1986 Songs: Valerie

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First things first: this is NOT the Steve Winwood song (which came out in 1982, not 1986). As for popularity, you might as well go back to 1976. You only know this guy by name (at best), or as the writing of “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.” But I love him. And, as I said in the preface to this month’s look at the music from 40 years ago, it was a year that shoved me deep in the weeds of music. Come on in, the water’s fine! Valerie - Richard Thompson More precisely, Richard Thompson, OBE. So at least I’m not the only one who’s heard of him. Yeah, I know that his voice (he sings with a British accent, doesn’t try to “Americanize” his voice) is an acquired taste. But DANG this man can play guitar. And he is astonishing live. I saw him solo, which personally I think is the best way to see him because his guitar skills shine so brightly when it’s just him and it on the stage. He also has a brilliant sense of humor (or humour, as he’s a Brit ). He goes from heartbreak songs like “Beeswing” to the hilarious “Woman or Man?” (which is about the same thing that the Kinks’ “Lola” is about). And, one of my favorite things, he’s detailed in his lyrics. You hear the story about “young James Adie” in sometimes graphic detail (“shotgun blast hit his chest, left nothing inside”) in “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.” That’s evident here in this song (“she’s got a scar down here”) about a woman who’s into spending money on “plastic shoes and 57 things she’s never gonna use.” We’ve just begun to wade in the forest of 1986 classics. Wait until you see the top ten…with a whopping one “hit” in it. Meanwhile, enjoy one of my favorite performers. Valerie Written by Richard Thompson Recorded by Richard Thompson From Daring Adventures, 1986 Leopard skin this, tiger skin that: