Richard Thompson offers a Taliban's-eye view of the West

As a middle-aged white Brit and long time converted Sufi Muslim and one of the top dozen most brilliant composers and guitar players of the rock era, Richard Thompson would be expected to have something interesting to say in the current world situation. Oh, yes he does.

"The Outside of the Inside" is the next to last track of his new album The Old Kit Bag. I first heard it live at the 2002 Indianapolis Jazz Fest, where he explained that it offered "a Taliban's-eye view of the West." What jumped out at me standing in the blowing rain that day was the denunciation of Einstein and his "devious mathematics."

This song probably isn't his catchiest pop song, but the quiet drama of the tune will draw you in on repeated listenings, especially tied to the brilliantly bilous poetry of the lyrics, and the Middle Eastern/British folk tone of the ominous (yet largely acoustic) guitar interplay. The more you listen to it, the more interesting it will likely seem, very unique sound.

It's all quite emotionally effective in establishing the feelings of pious hatred of a Muslim radical. It's 10 times more musically interesting than Springsteen's mushy "Paradise" song, and 20 times more emotionally intense.

The Outside Of The Inside

God never listened to Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker lived in vain
Blasphemer, womanizer
Let a needle numb his brain
Wash away his "Monkey Music"
Damn his demons, damn his pain

What's the point of Albert Einstein?
What do we need physics for?
Heresy's his inspiration
Which side was he working for?
Curse his devious mathematics
Curse his deadly atom war

There's a message on the wind
Calling me to glory somewhere
There are signs too deep for the dumb
Like perfume in the air
And when I get to heaven
I won't realize that I'm there

Shakespeare, Isaac Newton
Small ideas for little boys
Add them to the senseless chatter
Add them to the background noise
Hard to hear my oratory
Hard to hear my inner voice

Van Gogh, Botticelli
Scraping paint onto a board
Color is the fuel of madness
That's no way to praise the Lord
Gray's the color of the pious
Knelt upon the misericord

There's a message on the wind
Calling me to glory somewhere
There are signs too deep for the dumb
Like perfume in the air
And when I get to heaven
I won't realize I'm there

I'm familiar with the cover
I don't need to read the book
I police the world of action
Inside's where I never look
Got no time to help the worthless
Lotus-eaters, mandarins, crooks

There's a message on the wind
Calling me to glory somewhere
There are signs too deep for the dumb
Like perfume in the air
And when I get to heaven
I won't realize that I'm there

This is not Thompson's first song about Muslim radicals, however. If you're up for buying one album, you might just download "The Outside of the Inside" and buy a copy of his classic 1982 album Shoot Out the Lights, most often regarded as his best.

The title song tells the first person tale of a sniper in the hillside, shooting at the highway. It does not specifically address Muslim related issues, but it was inspired by the desperate mujahadeen resisting the Soviet occupation. It's real curious how he gets such expression from his guitar of the mental state of the sniper, without playing blues or going into any real frenzy. Indeed, live bootlegs of the song demonstrate how well he can sell the song solo with an acoustic guitar.

Just for a change of flavor, after the heavy emotional tone of these Richard Thompson classics, you might want to cool out with a DOWNLOAD of something a touch lighter in the way of a judgmental God: "My God Don't Take No Crap" This little gutbucket country stomp probably isn't as emotionally profound as Richard Thompson, but it sure is catchy.

Your god's so kind and loving
Your god's just makes me sick
I slap him in the face
He turns the other cheek
He says that he forgives me
I say, man you're a freak
I think I ought to kick his ass for being such a geek

RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON PHOTOS - FAIRPORT CONVENTION PHOTOS

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