"Says Red Molly, to James, "Well that's a fine motorbike / A girl could feel special on any such like" / Says James, to Red Molly, "My hat's off to you / It's a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952..."
As I straddle the extraordinary storytelling of "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" as covered, re-imagined by Theo Kandel, I am of two worlds in terms of feeling, again, like a much younger me marveling at the one of a kind song. To be completely honest, something weird and wonderful happened when I listened to Kandel's voice, I actually heard the song as his, as something new. It was late and my world had me embroiled in familial things that involved traveling a round trip of around 100 miles and having a lot on my mind. I also had, not only the micro on my mind but the macro, the possibilities of those I know personally embroiled in a megalomaniac's deportation visions. I won't say more but my brain was foggy as hell that night and so I fully adopted, considered "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" as sung and (in my mind) even written by Theo Kandel. It is as if I, for that moment had temporary amnesia of this well known song having been written decades earlier and released in 1991 by acclaimed English singer / songwriter / guitarist Richard Thompson. I know that this is hard to comprehend but it is true. I was at a raw moment and needed an escape from two worlds in collision and Theo Kandel's artistry, as maybe taken over by an old ghost, provided that illusion.
After the first listen I was amazed how rustic a vision this song was, after the second listen I marveled at how classic it sounded and powerful in it's imagery, after the fifth listen I thought it sounded familiar and after the 10th listen I fell asleep dreaming of black and white imagery and my parents alive.
I have a hard and fast rule that I don't write about artists doing covers of songs. I have many reasons for this but the main reason is that American Pancake celebrates songwriting first and foremost. I have made an exception here because Theo Kandels cover came at a time when I truly needed it and it is such an artful passionate folk bloodletting, so faithfully felt and exceptionally played that it helped me escape and dull my worrisome concerns into something malleable, something hopeful after all. The power of art, the power of art.
Mr. Kandel, your feverish guitar playing, your intimate and strident personalization of Richard Thompson's timeless song is lovely, beyond the pale as they say. I hope you compose magnetic originals too and look forward to hearing a ditty or two.
Fun Fact: Richard Thompson's song "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" was included in Time magazine's "All-TIME 100 Songs" list of the best English-language musical compositions released between 1923 and 2011.
Speaking to the recording, Theo says, “I’ve been playing it for many, many years, and every time I’d whip it out, someone would tell me I should release it. So here it is! An incredible, heartbreaking song, written by the one and only Richard Thompson. I’ve put my own little spin on it while trying to maintain the magic of the original (and trying to play it with as much jeuje as Mr. Thompson).”
--Robb Donker Curtius
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--Robb Donker Curtius
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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://www.instagram.com/theokandel/
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https://www.theokandel.com/
Cover of Richard Thompson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.”
Speaking to the recording, Theo says, “I’ve been playing it for many, many years, and every time I’d whip it out, someone would tell me I should release it. So here it is! An incredible, heartbreaking song, written by the one and only Richard Thompson. I’ve put my own little spin on it while trying to maintain the magic of the original (and trying to play it with as much jeuje as Mr. Thompson).”
Cover of Richard Thompson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.”
Speaking to the recording, Theo says, “I’ve been playing it for many, many years, and every time I’d whip it out, someone would tell me I should release it. So here it is! An incredible, heartbreaking song, written by the one and only Richard Thompson. I’ve put my own little spin on it while trying to maintain the magic of the original (and trying to play it with as much jeuje as Mr. Thompson).”
Theo Kandel, folk, acoustic folk, indie rock, singer songwriter, guitarist, cover of "1952 Vincent Black Lightning", acclaimed artist / songwriter / guitarist Richard Thompson, storyteller, 60's music, 70's music,
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