Rumor and Sigh
Encyclopedia
Rumor and Sigh is an album by Richard Thompson released in 1991.
This album is one of the artistic high-points of Richard Thompson's career, and is his most commercially successful album to date. On its release it garnered the usual critical superlatives given to Thompson but sales were also healthy - helped by Capitol's commitment to promoting an artist they regarded as a prestigious signing and by Rumor And Sigh’s nomination for a Grammy Award in the "Alternative Rock" category (an award eventually won by REM).
The album represents the third collaboration between Thompson and producer Mitchell Froom
. It shows Thompson's broad stylistic range to good effect, and includes what has become his best-loved song - "1952 Vincent
Black Lightning". This is a tale of star-crossed lovers and the motor bike
that brings them together set in a traditional English melody and structure and played in a style reminiscent of early 20th century American folk music. It is a perennial favourite with his fans and is regularly played by Thompson in concert. The song was subsequently a big hit on the bluegrass charts for Del McCoury
, and has become a modern bluegrass standard, well known by musicians otherwise unfamiliar with Richard Thompson.
"Backlash Love Affair" weds medieval horns to a piece of cod heavy-metal, "Why Must I Plead" combines soul with a country fiddle, and "Keep Your Distance" has a hurdy gurdy
solo by Thompson. Thompson also takes a wry dig at himself and simultaneously pays a tribute to one of his influences in "Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shand
s".
In a 2005 interview on South African radio station SAFM Thompson explained that the albums that he considered "successful" were those where the finished product most closely matched his initial concept. Rumor And Sigh, he said, was one of his most successful records by this yardstick.
This album is one of the artistic high-points of Richard Thompson's career, and is his most commercially successful album to date. On its release it garnered the usual critical superlatives given to Thompson but sales were also healthy - helped by Capitol's commitment to promoting an artist they regarded as a prestigious signing and by Rumor And Sigh’s nomination for a Grammy Award in the "Alternative Rock" category (an award eventually won by REM).
The album represents the third collaboration between Thompson and producer Mitchell Froom
Mitchell Froom
-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
. It shows Thompson's broad stylistic range to good effect, and includes what has become his best-loved song - "1952 Vincent
Vincent Motorcycles
Vincent Motorcycles was a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1928 to 1955. Their 1948 Black Shadow was at the time the world's fastest production motorcycle...
Black Lightning". This is a tale of star-crossed lovers and the motor bike
Vincent Black Lightning
The Black Lightning was a Vincent motorcycle designed and built in September 1948 at the Vincent works in Great North Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK, and produced from 1948 to 1952...
that brings them together set in a traditional English melody and structure and played in a style reminiscent of early 20th century American folk music. It is a perennial favourite with his fans and is regularly played by Thompson in concert. The song was subsequently a big hit on the bluegrass charts for Del McCoury
Del McCoury
Delano Floyd McCoury is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo respectively...
, and has become a modern bluegrass standard, well known by musicians otherwise unfamiliar with Richard Thompson.
"Backlash Love Affair" weds medieval horns to a piece of cod heavy-metal, "Why Must I Plead" combines soul with a country fiddle, and "Keep Your Distance" has a hurdy gurdy
Hurdy gurdy
The hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin...
solo by Thompson. Thompson also takes a wry dig at himself and simultaneously pays a tribute to one of his influences in "Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shand
Jimmy Shand
Sir James Shand MBE was a Scottish musician who played traditional Scottish dance music on the accordion.-Early life:...
s".
In a 2005 interview on South African radio station SAFM Thompson explained that the albums that he considered "successful" were those where the finished product most closely matched his initial concept. Rumor And Sigh, he said, was one of his most successful records by this yardstick.
Track listing
All songs written by Richard Thompson- "Read About Love"
- "I Feel So Good"
- "I Misunderstood"
- "Grey Walls"
- "You Dream Too Much"
- "Why Must I Plead"
- "1952 Vincent Black Lightning"
- "Backlash Love Affair"
- "Mystery Wind"
- "Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands"
- "Keep Your Distance"
- "Mother Knows Best"
- "God Loves A Drunk"
- "Psycho Street"
Personnel
- Richard Thompson - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, hurdy gurdyHurdy gurdyThe hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin... - Mitchell FroomMitchell Froom-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Jerry ScheffJerry ScheffJerry Obern Scheff is an American bassist, perhaps best known for his work with Elvis Presley in the early 1970s as a member of his TCB Band and his work on The Doors' final recordings....
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Mickey CurryMickey CurryMichael Timothy Curry is an American drummer. He is best known for his long-term collaboration with the singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, although he has also worked with Hall & Oates, Cher, Tina Turner, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Sam Phillips, Tom Waits, The Cult, Steve Jones and...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Jim KeltnerJim KeltnerJames Lee "Jim" Keltner is an American drummer known primarily for his session work. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Alex AcuñaAlex AcuñaAlejandro Neciosup Acuña aka Alex Acuña is a Peruvian drummer and percussionist, in the Afro-Cuban jazz style.Born in Pativilca, Peru, Acuña played in local bands from the age of ten, and moved to Lima as a teenager. At the age of eighteen he joined the band of Perez Prado, and in 1967 he moved...
- percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Christine CollisterChristine CollisterChristine Collister is a Manx folk, blues and jazz singer-songwriter. She was born and grew up on the Isle of Man and first came to public attention in 1986 as the singer of the theme song for the BBC's television adaptation of Fay Weldon's book The Life and Loves of a She-Devil.Prior to this, in...
and Clive GregsonClive GregsonClive Gregson is an English singer/songwriter, musician and record producer. He has toured in bands, provided backup for well-known musicians, and written songs that have been covered by Kim Carnes, Norma Waterson and Nanci Griffith.-Solo:At the end of 1984 Gregson released his first solo record,...
- backing vocals - John Kirkpatrick - accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, concertinaConcertinaA concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It has a bellows and buttons typically on both ends of it. When pressed, the buttons travel in the same direction as the bellows, unlike accordion buttons which travel perpendicularly to it...
, backing vocals - Phil PickettPhilip PickettPhilip Pickett is an English musician, recorder player and director of early music ensembles, notably The New London Consort.- Student days :...
- shawmShawmThe shawm was a medieval and Renaissance musical instrument of the woodwind family made in Europe from the 12th century until the 17th century. It was developed from the oriental zurna and is the predecessor of the modern oboe. The body of the shawm was usually turned from a single piece of wood,...
, crumhornCrumhornThe crumhorn is a musical instrument of the woodwind family, most commonly used during the Renaissance period. In modern times, there has been a revival of interest in Early Music, and crumhorns are being played again....
, recorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple... - Simon NicolSimon NicolSimon John Breckenridge Nicol is a guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founder member of British folk rock, or electric folk group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the band...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...