As a middle-aged white Brit and long time converted Sufi Muslim and one of the top dozen most brilliant composers and guitar players of the rock era, Richard Thompson would be expected to have something interesting to say in the current world situation. Oh, yes he does.
"The Outside of the Inside" is the next to last track of his new album The Old Kit Bag. I first heard it live at the 2002 Indianapolis Jazz Fest, where he explained that it offered "a Taliban's-eye view of the West." What jumped out at me standing in the blowing rain that day was the denunciation of Einstein and his "devious mathematics."
This song probably isn't his catchiest pop song, but the quiet drama of the tune will draw you in on repeated listenings, especially tied to the brilliantly bilous poetry of the lyrics, and the Middle Eastern/British folk tone of the ominous (yet largely acoustic) guitar interplay. The more you listen to it, the more interesting it will likely seem, very unique sound.
It's all quite emotionally effective in establishing the feelings of pious hatred of a Muslim radical. It's 10 times more musically interesting than Springsteen's mushy "Paradise" song, and 20 times more emotionally intense.
The Outside Of The Inside
God never listened to Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker lived in vain
Blasphemer, womanizer
Let a needle numb his brain
Wash away his "Monkey Music"
Damn his demons, damn his pain
What's the point of Albert Einstein?
What do we need physics for?
Heresy's his inspiration
Which side was he working for?
Curse his devious mathematics
Curse his deadly atom war
There's a message on the wind
Calling me to glory somewhere
There are signs too deep for the dumb
Like perfume in the air
And when I get to heaven
I won't realize that I'm there
Shakespeare, Isaac Newton
Small ideas for little boys
Add them to the senseless chatter
Add them to the background noise
Hard to hear my oratory
Hard to hear my inner voice
Van Gogh, Botticelli
Scraping paint onto a board
Color is the fuel of madness
That's no way to praise the Lord
Gray's the color of the pious
Knelt upon the misericord
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
Um, I thought Sufi's were supposed to be all mystical and peaceful and whatnot, or is this a condemnation of the Taliban point of view.
Musically, and I know this is apostasy, but I have listened long and hard to Richard Thompson, and while I love a few songs and can appreciate his skill, his nasal voice gets on my nerves and he has too few really memorable melodies to be in my top tier. I'm a freak
2 - Bill Sherman
I love Shoot Out The Lights (as much for Linda's contributions as her soon-to-be-ex) and also appreciate Thompson's first solo follow-up, Hand of Kindness. After that, it's more touch-and-go: some strong songs intersperced with much too draggy acoustic folk. I've never quite "gotten" where Thompson was in terms of radical Muslim, but it hasn't interfered with my appreciation of his music.
Heard an interview with him on "Fresh Air," where he discussed a show he was doing of pop music throughout the ages (he even sang an acoustic version of "Oops, I Did It Again.") Does some of that material make it onto Kit Bag?
3 - Al Barger
First, Thompson is not writing songs to "take a stand" or that kind of low level of thinking. I can't imagine him writing a "peace anthem" or a "patriotic" anthem.
He's certainly not pro-Taliban. Being a long time Muslim, he's enough from that world to have a better understanding than most Westerners of Muslim thinking.
No, no Britney covers on the new album. I've heard him talking about this pop music of the world idea. I'm not sure what kind of progress he's making into turning it into an album.
Eric Olsen, however, may have to be sent to a re-education camp for his godless heresies against Thompson's art. He's a pretty good singer, but that's not particularly his strong suit. Saying that he lacks memorable melodies is wrong and wicked, however, and may result in SEVERE punishment. You've been warned.
Some of his songs are naturally going to be more interesting than others over thirty something years and dozens of albums. Also, there are different styles across that time, some of them more like catchy three minute pop songs, some longer artier excursions that take a little more effort to follow. Some are more rock, some are more of the British folk style from which he made his name with Fairport convention.
I think I'ma put together another post with a specially engineered Richard Thompson Pop Mastermix for the more casual pop fan.
4 - Eric Olsen
You get on that, Information Minister
5 - Mark Saleski
i'm not sure which i like more: Richard Thompson's original "Beeswing"....or the live version i once heard Mary Lou Lord do at the park st. stop of the T in boston.
dang that guy can play guitar.
6 - Rh
I heard Outside of the Inside on his DVD from Providence. I was mezmerized. One immediately recognizes the arab type music. Played it over and over. It does sound even better on the record. And loved the lyrics. How anyone can say "love a FEW songs" is beyond me. I didnt know of RT untill I read a commentory of another singer and his name was menetioned. Yup took me 75 years before I heard the man. What a treasure.
7 - Derrick Leigh
Shoot Out The Lights was inspired by the systematic killing by the Russians of religious leaders in Afghanistan. You could say that this was a 'shooting out of the lights'. Perhaps the song can best be approached by imagining it to be sung from the point of view of a Russian soldier describing his enemy.