Bob Dylan, Richard Thompson

April 3: Richard Thompson was born in 1949 – here playing Dylan songs

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richard thompson 3

Richard Thompson covers Bob Dylan

Richard Thompson has done a lot of other people’s songs, often with great result. Today we see/listen to how he copes with Dylan’s songs. First solo then with Fairport Convention.

Richard Thompson 2

Girl from the North Country, very good version, the guitar playing is sublime! It is taken from a concert at the  City Winery, New York, 15th Feb 2012:

Bob Dylan medley from the bootleg, Big City Classic , recoded on the 4th March 1992 at the Bottom Line , New York.
The Medley consists of bits of ‘Tears of Rage’, ‘Desolation Row’, ‘Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues’ and ‘It takes a lot to Laugh, a Train to Cry’. He stumbles a bit in the lyrics but brings himself nicely back on track, a curiosity:

Fairport Convention – I’ll Keep It With Mine (Cropedy Festival, 11/08/2012) incredibly good!:

Fairport Convention – Percy’s Song (1969):

Fairport Convention – Si tu dois partir (1969):

Here is an out-take from the Unhalfbricking sessions. “We would have added more instruments to this Bob Dylan-composed track had it been chosen to be on the album. As it is, its simplicity is one of the strongest points”:

Fairport Convention – Jack O’ Diamonds, From their self-titled first album. 1968. It was a traditional folk song from long before Dylan’s time. Ben Cruthers got a few of the lyrics from a poem on the back of Another Side of Bob Dylan. The music was by Ben Carruthers who released it as a single in England in 1965. So it was more inspired by Dylan than actually written by him:

Fairport Convention – Million Dollar Bash (1969):

Going, Going , Gone (live 1981):

If someone knows about other Dylan covers, please let me know in the comments.

– Hallgeir

8 thoughts on “April 3: Richard Thompson was born in 1949 – here playing Dylan songs”

  1. “Original” version of “I’ll Keep It With Mine” by FC, Sandy Denny on vocals:
    https://youtu.be/CUtFXmS9FmA

    And, a bit of a stretch, but FC with Sandy and Richard recorded “Ballad Of A Easy Rider” as well, around the same time as “Dear Landlord”

  2. On the Sandy Denny album “The North Star Grassman and the Ravens ” released in 1971, co-produced by Richard Thompson, is “Down In The Flood”. RT plays on this one and sings as well

  3. “Moat on the Ledge” (Live at Broughton Castle) is a live album by
    Fairport Convention, recorded on on August 15, 1981, released in 1992. Bob Dylan song on this album “Country Pie”. It was a Reunion concert with full Richard Thompson involvement.

  4. On the Fairport Box “Fairport Un Conventional” released by Free Reed in 2002 you’ll find “Lay Down Your Weary Tune”, recorded on november 24 1967 for a BBC Radio Top Gear session. A few other Dylan covers as mentioned by you are included too, as well as a cover of “I Don’t Believe You” from 1973 with no RT involvement

  5. Upon searching for the version of Going Going Gone (w/o success) I discovered Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door and Down In The Flood live versions by FP Convention, also.

  6. fairport Convention did “Open the Door, Richard” on their live at BBC album.

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