Richard Thompson Live At The BBC is a collection of songs performed live in concert and in the studio by Richard Thompson or Richard and Linda Thompson between 1973 and 2009.
It features three CDs and a DVD.
While the live in the studio recordings often have a little more intensity or intimacy than studio tracks which risk being over-produced, the really interesting things here are the live in concert performances:
- CD 1 tracks 12 to 18 were recorded live at the Paris Theatre, 22nd May 1982 features Richard & Linda Thompson;
- CD 2 tracks 4 to 10 were recorded live at The Hammersmith Palais, 20th November 1986.
Songs On Richard Thompson Live At The BBC
Disc: 1 All songs feature Richard and Linda Thompson
1. The Little Beggar Girl
2. Dragging The River
3. The Great Valerio
4. The Neasden Hornpipe / The Avebury Particle Accelerator / The Flowing Tide
5. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
6. Hokey Pokey
7. Georgie On A Spree
8. I’ll Regret It All In The Morning
9. A Heart Needs A Home
10. Wishing
11. I’m Turning Off A Memory
12. A Man In Need
13. Withered And Died
14. New Fangled Flogging Reel / Kerry Reel
15. Shoot Out The Lights
16. It’s Just The Motion
17. Back Street Slide
18. Night Comes In
19. Dimming Of The Day
20. Modern Woman
The sources of these songs are:
- Tracks 1-4 were recorded for the John Peel show on 1st January 1973
- Track 5 was recorded on 24th January 1974 (show unknown)
- Tracks 5-8 were recorded for the John Peel show on 12th February 1975
- Tracks 9-11 were recorded for the John Peel show on 24th February 1975
- Tracks 12-18 in concert live at the Paris Theatre on 22nd May 1982
- Tracks 19-20 recorded for Folk on Two in 1982
Disc: 2
1. She Twists The Knife Again
2. You Don’t Say
3. When The Spell Is Broken
4. The Angels Took My Racehorse Away
5. Valerie
6. Jennie
7. You Don’t Say
8. Fire In The Engine Room
9. Wall Of Death
10. Nearly In Love
11. Valerie
12. When The Spell Is Broken
13. Two Left Feet
14. Turning Of The Tide
15. Simple Again
16. Ghosts In The Wind
17. Shoot Out The Lights
18. She Twists The Knife Again
19. Withered And Died
20. The End Of The Rainbow
The sources of these songs are:
- Tracks 1-4 were recorded for the Andy Kershaw Show on 1st July 1985
- Tracks 4-10 were recorded live in concert at The Hammersmith Palais on 20th November 1986
- Tracks 11-20 were recorded for the Andy Kershaw Show on 1st July 1985
Disc: 3
1. Gethsemane
2. The Outside Of The Inside
3. Wall Of Death
4. Word Unspoken Sight Unseen
5. Kidzz
6. Did She Jump or Was She Pushed
7. The End Of The Rainbow
8. One Door Opens
9. The Outside Of The Inside
10. Let It Blow
11. Old Thames Side
12. Dad’s Gonna Kill Me
13. Down Where The Drunkards Roll
14. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
15. Needle And Thread
16. So Ben Mi Ca Bon Tempo
17. A Hunting The Wren
18. See My Friends
19. Time’s Gonna Break You
20. William Brown
21. Meet On The Ledge
The sources of these songs are:
- Tracks 1-3 were recorded for the Andy Kershaw Show on 28th September 2001
- Tracks 4-7 were recorded for the Andy Kershaw Show on 25th April 2003
- Tracks 8-9 were recorded for Evening Sequence on 18th May 2004
- Tracks 10-15 were recorded for Tom Robinson on 6 Music on 27th July 2005
- Tracks 16-18 were recorded for Bob Harris on 27th December 2008
- Tracks 19-21 were recorded for Music Hub on 9th January 2009
Disc: 4 the DVD Tracks 1 to 11 feature Richard & Linda Thompson, from track 12 onwards, it is Richard Thompson
1. Jet Plane In A Rocking Chair
2. A Heart Needs A Home
3. Night Comes In
4. I’m a Dreamer
5. I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
6. Shoot Out The Lights
7. You’re Going To Need Somebody
8. Dargai
9. Dimming Of The Day
10. Pavanne
11. Just The Motion
12. Fire In The Engine Room
13. She Twists The Knife Again
14. Wall Of Death
15. When The Spell Is Broken
16. Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed
17. Wrong Heartbeat
18. Tear Stained Letter
19. She Twists The Knife Again
The sources for these videos are:
- Tracks 1-2 were recorded for The Old Grey Whistle Test on 7th March 1975
- Tracks 3 – 9 were recorded for A Little Night Music on 19th August 1981
- Tracks 10-11 were recorded for Jake Thackray & Songs on 6th January 1981
- Tracks 12-18 were recorded for Late Night In Concert on 19 August 1985
- Track 19 was recorded for The Old Grey Whistle Test on 7th May 1985
The BBC is doing at excellent job at producing these comprehensive summaries of the artists and groups that have featured on radio and television in the UK. This is another that is a must have for any dedicated fan of Richard Thompson.
The sound quality on the first few songs from January 1973 is dodgy but it improves quickly. As always where there is an issue with sound, I recommend that you listen to the mp3 samples at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.
The “live in concert” recording for Richard & Linda Thompson from May 1982 collects fours songs from the studio classic album Shoot Out The Lights and very nicely complements the previous Richard & Linda Thompson live album In Concert November 1975.
The only problem I have with this is that it is HUGE and therefore anyone new to Richard Thompson is probably better off elsewhere. I love live albums so that’s usually my first suggestion and there is a poll below to help you to find the best. However I can only agree that the two most recommended Richard & Linda Thompson albums – I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight and Shoot Out The Lights – are terrific. (see Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk)
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Buying Richard Thompson Live At The BBC
It is available from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk
These links will help you get to the albums quickly and easily but I recommend that you still search for the best deal.
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