I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight

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I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Studio album by 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 and John Wood
Professional reviews
All Music Guide (5/5) link
Richard and Linda Thompson chronology
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974) 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 masterpice. 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.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 479 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

The title track has been covered by (among others) Weddings Parties Anything, 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.

[edit] Track listing

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

1. "When I Get To The Border"
2. "The Calvary Cross"
3. "Withered and Died"
4. "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight"
5. "Down Where The Drunkards Roll"
6. "We Sing Hallelujah"
7. "Has He Got A Friend For Me"
8. "The Little Beggar Girl"
9. "The End Of The Rainbow"
10. "The Great Valerio"
11. "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight" (Live)*
12. "Together Again" (Live)*
13. "Calvary Cross" (Live)*

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

[edit] 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

[edit] References

• 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