Watching the Dark (1993)

About this title: Multi-disc box-sets usually fall into two categories -- they're either overstuffed "Greatest Hits" compilations, or packed with enough rarities to ensure loyal fans will part with their money. Since Richard Thompson's career hasn't sent him perilously close to worldwide stardom, the triple-disc anthology Watching the Dark was created with the latter market in mind, and if it falls short of being the perfect overview of Thompson's wildly varied career, it's a superb set that manages the not-inconsiderable feat of drawing an accurate picture of the height and breadth of Thompson's body of work, ... read more

Tracks:

1. A Man in Need [Thompson]
2. Can't Win [Live] [Thompson]
3. Waltzing's for Dreamers [Thompson]
4. Crash the Party [Live] [Thompson]
5. I Still Dream [Thompson]
6. Bird in God's Garden/Lost and Found [Archuletta/Frith]
7. Now Be Thankful [Swarbrick/Thompson]
8. A Sailor's Life [Traditional]
9. Genesis Hall [Thompson]
10. The Knife Edge [Thompson]
11. Walking on a Wire [Thompson]
12. Small Town Romance [Live] [Thompson]
13. Shepherd's March/Maggie Cameron [Live] [TRADITIONAL]
14. Wall of Death [Thompson]
15. For Shame of Doing Wrong [Thompson]
16. Back Street Slide [Thompson]
17. Strange Affair [Thompson]
18. The Wrong Heartbeat [Thompson]
19. Borrowed Time [Thompson]
20. From Galway to Graceland [Live] [Thompson]
21. Tear-Stained Letter [Live] [Thompson]
22. Keep Your Distance [Thompson]
23. Bogie's Bonnie Belle [TRADITIONAL]
24. Poor Wee Jockey Clarke [TRADITIONAL]
25. Jet Plane in a Rocking Chair [Thompson]
26. Dimming of the Day [Thompson]
27. Old Man Inside a Young Man [Thompson]
28. Never Again [Thompson]
29. Hokey Pokey [Thompson]
30. A Heart Needs a Home [Live] [Thompson]
31. Beat the Retreat [Thompson]
32. Al Bowlly's in Heaven [Live] [Thompson]
33. Walking Through a Wasted Land [Thompson]
34. When the Spell Is Broken [Live] [Thompson]
35. Devonside [Live] [Thompson]
36. Little Blue Number [Live] [Thompson]
37. I Ain't Going to Drag My Feet No More [Live] [Thompson]
38. Withered and Died [Thompson]
39. Nobody's Wedding [Thompson]
40. The Poor Ditching Boy [Thompson]
41. The Great Valerio [Thompson]
42. Twisted [Thompson]
43. Calvary Cross [Live] [Thompson]
44. Jennie [Live] [Thompson]
45. Hand of Kindness [Thompson]
46. Two Left Feet [Thompson]
47. Shoot Out the Lights [Live] [Thompson]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.