Richard Thompson - God Loves A Drunk - Seattle 1990

[@nitat6848]

one his most brutal and brilliant songs, among so many brutal and brilliant songs, thank you for this one Richard

[@jesmarluk6635]

I just saw him Sunday night in Asheville. He played this and the crowd hushed. He still has it going on and his voice is still amazingly wonderful - maybe even better with age. Such a marvelous artist and a very humble sort, which is very refreshing to see in this day and age. Ah, I love RT.

[@mahajohn]

This is one of the greatest songs ever written, and you can't argue otherwise!

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

I would never dare do that. 😁RT is an absolute musical legend and it's a crime how underrated he is as a musician. Hell, even David Gilmour from Pink Floyd has covered this guys music.

[@MisterBlueSky1000]

Great song. Thompson at his best when dealing with challenging subjects. The words my God. So much heart and compassion and wisdom. Man, thankful to be alive

[@cosmicbuffalo]

Had the fortune to meet Richard Thompson in Denver @ the Fox theatre. My girlfriend at the time had the catering contract so she got me backstage. Met him at the door of his dressing room before he went on. He was very kind, humble and fun. A most gracious highly skilled talent for the ages. His songs come to life and breath air into our souls. Thank you Richard.

[@cosmicbuffalo]

Right on

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

If you met Richard Thompson then that alone makes you a legend...

[@7272764]

this is one of the most powerful songs, thank you Richard Thompson clear and true

[@markb9419]

i love this song so much. i heard he said 'music is a spiritual thing' and this truely is. there maybe irony in the lyrics but i think there is also a true insight into the grace of god. god loves a drunk/the lowest of men/with the dogs in the street/ and the pigs in the pen. he does. grace indeed.

[@trickhoseroff]

One of THE greatest songs of all time folks....

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

One of the greatest musicians of all time, if not the greatest. Let's be real!

[@roeboat72]

some of the best songwriting I've ever heard.

[@yeoralph1952]

raise a glass toRrichard. He is one of the greats

[@LeadMe2TheBliss]

Absolutely. Yes he is, he is up there with Pink Floyd, Jimmy Page, and the best of the best. In fact, he might even be on a higher level than Floyd and Page because this guy had very little help from other musicians, he pretty much did it all on his own.

[@lyonslaforet]

I'd love to see Richard Thompson live!

[@nightsketcher]

i hope you have by now! if not, he's still touring - just saw him last week, solo like this.

[@Vinseneb]

Amazing!

[@wendycopeland100]

just beautiful

[@thpaine1950]

Damn, just realized that I was living in Seattle at the time and had intended to go to the concert, but for some reason I cannot recall, did not do so. Now I gotta kick myself in the ass really hard!

[@TomRAFC]

The song is based on ja-lal adin rumi's poetry which often used the alagory of the drunk. Rumi is the best known sufi poet.

[@RomyArena]

Can this man do any wrong? Brilliant!

[@TomRAFC]

@piedpiperpianos completely true, richard is a dedicated sufi

[@j_freed]

The sacred and profane. A drunken monk wanders to the village and passes out right in the busy street. People gather around him, curious, worried. The monk sits up and smiles. Having their full attention, he then starts to tell them a story...

[@Diecastclassicist]

A good vintage.

[@timespublishing]

bless ya, lad.. bless ya..!

[@ObviousSockPuppet231]

I had assumed this was of Sufi origin; thanks for the reference.

[@bddrex]

This is a great song. One of Richard's finest. The audience is being rude. How dare they talk through the performance. Don't they know there witnessing a musical genius?

[@OriginalLHB]

Let us hope that God himself is as forgiving as RT. As harrowing and compassionate as it gets.

[@paulwolf761]

It sounds to me like the sound sobered a few of them, right quick. Not a feel-good tome.

[@thecaptainmarko]

that's easy this man wrote it

[@krihjerp]

But it's sung even better by Norma Waterson!

[@CaptainKubla]

That a fact eh, pegleg? And what do they call the said public house? The Moribund Arms? Must have good taste then, I've seen him meself a few times live, hes a great folk writer. Liked some of fairport conventions stuff too. Hes converted to Islam, bloody Nora they're all at it these days! Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam, whatever next? Elton John in a diamante jewel encrusted Bhurka? LOL!

[@alistairewen7005]

eh

[@whirlpoolzend]

@CaptainKubla or maybe Susan Boyle in a burqa?

[@andronicuscomnenus7830]

I love R.T. as much as most here. However, this song is dark and nasty and, I presume, in keeping with RT's islamic beliefs about drinking. It is also a lousy and unmelodic.

[@csclarkmusic]

RT was in a Sufi commune for years. Alcohol is a common sufi metaphor for loving god, often contrasted against normal drunkenness. This song isn't against his is Islamic beliefs, it's clearly inspired by them.

[@andronicuscomnenus7830]

Zacattack: R.T. was only lousy and unmelodic in this song. Normally, I find his music and melodies to be brilliant. Sufi's are no model of goodness, just as Ahmadi's fail that test as well. I find it puzzling how R.T. can be an adherent to any branch of that faith. This is what I would really like to learn more about. I appreciate your response. I can usually learn something from people responding to me, even if it is just hateful - and yours is not hateful. Thankyou.

[@andronicuscomnenus7830]

csclarkmusic: I agree, it is inspired by his Sufi beliefs and that is perhaps why it is so dark and unmelodic.

[@andronicuscomnenus7830]

Zacattack: I think RT is a musical genius. Thankyou for the brief conversion. Regards as well.

[@citta144]

Have you ever had hang-over or even worse a withdrawal from an alcoholic bender ? It feels very dark and unmelodic doesn't it ? Does that not say something about the genius of Richard Thompson to be able to capture the mood of alcoholic withdrawal ? And the deeper questions the song raises about destiny, value and mortality ?