The Songs of Richard Thompson Part III: "Shoot Out the Lights"

This is one of the great songs about Darkness, and it's the dark centerpiece of Richard and Linda Thompson's classic "Shoot out the Lights" album from 1982. According to some reports it was inspired by the movie "Apocalypse Now" and by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.. I don't quite see this myself, but hey - it's quite nice to imagine it.... it COULD probably be seen as a mythic metaphor for a war-like situation.

Traditionally Thompson does this as a heavily distorted guitar workout when playing with his band, but he's also quite good at playing a sparse solo version. I'll post a solo version here because it's the most haunting I could find on youtube. But you definitely should check out the version from the original album.

solo live version:


SHOOT OUT THE LIGHTS
(from the 1982 album "Shoot Out the Lights")

"In the dark, who can see his face?
In the dark, who can reach him?
He hides like a child. He hides like a child.
Keeps his finger on the trigger
You know he can't stand the day
Shoot out the lights. Shoot out the lights

Keep the blind down on the window
Ah, keep the pain on the inside
Just watching the dark. Just watching the dark
Ah he might laugh but you won't see him
As he thunders through the night
Shoot out the lights. Shoot out the lights

In the darkness the shadows move
In the darkness the game is real
Real as a gun. Real as a gun
As he watches the lights of the city
And he moves through the night
Shoot out the lights. Shoot out the lights
Shoot out the lights. Ah, shoot out the lights"