Love this tune. Great crowd pleaser when done live. He toured with a wonderful band in the early '90's which included Clive Gregson and Christine Collister on backing guitar and vocals. They tore up the Bottom Line in NYC together after Amnesia was released. I've never been the same since.
The second time I ever saw RT in concert was at the Bottom Line in NYC. He had this line-up. A great band with the "Petes" (Thomas and Zorn) on saxes, and his FC mates, Nicol, Mattacks and Pegg, plus Alan Dunn. Amazingly tight, yet jaunty and free. Great energy. Truly unforgettable.
I really like RT's technique on this. He pulls out all the tricks! Pulls, rips, shreds, bends the thing in half--all with that amazing RT light touch. He abuses a strat like nobody in this style!
early 90's saw RT w/ @ 120 others @ Sarasota Opera House. after the show he invited ''ALL" of us backstage. Myself, Joan, & 7 nerds showed up & 1 guy got his dad's Fairport Convention T-shirt signed. To get a rise outta RT I asked him @ my "fave" band Blodwyn Pig and had my "A Head Rings Out" cd for him to sign. He scoffed & said, "Oh, pity you. I'll not be signing that!" We had a laugh as he knew I was not serious. Mr.Thompson is cool (if that's still a 'cool' term)!!!!!!!!!!!
Saw RT at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa last night(Oct.7th)and he was every bit as awesome as he always has been.Still can play the hell out of the guitar like no one else.Got to meet him before he went to his tour bus and he signed the book that Patrick Humphries wrote in 97.
Doesn't hurt to havre Dave Mattacks (drums), Simon Nichol (rhythm Kelloggs guitar), and Dave Pegge (bass) - most of Fairport Convention - as your backup band.
So this may have been 3 years before I was even born but I love this!! This music is actually music with REAL instruments. Not machines meant to sound like instruments or instruments made to sound BETTER with machines or any of that...very enjoyable
what a brilliant performance, I'd heard this song on the radio but didn't know who it was. was only after I heard & bought the rumour & sigh album ( because I heard I feel so good, ) that I realised it was the same man.
No...a female country artist covered it and got lots of airplay on U.S. country radio years ago. Believe me, I know, having had to listen to country music radio against my will for quite a while.
I gave a live version of this on cassette to a friend of mine and one week later he described it as "a sitar player on acid". It's since become a cliche but it's also pretty accurate.
@sudsamatic That year was before I started going to multiple Bottom Line RT shows. But subsequently, I became a fanatic and started buying tickets for as many as FOUR RT shows in a 3 night stand at the Bottom Line. Great place that was! Your anecdote is classic. The quote is sooo Richard, dry, ironic and hilarious. Few artists can pull off irony the way RT can.
That's John Kirkpatrick on the left, accordion Simon Nicol far right, guitar, backup vocal Dave Mattacks, drums Fairport and Morris On Alumni, great musicians all!
@@tziguk So it's you then? Never seen this band live, but when finding videos my focus seem to drift to Mattacks drumming, Peggys bass lines and your feeling playing. I mean, RTs playing is always interesting and inspiring!
your comments mirror my son's (b orn same year as you).....I told him to check out Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac "World Keeps Turning" on UA-cam. This guy was our hero back in the day...real stuff for sure.
...still I'd like to see the version on video from his box set release. That one really features RT's mangling of the strings. He stands like a scholar while he plays some far-out licks. This and "Little Blue Number" are definitely two guitar opuses (opii?).
Except it is not the same song. In Richard Thompson's song the woman is writing the tear stained letter whereas in Johnny Cash's song he is saying that he is going to write a tear stained letter. Both great songs by incomparably great artists but no comparison is possible between the two songs.
![Richard Thompson & Jo-El Sonnier - Tear Stained Letter [1990]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-wKZu8o0s9g/mqdefault.jpg)
Thompson's the greatest rock'n'roll guitarist the UK has ever produced, and should be recognised as such.
Brilliant song-writer too!!
A peak moment in the history of Western civilization.
So infectious a groove that the horn players are skanking along when they’re not playing
Britain's finest ginger, despite stiff competition
Love this tune. Great crowd pleaser when done live. He toured with a wonderful band in the early '90's which included Clive Gregson and Christine Collister on backing guitar and vocals. They tore up the Bottom Line in NYC together after Amnesia was released. I've never been the same since.
RIP Pete Zorn
Saw RT and guest band perform this at Cropredy this weekend. Fantabuloso, one of the highlights of the festival.
Whew! How did this song not make the man famous?
The second time I ever saw RT in concert was at the Bottom Line in NYC. He had this line-up. A great band with the "Petes" (Thomas and Zorn) on saxes, and his FC mates, Nicol, Mattacks and Pegg, plus Alan Dunn. Amazingly tight, yet jaunty and free. Great energy. Truly unforgettable.
I really like RT's technique on this. He pulls out all the tricks! Pulls, rips, shreds, bends the thing in half--all with that amazing RT light touch. He abuses a strat like nobody in this style!
early 90's saw RT w/ @ 120 others @ Sarasota Opera House. after the show he invited ''ALL" of us backstage. Myself, Joan, & 7 nerds showed up & 1 guy got his
dad's Fairport Convention T-shirt signed. To get a rise outta RT I asked him @ my "fave" band Blodwyn Pig and had my "A Head Rings Out" cd for him to sign. He scoffed & said, "Oh, pity you. I'll not be signing that!" We had a laugh as he knew I
was not serious. Mr.Thompson is cool (if that's still a 'cool' term)!!!!!!!!!!!
Saw RT at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa last night(Oct.7th)and he was every bit as awesome as he always has been.Still can play the hell out of the guitar like no one else.Got to meet him before he went to his tour bus and he signed the book that Patrick Humphries wrote in 97.
Doesn't hurt to havre Dave Mattacks (drums), Simon Nichol (rhythm Kelloggs guitar), and Dave Pegge (bass) - most of Fairport Convention - as your backup
band.
+ (if I'm right) John Kirkpatrick on box & Pete Zorn on sax - also fab players
Don’t forget John Kirkpatrick and the late Pete Zorn.
One of the most unique musicians I've ever encountered. Bravo!
Saw this exact lineup doing this number at the Albany Empire in either 1983 or 1984, on the Hand of Kindness tour. Absolutely brilliant.
Good to see Simon Nichol with his Kellogg's Corn Flakes guitar! RT has most of Fairport Convention out there burning it up with him!
Lets not forget the talented Jo El Sonnier.
I saw him last night in Albany, NY. His guitar solos on this song last night were MUCH better than in this video
So this may have been 3 years before I was even born but I love this!! This music is actually music with REAL instruments. Not machines meant to sound like instruments or instruments made to sound BETTER with machines or any of that...very enjoyable
Still brilliant, after all these years!!!
Top notch song and performance. Glad to see and hear this.
@SAHBfan Pegg was in Jethro Tull's band as bass player as well as being in Fairport Convention. Went with the whole Tull band "look" at that time.
Lucky enough to know this man and in 1984 made him a ckae in the shape of a tear stained letter!
Richard finished off his set at Cropredy this year with this crowd favourite.
My goodness, 35-year-old Richard Thompson was a looker. (The staggering talent doesn't hurt or anything, either.)
what a brilliant performance, I'd heard this song on the radio but didn't know who it was.
was only after I heard & bought the rumour & sigh album ( because I heard I feel so good, ) that I realised it was the same man.
No...a female country artist covered it and got lots of airplay on U.S. country radio years ago. Believe me, I know, having had to listen to country music radio against my will for quite a while.
Happy 73rd Birthday to Richard.
Lovely! It has kind of a Nick Lowe feel about it, as did a lot of UK music in 1984.
I gave a live version of this on cassette to a friend of mine and one week later he described it as "a sitar player on acid". It's since become a cliche but it's also pretty accurate.
just heard it on the radio, thought it was david byrne singing. great song!
@sudsamatic That year was before I started going to multiple Bottom Line RT shows. But subsequently, I became a fanatic and started buying tickets for as many as FOUR RT shows in a 3 night stand at the Bottom Line. Great place that was! Your anecdote is classic. The quote is sooo Richard, dry, ironic and hilarious. Few artists can pull off irony the way RT can.
You're very lucky to have seen him live.
You can see them perform it together on the TV show Night Music. Amazing performance. The clip is here on UA-cam if you poke around a bit.
It did...sort of...there was a cover on - yes - country music radio in the 80s. I think it was by...aww, now I can't recall her name.
Ah, the old days when RT and Peggy still had some hair...
That's John Kirkpatrick on the left, accordion
Simon Nicol far right, guitar, backup vocal
Dave Mattacks, drums
Fairport and Morris On Alumni, great musicians all!
Alan Dunn on accordion - not John. I was incredibly fortunate to play with Richard for a couple of years back then.
@@tziguk So it's you then? Never seen this band live, but when finding videos my focus seem to drift to Mattacks drumming, Peggys bass lines and your feeling playing. I mean, RTs playing is always interesting and inspiring!
Patty Loveless is her name.. She did a good version.. But this one is better.
The song was originally done by a guy...Jo-El Sonnier. This song was a big hit for Richard after leaving Fairport Convention and divorcing Linda.
The song was written and *originally* done by Richard Thompson.
Oh come on...
F'ing brilliant!
Thanx 4 the clarification. Yeah, that isn't Kirkpatrick.
your comments mirror my son's (b orn same year as you).....I told him to check out Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac "World Keeps Turning" on UA-cam. This guy was our hero back in the day...real stuff for sure.
...still I'd like to see the version on video from his box set release. That one really features RT's mangling of the strings. He stands like a scholar while he plays some far-out licks. This and "Little Blue Number" are definitely two guitar opuses (opii?).
Got it....it was Patty Loveless...
Only RT can pull off tenor sax and cajun air compressor trading fours...
"Comparisons are odious".
Tom Hanks played sax in this band? (3:16)
Why is Dave Pegg wearing a comedy stick on beard??? :-o
Ha ha yes it does look like one!
@oppie1945 Christgau is one of the worst music critics I've ever seen, but he's right.
Truisms are odorous..
Johnny cash's version is better in my opinion
Except it is not the same song. In Richard Thompson's song the woman is writing the tear stained letter whereas in Johnny Cash's song he is saying that he is going to write a tear stained letter. Both great songs by incomparably great artists but no comparison is possible between the two songs.
it is a different song!!!!!