trinkets you carry and the garlands you keep
For the salt tears of lovers and the whispers of friends
Come never, o never, o never again
The lyrics of Richard and Linda Thompson's song "Never Again" convey a sense of loss, regret and uncertainty. The opening lines, "o who will remember, o who will be sure" express the fear of being forgotten and the lack of certainty in human memory. The following lines "And still feel the silence as close as before, and was there a season without any rain" create a sense of longing and nostalgia, suggesting that rain and the passing of seasons are metaphors for change and impermanence. Thompson's use of repetition in the phrase "never, o never, o never again" emphasizes the finality of loss and the feeling that things can never be this way again.
The second verse of the song suggests that there is a time for "dividing" and hiding, and a sadness to the "softness of sleep". The ambiguity of the verse creates a sense of unease and suggests that there may be a difficult truth being avoided. The line "O will there be nothing of peace â??till the end" underlines the sense of uncertainty and the desire for peace.
The final verse of the song describes an old man who carries trinkets and garlands to remember lost lovers and friends. The line "Come never, o never, o never again" echoes the refrain of the song and reinforces the idea that things are final and cannot be retrieved. The song's subject matter is poignant and universal, the sense of loss that is inevitable in life and the longing for what is no longer attainable.
Line by Line Meaning
O who will remember, o who will be sure
Who will truly remember and be certain that this tragic event took place?
And still feel the silence as close as before
Who will continue to sense the haunting silence that remains after the event occurred?
And was there a season without any rain,
Has there ever been a time without any hardship or sorrow?
And never, o never, o never again?
Will this depressing event ever happen again?
The time for dividing and no-one will speak
It's a time for conflict and no one is willing to speak up.
Of the sadness of hiding, and the softness of sleep
It's a time for sadness, for hiding, and for seeking comfort in sleep.
O will there be nothing of peace â??till the end,
Will there be no peace until the end of time?
Or never, o never, o never again?
Will life always be marked by turmoil and discord?
Old man how you tarry, old man how you weep
Old man, why do you linger on and cry?
The trinkets you carry and the garlands you keep
Why do you hold onto these small and insignificant things?
For the salt tears of lovers and the whispers of friends
Do you keep these things as a reminder of the pain and loss of loved ones?
Come never, o never, o never again
May we never have to experience such heartbreak and grief again.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JAY ANDERSON, KELLEN ASEBROEK, MIMI NAJA, KEITH SIMON, TYLER THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind