Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning - Seattle 90

[daf827]

It's cool to watch Richard perform Vincent in 1990, when the song was newly minted. His playing is much more deliberate. When he performs Vincent today he just whips through it, the tempo is at least 10% faster, 140. He's probably performed Vincent thousands of times by now.

[MichaelCarMusic]

I watched Del's cover and it is pretty cool, i think he did the song justice... But Richard Thompson is the guy who wrote it. He definitely deserves to be better known by the general public than to be accused of covering one of his own masterpieces!

[woodbell67]

So cool to hear this played live for a crowd hearing it for the first time !

[TheTomhamilton8]

written by Richard Thomson

[jjreid87]

I feel very sorry for anyone that thinks Van Halen is the greatest guitar player

[ledicko]

Simply genius. See RT live at least once in your life and learn something about music.

[haleyt74]

the song is written in the first person. its a redneck singing it and as such Del's voice is much the better -- it simply grates on the elites and yes there were vincents in redneck land in the 50's. i remember the lore was that harley got them "outlawed"

[mbsnyderc]

It's a Richard Thompson song he's Scottish.and Harley had nothing to do with Vincents demise.

[thedict8or]

@mbsnyderc Richard Thompson is English.

[mbsnyderc]

@thedict8or His father was a Scot say so in his bio.

[thedict8or]

@mbsnyderc the first line in his bio - "Richard Thompson was born at his parents' home in

the Spring of 1949, in West-London, and spent his early years in post war Britain, surrounded by a family with wide musical tastes" So his father is a Scotsman. Richard was born and grew up in the London area. That makes him English.

[boo66]

@haleyt74 This song is about English coffee bar culture of the early 1960s, and the 'cafe racer' scene. Certainly nothing to do with rednecks as originally written and performed by RT.

Oh.. And it's written in the third person. "Said Red Molly to James..."

;o)

[Koener]

@haleyt74 : wrong wrong wrong

[deborahkauffman09]

nice vid, one of my alltime favorite folksongs

[rosemarygriffiths1]

I think the tuning is CGDGBE with a capo on the third fret.

[AirGtr]

Tuning is from low to high: C G D G B E Capo 3,,, 

[LegZoff]

What a great song

"If fate should break my stride/ I'll give you my Vincent to ride"

[yahoochiewatchie]

@LegZoff yeah, we all heard it.

[LegZoff]

What a great song

[TheIkaraCult]

john fahey and richard thompson, makes life easier.

[bobbrode314]

Best folk player ever

[jerryz511]

I own an old motorcycle and have ridden it for almost 25yrs faithfully, It's a love song about a motorcycle, it gets to me every time I hear it.

[TheBanyanEmperor]

Richard Thompson is just extremely good. What else can you say?

[TheIkaraCult]

@TheBanyanEmperor

correct, he's an inspiration

[Almanzajj]

one of the greatest guitar player of the universe!

[hart1965]

Wow - thanks for this. I was actually at this show, and it was my 1st ever RT performance. I remember walking over to Tower Records afterword to try and find the album that had all these great songs (Misunderstood, Feel So Good, Vincent, etc), but the album didn't exist - yet. Years later I got an audio recording of the show, but it was a treat to re-watch that just now. Awesome.

[octarhaberee]

You know it's an early performance of this song when nobody cheers at the introduction.

[bergxu]

Amazing performance! By far my favorite RT vid on the 'net.

[alexsuchapimp]

Red hair and black leather, my favourite colour scheme.

[mcculloch29]

Adrian Nation does a fantastic version which is lovely for those of us who miss seeing RT... Brilliant song, the sort of song that makes you look for your leathers in the back of the wardrobe. Definitely the best song ever celebrating a bike. And that includes Ballad of Easy Rider.

[keefek]

Ahhh. Is there anyone like Richard Thompson? I think not.

Beautiful work.

[epicboons]

Genious. Absolute genious. Has there ever been a greater guitarist? Segovia maybe.  No one else come close.

[echoflob]

wtf? metriow!!!

[slipperynoodle20]

Best motorcycle song EVER!

[metzqwurk]

So true!... though "Born to Run" is right up there....

[slipperynoodle20]

My second choice is "Key to the Highway" by Big Bill Broonzy as done by Derek & the Dominoes. Doesn't mention a bike but put it in your head on the road & it really works.

[bradzoot]

Thank you.

My favourite Richard Thompson song.

[ninesticks]

masterful...

[jedmarum]

Great vid. Beautiful song!

thanks

[dj9ry]

first heard this on a John Peel (rip) isle of man special about 10 years ago! still brings a lump to the throat.

[SecretAgentSlothman]

His fluidity is really astonishing.

[rastamon052]

this was a great show in the old seattle hockey arena that had been converted into a temporary home for the seattle opera.

strange setting, but what a great show this was. wilco was playing next door at the same time, tough choice.

[urbanspacemen]

You are thinking of a different concert a few years later at the same festival. The 1990 show was out doors under the Space Needle at the "Blues Stage".

[rastamon052]

danm, too many RT shows at too many Bumbershoots to keep straight any more...

[jerrypicker]

My mistake. An RT original.

[thekilo23]

what happened to beeswing?.....why has it been removed?

[jerrypicker]

FWIW, the original was penned by Del McCoury, American blugrass artist. Thompson's cover is brilliant and definitive.

[joni36]

It's written by Richard Thompson and covered by Del McCoury..

[jerrypicker]

Correct! RT original, for sure.

[0988isolator]

good one, douchebag

[auto4union]

@jerrypicker WRONG! Get yer facts right laddie ! Del McCoury writing a song about a BRITISH V-Twin `Bike?NAH ! Would it not have been called `65 Harley Electra Glide or summit ! I really doubt many yanks would know what a Rudge is either! They stopped making them in the `30s ! Oh sorry I forgot about Dels definitive book on classic British bikes "The Redknecks Guide To `Bikes That Are Fast And Go Round Corners" ! Just kidding ye buddy ! Peace Ye`all !!

[pvuf431]

@auto4union You ever tried to take a corner at speed in any boke from the 50s?

[auto4union]

aye ! Norton featherbed wideline with Triumph 650 tuned engine !Or a Triton as they`re commonly known ! Used to race it ! Race old two strokes now ! Kwak triples ! Peace Ye`all !!

[laoban1954]

Richard Thompson and Vincent Black Lightning!!! Both nonpareil! It simply cannot be better than this. Saw him perform it with Danny Thompson in Bloomington, IN back in about '89. Never heard anything better.

[VideoSetOne]

A lot of Artists have covered this song. But as with most things it is hard to beat the original.

[ScarletSweetPea]

Do you have more of Richard's Bumbershoot show available? I'm researching something about it.

Thanks for taking me back.

[Jengybhoy]

Brilliant...Mr Thmpson is a genius.

[songster22046]

Did anyone cop that tuning?

[joni36]

EBGDGC

[plevyman]

@joni36 Normally written the other way around, I think! CGDGBE...

[auto4union]

@joni36 Nice one joni36 ! I dont think i will ever be truly happy untill i`ve sussed this CLASSIC TUNE out !! Peace Ye`all !!!

[MrErland]

Incredible! Flawless introduction of a modern classic!

[auto4union]

Dont think I`ll be happy till I can play this song!Some awesome guitar work!Best biking song ever!

[glhwind]

Brilliant song, incredible guitar. Thanks for this.

[KIFsmoke]

nice cap!

[spajo]

Pretty good...

[rezeski]

Yes, it's pretty good here. But if you haven't heard the studio version... well, you had better. It's a song you can play over and over again and again. Awesome. And everyone that doesn't know what a 1952 Black Vincent motorcycle looks like... well, you should google it. It is one of the finest looking machines ever build. And they were fast for their day.

[boo66]

It's Vincent Black Lightning, (not Black Vincent) ..and they were absoulutely THE FASTEST in their day!

[rezeski]

Yes... indeed. Thanks for the correction. We do want people to remember this great piece of art by the correct name (the Machine and the Title, both.)