Search - Richard & Linda Thompson :: Hokey Pokey (Mlps)

This is *really* what it's all about...

William M. Feagin | Upstate New York, USA | 12/13/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...not sticking your leg in and shaking it all about, thank you. A little historical perspective: "Hokey Pokey" here, subtitled "The Ice Cream Song," refers to a bastardised version of the Italian for "Ice cream--I have some," a frequent cry of ice cream sellers on the streets of New York City and elsewhere early in the 20th Century. Trust Richard Thompson to come up with the most double entendre-laden song to ever come from something so innocent!



This, the second album Richard and Linda made together (from a total of six), tends to get rather short shrift in Thompson's catalogue--more's the pity, as this is quite a fine album. Linda's vocals are as good as ever, and she sings lead on more than half of the tracks here. Aly Bain's fiddle drives the title cut along with some searing leads from RT, and Richard's darkly humourous (and sometimes just plain dark) lyrics take quite the twist here--note the punning "turn a blind eye" lyric in "Smiffy's Glass Eye," which is about a young boy who is the perennial school bully's victim for having a prosthetic orb; or his rather backhanded paean to whiskey in "I'll Regret it All in the Morning." And how about his ode to the many kinds of poverty in "The Sun Never Shines on the Poor"?



Of the original 10 tracks, there is but one cover, the wryly humourous closer "Mole in a Hole," written by Mike Waterson. Then we come to the five bonus tracks included on the remaster; of these, three are covers, the best being Merle Haggard's "I'm Turning Off a Memory" (to whose drinking-to-forget lyrics Linda does full justice--one might be tempted to say she missed her calling by not making a career singing country music, but then when was the last time you heard of a British C&W singer?) and the rollicking "It'll Be Me." This is unquestionably a must-have."

Another gem from the first Thompson Twins

Wayne Klein | My Little Blue Window, USA | 02/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"OK, so they weren't really twins but Linda often said they sounded like siblings when they harmonized. Don't dwell on it too much it could get creepy if you do. Anyhow, another great album from the duo, "Hokey Pokey" features Thompson's brilliant double entendre comparing ice cream to sex. According to Thompson, "A little poke is all you'll need" although you'll get greedy after hearing this song and want to hear every single track. AMG rates this as four stars stating that it doesn't reach the "lofty heights" of "Lights". I disagree. It remains a stunning album that might be a bit sunnier than "Lights" but every bit as captivating.



The reissue has 5 bonus tracks four of them from John Peel BBC sessions that have never been released. Linda's beautiful vocal on the remake of "Wishing" and the remake of Merle Haggard's "I'm Turning Off a Memory" both only enrich an already great album. "A Heart Needs A Home" sounds terrific here as well with We also get the title track from the album played live at the Roundhouse. The sonics on the BBC sessions aren't quite as stellar as those on the album but that's not a surprise. The album is rounded out by "It'll Be Me" recorded live (and previously released) live at Oxford is taken from "Guitar, Vocal".



Featuring the lyrics to the songs and some brief liner notes this is worthwhile picking up if you have the previous edition primarily for the previously unreleased tracks although the sound is extremely good as well."

5 stars for the music, 2 stars for re-mastering

greyhoundude | Corvallis, OR | 11/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my favorite of the R&L Thompson albums and I was looking forward to the bonus tracks (good) and the newly re-mastered recordings. Anyone else think this album now sounds worse than ever? My LP sounds better, the bonus tracks I have from other sources and the original Ryko issue of this CD sounds at LEAST as good as this so-called "re-mastered" issue. Disappointing, to say the least.



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