The Richard Thompson Lyric that Was Tailor-Made for His Ex-Wife Linda to Sing

The amazing Richard Thompson has enjoyed a long, storied career that has taken him through many distinct eras. There was his time with the folk-rock pioneers Fairport Convention, as well as his solo work, during which the British artist’s music has become a favorite of Americana fans.

In between that was the decade or so of work with his then-wide Linda Thompson as a duo, a stretch that provided some of the finest music of that era. “Withered and Died,” the aching ballad found on their first album I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight (1974), epitomizes this one-of-a-kind working relationship.

A Solo Act Becomes a Duo

Feeling burnt out from the hard work it had taken trying to get Fairport Convention off the ground, Richard Thompson decided to go his own way in the early ’70s. After spending a bit of time doing session work as an ace guitarist, he released his debut solo album (Henry the Human Fly) in 1972.

But Thompson wasn’t satisfied with the results. For his next album, he invited Linda (whom he had married in 1972) to sing on it, not just as backing but as a lead vocalist. This was done on a whim and without really telling the record company his plans. When he reemerged with I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, it was credited to both Linda and him.

That also allowed Richard to inject his guitar work much more into the music than he had on his solo debut. And his new musical partner also gave life to his songwriting. When speaking about “Withered and Died” for Life of the Record, he explained how wrote it with the intention of it being a showcase for Linda:

“I can’t remember where the phrase came from, it’s a quote from somewhere, it’s a poem or it’s a piece of literature somewhere. But I forget the source. And I think I was looking for something that really suited Linda’s voice and the emotion of Linda’s voice. And I think that does the trick.”

The Meaning of the Lyrics to “Withered and Died”

“Withered and Died” has become a folk classic performed by many artists through the years. But it’s impossible to top the original. Richard’s guitar work is exquisite in the breaks. Linda’s voice naturally contained a plaintive sway to it, so all she had to do was simply deliver the lyrics without much embellishment to make for a mesmerizing performance.

The refrain of My dreams have withered and died waits at the end of each verse. It’s such a devastating admission for the narrator to make, because it represents the cessation of hope for any kind of happy future. Reasons for her malaise are many, starting with the unforgiving nature of her surroundings: This cruel country has driven me down / Teased me and lied, teased me and lied / I’ve only sad stories to tell of this town.

Romantic issues have also bedeviled her, as she compares a broken affair to a child’s game gone awry: Then I struck up with a boy from the west / Played run and hide, played run and hide / Count on to ten and he’s gone with the rest. All this is in contrast to what her life had been: Once I was bending the tops of the trees / Kind words in my ears, kind faces to see.

In the third verse, she explains her fleeting attempts at pleasure can’t fill the void: Steal from the bed of a good friend of mine. She envies a simple creature whose life might be brief, but at least not wracked with the torment she faces: If I was a butterfly, live for a day / I could be free just blowing away.

Richard and Linda Thompson released six albums together, finishing with the 1982 masterpiece Shoot Out the Lights before both their musical partnership and marriage ended. “Withered and Died” showed that their winning formula was intact right from the beginning, even as the song depicted the heartbreak of a born loser.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Photo by Alan Messer/Shutterstock