I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

Infobox Album | Name = I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Type = Album
Artist = Richard and Linda Thompson


Released = April 1974
Recorded = May 1973 at Sound Techniques, London
Genre = Rock
Length = 37:17
Label = *Island in the UK
*Warner Bros. Records in the USA
Producer = Richard Thompson, John Wood
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3kdjvwrva9ek link]
* "Spin" Rating|10|10Weisbard & Marks, 1995. p.405]

| Last album =
This album = "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight"
(1974)
Next album = "Hokey Pokey"
(1975) |After the marked lack of success achieved by his first album, "Henry The Human Fly", British singer/songwriter/guitarist Richard Thompson struck up a personal and professional relationship with Linda Peters, a session singer. "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight" was the first album by the duo of Richard And Linda Thompson.

Where his first album was treated harshly by the critics, the second was hailed as a masterpiece. Recorded on a shoestring budget in a matter of days, it is now regarded as a classic of English folk-rock and one of Thompson's finest achievements.

The title track has been covered by (among others) Weddings Parties Anything, Matt Pond PA, Ocean Colour Scene and Sleater-Kinney, whilst Kate Rusby and Elvis Costello have both covered 'Withered and Died'. Costello also covered "The End Of The Rainbow". Maria McKee covered "Has He Got a Friend for Me" on her first solo album.

Track listing

All songs written by Richard Thompson - Except "Together Again" (Buck Owens)

#"When I Get To The Border"
#"The Calvary Cross"
#"Withered and Died"
#"I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight"
#"Down Where The Drunkards Roll"
#"We Sing Hallelujah"
#"Has He Got A Friend For Me"
#"The Little Beggar Girl"
#"The End Of The Rainbow"
#"The Great Valerio"
#"I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight" (Live)*
#"Together Again" (Live)*
#"Calvary Cross" (Live)*

(*) - Extra Tracks on the 2004 Island Reissue. All previously unreleased.

Personnel

*Richard Thompson - guitar, vocals, dulcimer, mandolin, whistle, keyboards
*Linda Thompson - vocals
*Timmy Donald - drums
*Pat Donaldson - bass guitar
*John Kirkpatrick - accordion, concertina
*Simon Nicol - dulcimer
*Brian Gulland - krummhorn
*Richard Harvey - krummhorn
*Royston Wood - vocals
*The CWS Silver Band

Notes

References

*cite book
last= Weisbard
first= Eric
coauthors= Craig Marks
title= Spin Alternative Record Guide
publisher= Vintage Books
year= 1995
isbn= 0679755748
*"Richard Thompson - The Biography" by Patrick Humphries. Schirmer Books. 0-02-864752-1
*"The Great Valerio - A Study of the Songs of Richard Thompson" by Dave Smith.
*"1001 Albums" by Robert Dimery and Michael Lydon