God Loves A Drunk

raysachs · #1 02-25-2024, 02:26 PM

This is one of my favorite Richard Thompson songs, one of his beautiful darker tunes. It has a certain amount of personal meaning to me - one side of my wife's family was rife with alcoholic men, most of them reasonably functional, but one of her brothers was anything but. In addition to many other problems, he fathered a child that neither he or the mother were in any way able to care for, so the responsibility fell to my wife and I, and to some extent, to her (and his) parents. This child was damaged and limited from day 1, we did everything we could for him at great cost to our family, but ultimately were not able to help him much beyond giving him a safe and loving home for the years he lived with us. I held a LOT of anger toward this brother-in-law for many years for bringing a child into the world who never had a chance, and for the cost to our otherwise very happy family for the disruption helping raise his child brought to us.

Richard Thompson released this song on "Rumor and Sigh" in the early 90's, when we were going through some of the worst of this. And it's lyrics and haunting music helped me start on a long process of accepting and forgiving my brother in law for a condition that he ultimately had no more control over than I've had over asthma or other congenital health problems. Our nephew died a few years ago at age 30 and my brother in law died last year at 64. This song continues to hold great meaning for me, in addition to being the sadly beautiful work of one of my favorite artists. I don't do it much justice, but I love the song and play it quite often. This is it stripped down to its barest bones.

-Ray

Rudy4 · #2 02-25-2024, 07:40 PM

Nice job on the RT song, Ray. Deep and meaningful, darker fare for sure.

I routinely play "Demon Alcohol" from the Kinks catalog if you want to consider one that is a bit lighter and playful, but still with an underlying message.

raysachs · #3 02-26-2024, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Nice job on the RT song, Ray. Deep and meaningful, darker fare for sure.

I routinely play "Demon Alcohol" from the Kinks catalog if you want to consider one that is a bit lighter and playful, but still with an underlying message.

Thanks Rudy. I love the Kinks, but I'm not familiar with that tune. I'll check it out. Although, honestly, I'm not looking for lighter and playful when thinking about this situation/issue. I like RT's rather unsparing take on it.

-Ray

started with 1 · #4 02-26-2024, 09:11 AM

Thanks for this Ray. Painful personal and honest. That’s great art.

raysachs · #5 02-26-2024, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by started with 1

Thanks for this Ray. Painful personal and honest. That’s great art.

Thanks much Joe. I appreciate the listen and the kind words...

-Ray

FrankHudson · #6 02-26-2024, 12:36 PM

Like you I love that song and RT, though I've never attempted to perform it. Listening to your honest version after your explanation of why you perform it added something more to it.

raysachs · #7 02-26-2024, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

Like you I love that song and RT, though I've never attempted to perform it. Listening to your honest version after your explanation of why you perform it added something more to it.

Thanks for checking it out Frank. I really love his darkest stuff, for some reason. God Loves A Drunk and The End Of The Rainbow seem of a piece to me and are two of my favorite of his songs. Aside from the connection noted in this OP, neither of them really have anything at all to do with my life. I have two wonderful grandkids and a third due in a little over a month and the sentiments in The End Of The Rainbow couldn't be farther from my feelings, but yet I love that depressing song. Maybe it's because they seem so authentic to him? I don't know - I love his less dark stuff too, but those hold a special place for me.

-Ray

Glennwillow · #8 02-27-2024, 03:48 PM

Dang, Ray,

What a story behind this song for you! Sometimes music helps us deal with life, maybe sometimes music just helps us to mark a place we have had to get over. I'm sorry for the impact that alcoholism has had on you and your family. I do admire and salute the efforts and sacrifices you and your wife and family made in the life of your nephew.

- Glenn

raysachs · #9 02-27-2024, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

Dang, Ray,

What a story behind this song for you! Sometimes music helps us deal with life, maybe sometimes music just helps us to mark a place we have had to get over. I'm sorry for the impact that alcoholism has had on you and your family. I do admire and salute the efforts and sacrifices you and your wife and family made in the life of your nephew.

- Glenn

Thanks for giving it a listen Glenn. It’s not a song I play or sing particularly well, but it’s one I always come back to if I haven’t played it for a while…

-Ray

Railroad Bum · #10 03-02-2024, 05:47 AM

Ray, Richard Thompson is such a genius. That's a truly beautiful song, and I like your version of it. It's really honest and obviously means a lot to you. That's what music is about in the end to me. Thank you for sharing. I have been sick as heck for the last week or so, so I haven't looked at this site much of late.

KevWind · #11 03-02-2024, 08:23 AM

Hey Ray. thanks for posting this
I can identify to some extent. My own family had problems with alcohol both my mother and father were functioning alcoholics. And both my brother and I started down that path from our late teens, but we were both able to to finally stop in our mid 40's

raysachs · #12 03-02-2024, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Railroad Bum

Ray, Richard Thompson is such a genius. That's a truly beautiful song, and I like your version of it. It's really honest and obviously means a lot to you. That's what music is about in the end to me. Thank you for sharing. I have been sick as heck for the last week or so, so I haven't looked at this site much of late.

Sorry to hear you’ve been sick, Tim. Hope you’re doing better. Thanks for checking this out. Richard Thompson has been among my favorites since I first became aware of him in the early 80s with “Shoot Out The Lights”. I think I’ve seen him more often that anyone other than The Dead, Bruce, and maybe Robert Cray. I love him in any context but solo acoustic probably the most. I saw him once after Mock Tudor, just him and his guitar, and he had that place in the palm of his hand. Such a master! Incredible songwriter and guitarist and I personally love his singing too, although it will chase my wife to the next county - she can’t stand the sound of his voice…

-Ray

raysachs · #13 03-02-2024, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevWind

Hey Ray. thanks for posting this
I can identify to some extent. My own family had problems with alcohol both my mother and father were functioning alcoholics. And both my brother and I started down that path from our late teens, but we were both able to to finally stop in our mid 40's

Hey Kev, thanks for checking it out. Addiction in any form is hard on everyone around it. My brother in law never really had a chance and his son had less than no chance. A really sad thing to deal with. I’m the least addictive person I know, but it’s an issue I’ve had to deal with for most of my life… This song does an amazing job of raising the drunk up to a level of understanding and brings the rest of us down a couple of pegs too.

-Ray

Rudy4 · #14 03-02-2024, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raysachs

Thanks for checking it out Frank. I really love his darkest stuff, for some reason. God Loves A Drunk and The End Of The Rainbow seem of a piece to me and are two of my favorite of his songs. Aside from the connection noted in this OP, neither of them really have anything at all to do with my life. I have two wonderful grandkids and a third due in a little over a month and the sentiments in The End Of The Rainbow couldn't be farther from my feelings, but yet I love that depressing song. Maybe it's because they seem so authentic to him? I don't know - I love his less dark stuff too, but those hold a special place for me.

-Ray

The dark side of his catalog does hold a lot of appeal for many, including myself. It's interesting that "I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight" seems to be the peak of the RT "Gloom And Doom" catalog. From that same album I've often sung "We Sing Halllelujah". After passing the 70 year mark it seems to have particular relevance to me!

Noticed the last comment for the posted video is from the actual player of the alto krumhorn featured on the track!

Railroad Bum · #15 03-04-2024, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raysachs

Sorry to hear you’ve been sick, Tim. Hope you’re doing better. Thanks for checking this out. Richard Thompson has been among my favorites since I first became aware of him in the early 80s with “Shoot Out The Lights”. I think I’ve seen him more often that anyone other than The Dead, Bruce, and maybe Robert Cray. I love him in any context but solo acoustic probably the most. I saw him once after Mock Tudor, just him and his guitar, and he had that place in the palm of his hand. Such a master! Incredible songwriter and guitarist and I personally love his singing too, although it will chase my wife to the next county - she can’t stand the sound of his voice…

-Ray

Man, I love Thompson as well, almost everything he's done. It's funny you talk about your wife hating his voice. My ex-wife was the same way. But I love his voice, so real and emotional. My ex liked a bunch of emo crap, so there's no accounting for taste there, lol.