Richard Thompson - Strange Affair - Germany 1980

Richard & Linda with band performing 'Strange Affair' in Hamburg, Germany in 1980 (Rockpalast broadcast). Richard at the beginning of the gig: "We don't speak much German, so we won't say very much.."
..Entschuldigung!

[@matchlessg8099]

rescued by these two when my 70 years old motorbike broke down in Wales.was given roughcut with this on it.often played twenty five years later.thanks folks from an old man

[@muslimtraditionalist]

This is a strange affair The time has come to travel But the road is filled with fear This is a strange affair My youth has all been wasted And I'm bent and grey with years And all my companions are taken away And who will provide for me Against my dying day I took my own provision, But it fooled me and wasted away Oh where are my companions? My mother, father, lover, friend, and enemy Where are my companions? They're prisoners of death now, And taken far from me And where are the dreams I dreamed In the days of my youth They took me to illusion when they Promised me the truth And what do sleepers need to make them listen, Why do they need more proof? This is a strange, this is a strange affair Won't you give me an answer? Why is your heart so hard Towards the one who loves you best? When the man with the answer Has wakened you, and warned you, And called you to the test Wake up from your sleep that builds Like clouds upon your eyes And win back the life you had That's now a dream of lies Turn your back on yourself and if you follow, You'll win the lover's prize This is a strange, this is a strange affair

[@NorthCrayMalcolm]

Blimey. A guitar solo for Simon. A very rare occurrence as a member of Richard Thompson Band. And a good job he makes of it too.

[@NewWaver80014]

This is incredibly beautiful - June Tabor's is magnificent too. Just my 0.02, but listing these under Richard's name alone does Linda an incredible dis-service.

[@ronwurzer5138]

Very true.

[@troygaspard6732]

Hauntingly good. Both of them in prime and at their best.

[@PeteD1884]

I heard and felt this song at a Richard Thompson solo concert in 2011. So, 30-some years later this song is still moving.

[@michaelbrownstein8710]

Why isn't Linda's name mentioned up top? She is fabulous here, full of feeling. She makes the song.

[@fscofi]

It is exquisitely beautiful work of art.

[@Eyesayah]

According to Allmusic, 'possibly the saddest and most beautiful of all the sad and beautiful songs written by Linda's ex-husband Richard'. Good to find it here. Thanks you, Joni.

[@timpipe]

Check out June Tabor's take on this song. It is wondrous as well.

[@fscofi]

This is and has been on my playlist for my celebration of my living and passage to whatever shall be. Take care of yourselves .

[@alexithymia9337]

Great!

[@ChrisSmith-xh9wb]

This is so much better than the studio version. Better arrangement, inspired guitar licks, an impassioned vocal by Linda and also the missing third verse. I hope that one day this version will be added to a remixed version of First Light or otherwise included in a retrospective set.

[@pdadamo1]

Love the missing verse

[@sittingbulldk]

Lovely song - great musicality - super RT and backing band performance.

[@58landman]

What a cheerful tune!

[@hni7458]

Linda has one of the best voices I've ever heard - they were a VERY strong team, one of the best here as well. And to be honest - while RT has been my primary god since the early 70s - Linda's last few decades have been at the very least equal to RT's.

[@TomRAFC]

mattacks, nicol and pegg formed the backing band for richard and lindas tour, richard and linda were at the begging of the deterioration of their marriage which finally ended in late '81

[@ChrisSmith-xh9wb]

It makes me think what a fantastic band Fairport convention would have been if Linda had joined to replace Sandy. Once Richard left, the band began a slow decline, but with this line up things could have been so different.

[@thealexandersir]

I just read the crime novel book "Strange Affair" written by Peter Robinson. The character, Police Officer Inspecter Banks, refers to this song throughout the novel. Quite unique. Awesome song Richard! I'm impressed!

[@flexnetuser2268]

Scottie Alexander Darbishire Ha, same here! And Linda looks like the Penny he describes in the book.

[@DavidTxxxx]

I have loved this song for ages … and, having seen your comment above, I have now read Peter Robinson's "Strange Affair". Thank you.

[@yaseenarchuletta]

This is actually written By a great Sufi Saint from Morocco. Sidi Fudul Rahim Allah

[@cormacmacassery4702]

Damn, Linda is awesome! For some reason, I thought Martin Carthy was also in the back-up... maybe its the following year?

[@j.j.staples4687]

Superb! Thank you for posting this. It's closer to the version on Doom and Gloom From the Tomb (Flypaper cassette) that I first heard than the one on the First Light album. It's really great to hear the third verse again.

[@danielboy3635]

J.J. Staples 0

[@drhintjens4915]

Richard and Linda Thompson were Sufi at this time. Very. Lovely stuff.

[@jj9homer]

Linda left with some understandable bitterness but RT is still a Sufi Muslim

[@shahfuhaid]

This poem is originally written in Arabic by Muslim mystic Si Fudul al-hawari(May God give him peace) from Fez, Morocco.

[@robertm7071]

God give him peace, indeed……and you,too.

[@bggrice]

Very powerful.

[@mysterysurf]

Lovely -- thanks very much for posting this one.

[@niallcarr9253]

Ageless beauty

[@Eyesayah]

@adjrean57 I took our exchange as play. 'Turning your back on yourself' brought to mind for me the notion of putting others first.

[@latenightpilgrim]

@fscofi too right what a fab song !

[@TomRAFC]

sublimely accompanied by martin simpson might i add!

[@mistermousterian]

ever see that footage of a Paris 1970 gig by F.C. sans Denny? Swarbs, amazing.

[@paulknight6089]

1980

[@mistermousterian]

add Swarb to this lineup, love to see that

[@Eyesayah]

@adjrean57 Those exclamation points, like daggers in my heart. Well, time wounds all heels. You are right of course, famous in his own right and very deserving too, in my opinion. Here he does not appear to be turning his back upon himself as the song lyrics suggest.

[@latenightpilgrim]

@fscofi too right!!

[@TomRAFC]

what lineup isn't improved by swarbs?

[@TomRAFC]

i was reffering to the june tabor version not this one

[@ricardoluisbritto]

Holy sheet! And it is told the lyrics was based on a Sufi poem. I guess by the 70ies and 80ies Islam didn't have the tints of blood it has nowadays.

[@chrisbasile]

The Sufi wisdom and poetry remains untainted to this day, in my view, just as the wisdom and poetry of Jesus remains untainted.

[@flexnetuser2268]

chrisbasile True.