On September 11, UMC / Universal will release RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON HARD LUCK STORIES (1972 to 1982) – reviewed here -, an expansive 8 CD set featuring all 6 studio albums remastered from the original tapes, with 31 previously unreleased recordings including outtakes, demos and rarities along with live concerts from 1975 and 1977. This first-ever comprehensive career retrospective was personally curated by Richard and Linda and compiled and mastered by Andrew Batt.
This is us, warts and all, at a crucial time in our musical history. Things changed fast in a decade, and here is the map.’
Richard Thompson
‘Here it is at last. The good the bad and the ugly!’
Linda Thompson
Alongside the 3 classic Island Records releases, ‘I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight’, ‘Hokey Pokey’ and ‘Pour Down Like Silver’, the box set also includes the long out of print albums, ‘First Light’ and ‘Sunnyvista’ (both new transfers from recently relocated masters) as well as their final LP, ‘Shoot Out The Lights’. Disc one, called ‘Sometimes It Happens’ compiles their formative collaborations as solo performers with The Bunch and Brian Patten and disc five, ‘The Madness of Love’, contains 5 stunning live performances recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in April 1975 and a further 5 songs recorded live at The Theatre Royal, London in May 1977.
This comprehensive box set covers the couple’s entire career and is a must-have for fans of Richard and Linda Thompson as well as a definitive introduction to a body of work which resonates, and is still revered today. The set also contains a 72-page hard cover book featuring brand new essays plus many rare and previously unpublished photographs by some of rocks greatest photographers including Keith Morris, Gered Mankowitz and Pennie Smith, as well as images from Richard and Linda’s own archives. Sleevenotes for the box set are written by Patrick Humphries and Mick Houghton.
During the 10 years they officially performed together, Richard and Linda Thompson created a seminal body of work, ground-breaking in its time and, as this new box set demonstrates, still sounding fresh and relevant today. Their lasting impact on the musical landscape is unparalleled, evidenced by the numerous contemporary artists who cite them as major influences and the enviably high regard in which they continue to be held.
First track from the collection “Amazon Queen” available today: https://lnk.to/AmazonQueen
RICHARD & LINDA THOMPSON – HARD LUCK STORIES (1972 to 1982)
8 CD BOX SET RELEASED SEPTEMBER 11 2020 (UPC: 00602577689970)
Contains 113 songs (31 of which are previously unreleased)
Features all 6 studio albums plus non-album singles, B-Sides, Demos, Rarities and Previously Unreleased Live recordings. 72 Page Hard Cover Book featuring 2 brand new essays plus rare and previously unseen photographs
DISC ONE – SOMETIME IT HAPPENS – THE EARLY YEARS
01: Sweet Little Rock and Roller – The Bunch – Alt version ( 3:48 ) Previously Unreleased
02: The Locomotion – The Bunch from Rock On ( 3:02 )
03: My Girl In The Month of May – The Bunch from Rock On ( 2:13 )
04: When Will I Be Loved – duet with Sandy Denny ( 3:17 )
05: Amazon Queen ( 3:58 ) – Previously Unreleased
06: Shaky Nancy from Henry The Human Fly ( 3:28 )
07: The Angels Took My Racehorse Away from Henry The Human Fly ( 4:02 )
08: Embroidered Butterflies from Brian Patten’s ‘Vanishing Trick’ ( 3:17 )
09: After Frost from Brian Patten’s “Vanishing Trick” ( 1;57 )
10: Sometimes It Happens – Demo – from ‘Dreams Fly Away’ ( 2:06 )
11: Restless Boy – Demo – from ‘Give Me A Sad Song’ ( 4:17 )
12: The World Is A Beautiful Place from ‘ Give Me A Sad Song’ ( 3:30 )
13: Shady Lies – Live at London University College, 25/10/1972 ( 2:23 )
14: Napoleon’s Dream – Live at London University College, 25/10/1972 ( 2:02 )
DISC TWO – I WANT TO SEE THE BRIGHT LIGHTS TONIGHT – EXPANDED
01: When I Get To The Border ( 3:26 )
02: The Calvary Cross ( 3:52 )
03: Withered and Died ( 3:25 )
04: I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight ( 3:08 )
05: Down Where The Drunkards Roll ( 4:06 )
06: We Sing Hallelujah ( 2:51 )
07: Has He Got A Friend For Me? ( 3:33 )
08: The Little Beggar Girl ( 3:25 )
09: The End Of The Rainbow ( 3:56 )
10: The Great Valerio ( 5:23 )
BONUS TRACKS
11: Mother and Son ( 2:21 ) – Previously Unreleased
12: Down Where The Drunkards Roll – Take 1 ( 4:04 ) – Previously Unreleased
13: The End Of The Rainbow – Linda Thompson vocal version ( 3:57 ) – Previously Unreleased
14: A Heart Needs A Home – Demo version ( 3:58 ) – Previously Unreleased
15: The Great Valerio from Live at the Rainbow 16/03/1975 ( 5:16 )
DISC THREE – HOKEY POKEY – EXPANDED
01: Hokey Pokey Song (The Ice Cream Song) ( 3:22 )
02: I’ll Regret It All In The Morning ( 3:36 )
03: Smiffy’s Glass Eye ( 2:53 )
04: Egypt Room ( 3:52 )
05: Never Again ( 3:08 )
06: Georgie On A Spree ( 3:40 )
07: Old Man Inside A Young Man ( 4:26 )
08: The Sun Never Shines On The Poor ( 3:41 )
09: A Heart Needs A Home ( 3:47 )
10: Mole In A Hole ( 3:26 )
BONUS TRACKS
11: Hokey Pokey – Live on Marc Time – 1975 ( 3:13 ) – Previously Unreleased
12: A Heart Needs A Home – Alternate 1976 version ( 4:03 )
DISC FOUR – POUR DOWN LIKE SILVER – EXPANDED
01: Streets of Paradise ( 4:17 )
02: For Shame Of Doing Wrong ( 4:43 )
03: The Poor Boy Is Taken Away ( 3:34 )
04: Night Comes In ( 8:11 )
05: Jet Plane In A Rocking Chair ( 2:49 )
06: Beat The Retreat ( 5:52 )
07: Hard Luck Stories ( 3:51 )
08: Dimming Of The Day / Dargai ( 3:52 )
BONUS TRACKS
09: Wanted Man ( 5:35 ) – Previously Unreleased
10: Last Chance – Previously Unreleased ( 3:42 )
11: Diming Of The Day – Demo version ( 3:52 ) – Previously Unreleased
12: Things You Gave Me – Live at Oxford Polytechnic, 27/11/1975 ( 2:35 )
13: It’ll Be Me – Live at Oxford Polytechnic, 27/11/1975 ( 4:24 )
14: Calvary Cross – Live at Oxford Polytechnic, 27/11/1975 ( 13:24 )
DISC FIVE – THE MADNESS OF LOVE – LIVE – * Previously Unreleased
01: Dargai – Live at Queen Elizabeth Hall 25/04/1975 ( 3:33 ) *
02: Never Again -Live at Queen Elizabeth Hall 25/04/1975 ( 3:07 ) *
03: Dark End Of The Street – Live at Queen Elizabeth Hall 25/04/1975 remixed ( 4:19 ) *
04: Beat The Retreat – Live at Queen Elizabeth Hall 25/04/1975] remixed ( 6:24 ) *
05: The Sun Never Shines On The Poor – Live at Queen Elizabeth Hall 25/04/1975 ( 3:48 ) *
06: If I Were A Woman and You Were A Man – Theatre Royal, London, 01/05 1977 ( 2:54 ) *
07: The Madness of Love – Live, Theatre Royal, London, 01/05 1977 ( 7:00 ) *
08: Night Comes In (Linda vocal) – Live, Theatre Royal, London, 01/05 1977 ( 12:53 ) *
09: A Bird In Gods Garden – Live, Theatre Royal, London, 01/05 1977 ( 9:33 ) *
10: The King of Love – Live, Theatre Royal, London, 01/05 1977 ( 6:55 ) *
11: Layla – Live, Theatre Royal, London, 01/05 1977 ( 8:48 ) *
DISC SIX – FIRST LIGHT – EXPANDED
01: Restless Highway ( 3:58 )
02: Sweet Surrender ( 4:53 )
03: Don’t Let A Thief Steal Into Your Heart ( 4:43 )
04: The Choice Wife ( 2:06 )
05: Died For Love ( 7:01 )
06: Strange Affair ( 3:08 )
07: Layla ( 4:22 )
08: Pavane ( 5:07 )
09: House of Cards ( 3:30 )
10: First Light ( 4:22 )
BONUS TRACKS
11: Strange Affair – Demo version ( 4:09 ) – Previously Unreleased
12: Drunk – Demo version ( 2:14 ) – Previously Unreleased
13: The Dust Of Your Road – Demo version ( 2:33 ) – Previously Unreleased
14: Layla – Demo version ( 4:38 ) – Previously Unreleased
15: Died For Love – Demo version ( 4:47 ) – Previously Unreleased
16: First Light – Demo version ( 4:03 )
DISC SEVEN – SUNNYVISTA – EXPANDED
01: Civilization ( 5:01 )
02: Borrowed Time ( 5:34 )
03: Saturday Rolling Around ( 3:24 )
04: You’re Going To Need Somebody ( 3:47 )
05: Why Do You Turn Your Back ? ( 5:09 )
06: Sunnyvista ( 4:24 )
07: Lonely Hearts ( 5:05 )
08: Sisters ( 4:47 )
09: Justice In The Streets ( 4:00 )
10: Traces Of My Love ( 4:05 )
BONUS TRACKS
11: Georgie On A Spree – 7” single version ( 3:28 )
12: Lucky In Life – Demo version ( 2:42 ) – Previously Unreleased
13: Speechless Child – Demo version ( 4:17 ) – Previously Unreleased
14: Traces of My Love – Demo version ( 4:13 ) – Previously Unreleased
15: For Shame Of Doing Wrong [Gerry Rafferty version] ( 4:16 )
16: The Wrong Heartbeat [Gerry Rafferty version] ( 3:09 )
17: Back Street Slide (Gerry Rafferty session, 1996 remix) ( 4:27 )
DISC EIGHT – SHOOT OUT THE LIGHTS – EXPANDED
01: Don’t Renege On Our Love ( 4:17 )
02: Walking On A Wire ( 5:26 )
03: A Man In Need ( 3:34 )
04: Just The Motion ( 6:17 )
05: Shoot Out The Lights ( 5:22 )
06: Back Street Slide ( 4:31 )
07: Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed? ( 4:49 )
08: Wall of Death ( 3:43 )
BONUS TRACKS –
09: Living In Luxury – 7” single version ( 2:32 )
10: The Wrong Heartbeat – Shoot Out The Lights version ( 3:20 )
11: I’m A Dreamer – Gerry Rafferty session – 1996 remix ( 4:09 )
12: Walking On A Wire – Gerry Rafferty session – 1996 remix ( 5:12 )
13: Pavanne – Live, 2nd Story, Bloomington, Indiana 29/5/1982 ( 5:38 ) – Previously Unreleased
14: High School Confidential – Live, 2nd Story, Bloomington, Indiana 29/5/1982 ( 4:29 ) – Previously Unreleased