The Lyric That Put Richard and Linda Thompson Out on the High Wire

Building a song via an extended metaphor is a tricky bit of business. Make the metaphor too obvious, and it can come off as clunky. But you also have to be sure that you don’t bury your intended meaning too far beneath the symbol that you’re using to signify it.

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If you want a master class in the technique, check out “The Great Valerio”. Expertly written by Richard Thompson and hauntingly sung by Linda Thompson, the song, like its main character, walks an impressive tightrope of its own.

It Takes Two

Richard Thompson was supposed to be making a second solo album in 1973. The former member of Fairport Convention had released a debut called Henry The Human Fly that came and went quietly. While the record company wasn’t looking, he began working with his newlywed wife, Linda, on his sophomore release.

Richard wrote the songs and tended to the guitar work while trading off lead vocals with Linda from song to song. The approach worked masterfully on the record, which would eventually be titled I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight. It was finally released in 1974, after the record label sat on it for close to a year.

“The Great Valerio” acts as the stunning closing track, featuring just Richard on acoustic guitar and Linda on lead vocal. In an interview with LifeOfTheRecord.com, Richard explained how a museum exhibit dedicated to a famous trapeze artist made him think about the particular power of spiritual gurus, who were quite prevalent as folks sought to find their way in the world in the mid-70s:

“And I thought, ‘Well, there’s the high wire act up there and everyone’s looking at this person with admiration and wonder.’ And I thought, ‘Well, you know, that could almost be like a spiritual teacher. That could be a spiritual leader up there. And we all aspire to do that. But look what it takes to do that. Look at the nerve you need. And look at the concentration you need. You can’t lapse in concentration for a second. What does it take to do that? What does it take to be that person?’”

Examining the Lyrics of “The Great Valerio”

The descriptions of tightrope walking in “The Great Valerio” come off as so vivid and suspenseful that the song can work even if you don’t know the deep meaning behind it. “The rope seems hung from cloud to cloud,” Linda sings. “And time stands still while he is walking.” The open spaces between the words and guitar enhance the effect. We, the listeners, also sit at the edge of our seats, wondering what will happen next.

“Alone and peaceful as a mountain,” the narrator describes Valerio, hinting at the isolation that spiritual leaders must accept. Compare that to the rest of humanity fumbling about in their lives: “We falter at the sight/We stumble in the mire.” But, with the right guidance, we can get to that peaceful place as well: “Till our hearts turn like the seasons/And we are acrobats of love.”

In the final verse, Richard’s lyrics suggest that everyday people have to be ready to take up the mantle of goodwill. “Who will help the tightrope walker/When he tumbles to the net?” Linda cries. The aspirations of the crowd soar in the chorus: “We would all be that great hero/The Great Valerio”.

With that, one of the most unheralded masterpieces of the 70s comes to a close. “The Great Valerio” may wow with his derring-do. But it’s nothing compared to the amazing feats pulled off by Richard and Linda Thompson on that record.

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