Sadly Beautiful Song Series, Song #2

I stumbled onto the music of Richard and Linda Thompson in 1975 at the barely ripe age of 21 when I purchased their album Pour Down Like Silver for 33 cents at a wholesale record sale in the Eastown Shopping Center on Linden Avenue in Dayton, Ohio.

It was love at first sound.

Even though Richard and Linda have long since parted ways, they are without question my favorite male/female singing duo. They released 5 or 6 albums as a couple while dabbling a bit with Sufism, and then divorced soon after the album Shoot Out The Lights was released in 1982.

Oddly enough, unlike most marriages, you can pretty much pinpoint exactly when things ended for the Thompsons. In 1983, in the middle of one of Richard's legendary blistering electric guitar solos, Linda strolled across stage and konked him over the head with an empty wine bottle.

True story.

Richard remains one of my favorite songwriters to this day: in the top five easily, maybe even the top three. And as far as guitar playing goes . . . I'll take Pete Townshend if I'm watching, but give me Richard Thompson if I'm listening.

Alrighty then . . . enough of this idle gossip and back and forth chit-chat with myself. Let's hear some music!


"A Heart Needs A Home"
RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD4Qz51CWR4




A HEART NEEDS A HOME

(R. Thompson)

I know the way
That I feel about you
I'm never going to run away
I'm never going to run away
Never knew the way
When I lived without you
I'm never going to run away
I'm never going to run away

I came to you when
No one could hear me
I'm sick and weary
Of being alone
Empty streets and
Hungry faces
The world's no place when
You're on your own
A heart needs a home

Some people say
That I should forget you
I'm never going to be a fool
I'm never going to be a fool
A better life they say
If I'd never met you
I'm never going to be a fool
I'm never going to be a fool

Tongues talk fire and
Eyes cry rivers
Indian givers
Hearts of stone
Paper ships and
Painted faces
The worlds no place when
Your'e on your own
A heart needs a home



[PLEASE NOTE: I guarantee you that Richard and Linda Thompson will be making a return engagement on the Sadly Beautiful Song Series, but in the meantime if you enjoyed the above song and are jonesin' for something right now, check out Richard performing the song "Beeswing" in the blog entry below titled "My Top Ten Heartbreaking Songs"]








"you got my soul
.sadly, beautiful"
.(p. westerberg)

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