It's beyond me why RT is not in the Rock & Roll HOF yet but someone like Eminem is? That is totally absurd and makes zero logical sense.

Brother you said it all, I'm 73, have three guitars, and I don't have these notes on any of them!

I'm 75, been playing over 50 years. If I could play 1/10 as good as this, I'd die a happy man.

this Vincent must have had an after-market modification. They didn't have an ignition key, it was just a switch no key, and a little button to cut the feed from the dynamo to stop the bike. Good song very well played but they could have done a bit more work on the tech side for us pedantic old motorcycle riders. ''Note, I didn't write bikers''

Had the Distinct Pleasure of Meeting when He Played@Local Opera House.1 Of My Most Favorite Meetings in the Music World!!

My opinion too

"In my opinion, there's nothing in this world like a '52 Vincent and a red-headed girl".

@@MrRonk55 i have two red headed sisters, with tempers, so i agree to disagree.

@@speeddemon9555 Better than one two headed sister. Although that probably would have been quite popular with the lefty's of our equal rights cancel cultures.

@@Noitisnt-ns7mo two headed ? that would be a conversation starter, as for lefty's and cancel culture, along with the woke morons in our society, they can all go and get f#%$^* excuse my typing.

I only heard of him because Christy Moore covered his song Beeswing and it happens to be one of my favourite Christy songs. Other than that I would never have heard of him. He’s a master of his craft!!

Worry not. Rhichard Thompson is rated (justifiably so) in the the top twenty guitarist list of all time. Having been to see him a few times now, alone on stage, you keep looking around for the rest of the band. Such a full sound.

At least we know, and I suspect Richard likes it like that. Ive been in awe since I saw him and Linda at the Basildon Arts Centre a million years ago

I found him through the Celtic Woman’s version of Beeswing.

I agree and I gotta give Arlo a plug though, he's on my kitchen window sill, with Alice, WHAT A STRANGE CROWD- WHY DON'T THEY LAUGH- and yeah, when you meet many "cats" who love folk, why haven't they heard of Richard and Linda and Teddy? Guitar player extraordinaire up there with John Fahey- I blame pop radio in part- Namaste for pointing this out. Now where did I leave those pickles...Namaste

I was driving the first time I heard this song. I had to pull over.

agreed. to this day, I can't get through it without getting teary-eyed.

Fate will break each of our strides, eventually. .. .

My favorite line too!

There are so many great lines in this song that I couldn't begin to choose just one. It's absolute masterpiece in every respect: writing, singing, and, especially, guitar playing.

Well he did write it

@@roddymcniven8734 And he has done many different versions of it over the years, with this one being my favourite. I fear I may have missed your point?

I beg to differ. Miranda Russell sings a beautiful rendition.

agreee! amaaazings! sevunteen!

​@@lieseweiss1224 What it means is no one can touch Richard, every RT fans knows that. Hell, even David Gilmour couldn't cover this song. He is probably the best kept secret in the music business, and that is a true shame!! But I'm pretty sure all of us RT fans know that! The man is a rock god that will never truly get the appreciation he deserves and it's a crime if you ask me!

He would never tarnish his legacy, if he wasn't performing his songs at the best of his ability and happy with his skills he would for sure stop touring. I hope to see him live some day.

By whom? Other than these ignoramuses. R Kelley on the list. No sign of Brittany Spears. www.rollingstone.com/interactive/lists-100-greatest-songwriters/#bj%C3%B6rk

I'd never heard of him until I saw an interview he did with Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull. He sounds like a master acoustic guitar player.

Electric guitar as well . Rolling Stone named Richard Thompson in their top 20 guitarists of all time . The man is a genius .

Hey Guys this Maestro has many awards for both his songs and guitar playing. You should listen to a couple of his 50 or so albums. Seen him live so many times. Never fails to impress. My hat’s off to Richard Thomson!

@@3genac Only the people who never heard him!

I'm happy Indian is mentioned but it wouldn't matter if it wasn't.

And harleys are a poor excuse of a motorcycle.

@@robertmitton3584 Well.... early on I had a lot of brit bikes... Trumpets and Beezers. Couldn't trust one that had even moderate miles on it. Police would run them old pans and shovels for 50k or more miles and then someone would buy it at auction and run it till the pistons almost swapped holes LOL. We didn't have much money but we could always get a Harley running. Keep all your pistons... might just do a garage hone on a worn cyl and find the piston that was the closest LOL... we rode these duct tape and bailing wire worn out bikes from state to state.. there were no credit cards or cell phones. If it died on the side of the road? you could always get it home if you knew basic mechanics. The Vincent.... a work of art. But you might want to look up "crocker' You have never seen a Harley in a motorcyle wrecking yard. But I am a bit out of touch since the newest one I have every owned was an 81 and it was twenty years old when I got it.

Thats a Freakin Sweet English!!

Yep! Arlo Guthrie's 'Motorcycle Song' notwithstanding! 😁

If you're speaking of songwriting ability don't forget John Prine, and John Hiatt too.

LIL WAYNE and the like wouldn`t be quite so wealthy.Thompson would be a GAZILLIONAIRE!!

Not just with an acoustic guitar. One of the few guitarists I've ever seen capable of playing ac/el fluently. Just seen one other guitarist capable of this: Joe Bonamassa. Noo... actually he is a better acoustic player, than electric. Electric Bonamassa = flashy stuff. IMHO much better when he got the acoustic guitar in front of him. Stopped the flashy shit, and just sings/play. Alone. Impressed me a lot. My major moment with Bonamassa.

Jac Kass Let us not forget Norma Kaukonen in that small group as well.

Julie Alexander Jorma, I presume? Just know him from Airplaine. Have to check up on him. TXS!

Sung by a reincarnated 17th century troubadour.

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor....

same for me at 77

Agree -that's what I am doing right now

It's part of my regular Soul Armoursmithing video rotation, background music while I hunt down little bits of uplifting knowledge about human society or culture or art or progress. Scientific knowledge, theological knowledge, behavioural knowledge. All of which I melt down and use to repair the craters where the big shells have hit, or the areas where my plating has simply been worn away by the acid corrosion of daily life in western society. Eventually it all gets melted down into Stuff That I Know About Life.

sixstringedthing Beautifully expressed.

Thanks, glad you got it. Check this out next time you need a recharge (one of my uploads): watch?v=wk6xsPA6N10

sixstringedthing Can you link that again please, I can't find the video.

He's actually done it even better than that. It sounded like he got lost a bit in his long break.

Totally agree.

Anyone who owned that bike must of had an interesting backstory, I'm sure. Just seems to me.

@@Noitisnt-ns7mo Yep, my dad was a one of a kind! He snagged my mom, (his molly) with that bike. I wish I had the photo of her sprawled across it. My dad rode until he was in his late 80s when we convinced him to just drive his car from then on.

***** Love that!!

***** hearts out to the man

***** Would love to have known that guy!

+Brent Postlethwaite My Dad rode a Brough SS80 just before the war and told his mother he'd gone over 60mph. She didn't believe him because 'you wouldn't be able to breath at that speed'.!!! How times and bikes have changed.

+Brent Postlethwaite I'm a Biker - And Men like your Grandfather are the Men who I have the utmost Respect for

well spotted. what gave it away? :D

lol

I am of the opinion that your opinion is the correct opinion to have, so thank you for sharing your opinion with us.

I concur with your correct opinion

You ain’t wrong!

There's another great storytelling songwriter I'll be seeing in December here in Phoenix - John Prine!!

What a Frosty song Great story powerfull I also like Del M. version

But is is .......?.

yes , i have run into a few of these musical stories and it always rings some deep valve of my heart.

It is full circle.

I’m the same. Discovered it a week ago and can’t stop listening and crying and singing along

ha

This is good, really good. Next time I do this song I might just add it - and tell folks who wrote it.

@@Beemerboy324 Thank you!

yep thats going to be sung with this great song in years to come!! ,starting with me!!

Okay, this is a fitting and logical addition. Very nicely written, Miss Julie. It will surely be added to the song by many, including me.

He mist have been a biker

In tears thank you for your story

Did your ex have the jibajab ?

Sounds like he had a fond memory that wet his eyes. Many feel a loss at his passing.

Nice.

+John LaStrada This song was enough to get a little watery in the eyes the first few times I heard it when it came out, & still the best rendition ever done (since it was his anyway) the part where he sees angles on Arials got me. A very profound statement by you and I really like the way you compaired him to Tom Waits, most people I know don't know who either of the two artists are.

+chuck lane (Chuckylane) - Thanks for the compliment chuck lane. Yes, many people don't know Richard or Tom -- well, their lives are empty then. These men are the modern day poets, because the real poets today don't get much recognition. My son is a biker and he downloaded the tune to a real good system he brings to biker shows. Many bikers from other states always gather around when he plays this song by Thompson and they are moved by it. It's become a pilgrimage to his bike to listen and talk about the song (his girlfriend drives his 1965 Ford pickup with the system on it). They too, not all, were unfamiliar with Thompson's work. It's a document -- when you can touch a group of people with a tale they can relate to and a credit to your creativity when you can reach into them with it. Thompson, of course, is also blessed. He's one of the greatest guitar players I ever heard. A compelling quirky genius in his approach. If you haven't heard his "Cooksferry Queen," from Mock Tudor, treat yourself today.

+John LaStrada - "...Thompson just knows how to sing a story,...""'

Well said John. He's a master story teller. Beeswing is another superb tune.

A 1951 just sold for $929,000.

When I took my seventeen year old grandson so see RT for the first time he (RT) started this song, grandson sucked in a deep breath, and didn't let it out until the song was over. Religious experience.

I actually first heard this song when Richard Thompson opened for a Bonnie Raitt concert. I had no idea who he was or about this song. I immediately fell in love...

First time I saw him play this live, I had already heard the song dozens, maybe hundreds of times. He still blew me away.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Truly a masterpiece.

With each word- you´re right! B.L.,germany

True. Perhaps one of the most beautiful, complex, entertaining songs I've ever heard. The guitar work alone is superhuman

9

@@JohnD-dl2lb troll, 11

He gets recognition for sure, but he also sadly doesn't get the recognition he truly deserves in my opinion.

Guess I’ve been living a rock, never heard of the dude before a friend shared this.

Mine too! Great line, too!

O than you would like me. Red hair and I look my best in black leather jacket

One of my favorite lines in any song - and a personal favorite color scheme!

Indeed. I hope they didn’t have to follow him!! It’s a level of playing and skill that can barely fail to bring tears.

No!!! Red Molly set James up so she could get the bike!!

Love song, sad one at that

It was in the 80s when I lived in Denver. I get it! 🥰

Did he not originally write this song!? I thought he did.

So True&SO UNDERATED on This Side of The Pond!!Met&What a Man!!Speaks as Eloquent as He Sings!!Fun Dude!!

Check out Ben Howard and Passenger

Ahh, you're a sailor too. Motorbikes and sailboats have a close relationship.🏍⛵️

G'Pa Bob could tell you more about than I, never did have natural-born sea legs, but he did his best to teach me. I watched and helped where I could as he built three beautiful timber watercraft, one of his own design. Sailboats for him were made of wood, and canvas, and rope. Sisal and hemp even, until he finally had to admit the benefits of nylon. He said fiberglass and metal had no "soul"... for a boat that is, a bike is a different story. :) Best wishes for fair winds and empty roads from Gosford, Australia.

sixstringedthing T0000 dam good

That's one hell of a trip. He must have had a ball.

Beautiful rendition to a cool guy .

totally agree..and when Bob Dylan does a cover of it you KNOW it's a great song!

@Dave T Wasn't Born to Follow

Shit scared. In my opinon

Louden is a good fiend of Richard's.

Pretty sure that Vega, red hair and all, wants to get amorous with him.

loudon wouldn't be worried cos his star shines just as brightly. As for Suzanne vega………..

Haha Luka was an emo song before emo was even a thing. Haha before it's time in my opinion

***** So he does!

There is nothing like ..a brit..bike..they do have ..soul.

They certainly do, usually full of mischief!

Ther..pickey..they only ..start..when ..there in..the mood..

All the covers I've heard--including a couple that you didn't list--are good-verging -on-great. But RT himself is, indeed, in another class entirely.

Was about to make the same comment - glad to see your husband preempted me.

It certainly does have a key! It never gets out of its key!

I've heard RT say the same thing, haha. Something along the lines of needing the image but being slightly bothered by knowing that it was a kickstart bike.