Richard Thompson: Mingulay Boat Song

[armel551]

On Dec. 3 (2011) I attended an all request performance by RT and requested this piece. Luckily he chose my (or someone else's request). As expected it was absolutely magnificent. What an artist!

[gavtatu]

yup, i got this cd too...fuckin' awesome !

[Riverofpainacheron]

this song made me cry...so beautiful...

[RisingOfTheMoon]

Vocal harmonies are amazing -- who's singing backup here?

[wolfgpunkt]

@RisingOfTheMoon The complete lineup is:

Richard Thompson - vocals, guitar; Jack Shit: Val McCallum - guitar; Pete Thomas - drums; Davey Fallagher - bass; also- Richard Greene violin; Michael Thompson - accordion; Debra Dobkin - percussion; Doug Pettibone - guitar

- so it has to be the musicians who don't have to hold their instruments in their mouths ;) But you are right: They really do fine.

[RisingOfTheMoon]

@wolfgpunkt - wow, so that woman with THAT voice must be Debra Dobkin ... thanks.

[RavenholmeCP42]

Nice take on a classic scot's song :)

[McAteerPaul]

I wonder if the babe in the pic is related to "Red Molly" of Vincent Black Lightning fame?

[eakinj]

Who did the artwork in the video, is there a larger version of it? I'd love to have that painted on my Jackson Kelly :) and yeah Everything Richard Thompson does is awesome, i'm a metal guy but damn he shames a lot of the shredders, he's amazing.

[wolfgpunkt]

@eakinj I gave two links for the image behind the "Used in" link in the description -- you might try to get a bigger version there :)

(Heck, this linking restriction in the comments is a nuisance...)

[sidDkid87]

The two thumbs down HAD to be a mistake . . . this is one awesome, well done tune

[jbz2079]

My Dad used to sing this often, Great song

[Kilchattan7]

really silly graphic but its the man...

[37Nordland]

How on eartth can the Mingulay Boat Song be described as 'English'??

'Shanty'.

[bananabitch2010]

Keep using redheaded babes!

[eddiemacdonalduk]

Class. Pure class. 

[humptyflippingdumpty]

Great ( No! Best ) version of this song. Must find the CD

[wolfgpunkt]

@humptyflippingdumpty Easy: the Amazon link is in the description. Pity you cannot link in the comments...

[Gooseberry51]

Always great to hear RT sing & play!

[bonaccordion]

Simply beautiful, so much so that it brings tears to my eyes. Thank you.

[RTTCDeadEye]

@Seantheminiman dude...it's anime

[phoebewilkinson]

I like this better than the Corries version - which I love! (slacken your corsets and your stays)

[wolfgpunkt]

@Seantheminiman

You're the first one to notice ;)

By the way, it's great that so many of you folks like the song!

[PhishPhan417]

If you like this song, you'll probably love the version done by the Masterless Men. It is a fantastic version, I would highly recommend taking a listen. Just type "Masterless Men Mingulay" in the search bar. Cheers!

[armel551]

I listened to the version by the Masterless Men. It's fine but Richard Thompson's version is a magnificent work of art expressing the sailors' yearning for home. For me there's no comparison.

[vanmfan]

Sorry, I much prefer the Corries' version :/

[alibongomac]

for a west coast man like me this song puts a lump in my throat at the best of times but this man brings me to my knees. Bring her round boys!

[joyegreg]

Smokin' solo. As per usual. Wonderful, definitive version of this song.

[ATF24682468]

love that pic

[TeamXtremeUK]

dam i sang this song in my primary school choir 2 years ago. i loved it, but i cant find a proper guitar tab for it!!!

[nittan2]

alba gu brath

[sheelz321]

Fantastic

[Fartloading6Fartload]

my God, this song is wonderful

[cram277]

gonna stop crying any sec

[BishopMrs]

Beautiful version of this song, which I had only heard sung by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. Lovely. I want to get this CD set! Sad because I just heard Liam Clancy passed away. RIP Liam.

[jdudetheweasel]

in school we had to study about sailing and we had to learn some sea chanteys

[PEIDanielScott]

Very nice. I grew up with this song so I have a fond attachment to it.

[BIGLOGGER7]

Oh wow!!So beautiful!

[morganwolf5]

I have this CD set and adore it. The best singers in the world have come together to reclaim this song tradition. Richard Thompson has me from the first line. What a beautiful voice! Deeply felt. As usual. Thank you.

[MondayBurnMillay]

Dan Zanes does an amazing version of this song, but this one definately has a great sound too.

[gaspode18]

Lovely. Utterly, utterly lovely. - And made all the more poingnant by the fact that by the time it was written (in the 1930s by Hugh Robertson) the island of Migulay had already been depopulated.

This is about the best version I've ever heard.

[milesgma]

Words fail me when I hear beauty of this magnitude.

[moominpic]

Great song