Richard Thompson and the late Ivor Cutler

[Edthefolkie]

I got a bit confused recently (errr...more than I usually am). 

I always thought Richard Thompson wrote music & lyrics for Wheely Down, which is on the Henry the Human Fly album.  However some website or other has credited the song to Ian Kearney and Ivor Cutler.

Presumably this has happened because Ivor and Ian performed the song on that RT tribute album whose name escapes me. But it did make me crack up because Richard don't half sound like Ivor on his original recording (with a bit of 1970's period M*rt*n C*rthy mixed in).

What the **** is the song about anyway?  Had Richard been watching The Wicker Man while drinking Adnams?  I think Wheely Down is in Hampshire, but that's the extent of my knowledge. Can any of you erudite people shed light on all this?

 

[Jim]

i always thought it was a Thommo original, i havnt checked the lp
 (edit  3 mins later)i have just checked my old lp and all the songs are thommo originals
 so hed better get the lawyers onto this

Ivor did the song on the bbc proramme about him a couple of weeks ago

[PLW (Peter)]

I think I can clear this one up. There was a Hokey Pokey charity album called The World Is a Wonderful Place on which various artists performed songs by Richard Thompson. Ivor Cutler and Ian Kearey performed Wheely Down on that album.

Unless someone knows better. . .

[Edthefolkie]

Thanks for that guys, I think it was probably some anal retentive making a genuine mistake.

Mind you, still don't know what Richard was on when he wrote it! But it's very atmospheric and reminiscent of Keith Roberts' wonderful science fiction novel Pavane (now we know a song about Pavanes don't we!)

Cheers - Ed

[x]

hi ed,
wonderful song is wheely down.very reminiscent of childhood holidays. mill on the floss perhaps?
An absolute doddle on the guitar. i just play an open G with an additional C on the B string. sounds awful on its own but it suits the song perfectly.