Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Scenes from a Marriage

Richard and Linda Thompson and "A Heart Needs a Home," from the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1975.



I don't know what's more startling about this clip -- the hushed intensity of Linda's vocal or the crystalline delicacy of Richard's deceptively simple finger-picking. In any case, watching it feels almost cleansing, psychically speaking, especially if you've been obsessing, as I have, over the various appalling stories out of the presidential campaign of late.

6 comments:

billy b said...

I'll have to come back later and watch the video clip as I'm at work.

I picked up Richard's latest CD, Sweet Warrior.

Noice.

TMink said...

Pure talent and emotion, presented without artifice is so powerful and so difficult to pull off.

It is much easier to mak show, or get enhancement surgery, or not wear much in the way of clothing, or whatever else people use to try to make it in the biz.

What the Thompsons did requires huge talent, and it is certainly rare.

Trey

Anonymous said...

One of the most beautiful songs ever written!

Linda nails it perfectly!

steve simels said...

There's an alternate electric full band version that's simply gorgeous -- Richard's guitar gently weeps like you wouldn't believe -- but the sort of minimalist chamber music feel of this one is hard to beat.

Anonymous said...

Steve, I think your talking about the version on "Guitar, Vocals" which is one of the true highlights of Richard & Linda's recording careers.

TJWood said...

One of Thompson's best-ever ballads, and he's written what seems like dozens of great ones. Linda just breaks your heart on this one and, as for Richard, I'll say here what I said to myself after seeing him just bowl me over (again) earlier this year in Northampton, MA: Someone who's this good a guitar player, this good a singer, this good a songwriter--it just isn't fair. Other terrific clips on this reel as well, everyone check them out.