Richard Thompson - Persuasion - GuitarTalk Community

Richard Thompson - Persuasion

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I love a good melody!!!! 8)

@BOB (I know you the resident RT expert ?)
Is this an original from RT?

Bob-Dubery

Brentcgp wrote: I love a good melody!!!! 8)

@BOB (I know you the resident RT expert ?)
Is this an original from RT?

RT obsessive more like it. I have about 40 CDs....

The tune was written by Thompson for a movie soundtrack in the early 90s. At some later stage Tim Finn (of Crowded House and Split Enz) provided some lyrics for it. Then later still Thompson recorded it as a duet with his son Teddy. That seemed to not be released at the time but later made it's way onto a "best of" compilation when Thompson left the capitol label. It's also cropped up on a couple of his live albums and is often included in live shows.

And, of course, Tim Finn recorded a version at one point.

It is a lovely song. Great middle section. Since he left Fairport Convention (1971) Thompson hasn't done a lot of co-writes. Clearly he likes this one a lot.

Get the lyrics here

[deleted]

Thanks, Its a beautiful song. I downloaded the video now Im going to go work on it this weekend ? cracking stuff.

40CDs? dang... I had a look on Kalahari for some of his stuff, no DVDs ☹ there are CD's, but quite a few.
Can you help me out with what is worth the buy, and his best albums? I want to order 2 or 3 ?

Muchas gracias ?

Bob-Dubery

Brentcgp wrote: Thanks, Its a beautiful song. I downloaded the video now Im going to go work on it this weekend ? cracking stuff.

40CDs? dang... I had a look on Kalahari for some of his stuff, no DVDs ☹ but there are CD's but quite a few.
Can you help me out with what is worth the buy and his best albums? I want to order 2 or 3 ?

muchos gracia ?

You might want to check out the recently released compilation Walking On A Wire. 4 CDs. Provides an overview of his career from Fairport Convention's first recordings (which would be '67 or '68) right up to his 2007 album "Sweet Warrior".

If, like me, you prefer individual albums to compilations then you might want to consider

Rumor And Sigh his 1991 album and his best seller. Purists might not be too fond of this because of the poppy production by Mitchell Froom, but I think it's cracking. A lot of good songs. Perhaps a bit light on guitar heroics, but he does get in a couple of good ones.
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight From 1972 with his then wife Linda. A great example of British folk-rock. Again light on the guitar heroics but he cranks the strat up on "Calvary Cross" and tacks a fab, spacious coda onto the end of "The Great Valerio"
Pour Down Like Silver Another Richard and Linda album. This is one of my personal faves. More electric guitar than on the preceding albums and some lovely songs - including the heartbreaking "Dimming Of The Day", one of Linda's best performances.
Sweet Warrior his most recent. Very strong for songs and for playing. Shows there's life in the old dog yet. And it has THE best song you will hear about the war in Iraq. Songs are a bit on the dark side, but that's par for the course with Thompson.
More Guitar! which is only available at gigs and from his web site is a bit rough recording wise, but the guitar playing is exceptional. This was put together by Henry Kaiser with a view to putting Thompson the guitar player in the spotlight. Fab backing vocals from Clive Gregson and Christine Collister.

Of the DVDs, the one I'd recommend to people not that familar with Thompson is Live In Austin. This has him playing in a trio, just him with a top notch rhythm section of Danny Thompson (no relation, played with John Martyn for years) and Michael Jerome. There is a CD of the same show BUT it omits his second encore which has a great electric guitar solo on it. I think that DVD is a very good place to start. You also get a good helping of his dead pan and sometimes hilarious between songs patter.

But it's hard. He's 40 years into a career now with a lot of albums under his belt. So where to start?

Bob-Dubery

Bob Dubery wrote: Rumor And Sigh his 1991 album and his best seller. Purists might not be too fond of this because of the poppy production by Mitchell Froom, but I think it's cracking. A lot of good songs. Perhaps a bit light on guitar heroics, but he does get in a couple of good ones.[/li][/list]

Sorry. What was I saying? There's a good fair bit of guitar playing on that album. What was I thinking?

[deleted]

I was looking for the Walking on a Wire, I like the sound of that to get a span of all his music! Not avaliable on Kalahari...

DVD Live in Austin. I'll have a look for that!

His music is really good. Im keen to learn a few tracks that I have heard! ?

Bob-Dubery

Brentcgp wrote: I was looking for the Walking on a Wire, I like the sound of that to get a span of all his music! Not avaliable on Kalahari...

DVD Live in Austin. I'll have a look for that!

Shouldn't be hard. I got mine at Look & Listen (a physical shop, not the web site)

Walking On A Wire was released very recently. I see Take 2 list it as available - though as an import from the USA.

Bob-Dubery

Bob Dubery wrote: The tune was written by Thompson for a movie soundtrack in the early 90s. At some later stage Tim Finn (of Crowded House and Split Enz) provided some lyrics for it. Then later still Thompson recorded it as a duet with his son Teddy. That seemed to not be released at the time but later made it's way onto a "best of" compilation when Thompson left the capitol label. It's also cropped up on a couple of his live albums and is often included in live shows.

And what we have here is a father and son duet. Richard and Teddy.