Henry the Human Fly

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Henry the Human Fly
Henry the Human Fly.jpg
Studio album by
Richard Thompson
ReleasedApril 1972
RecordedFebruary 1972
StudioSound Techniques, London
GenreFolk rock
Length37:01
LabelIsland
Reprise
Hannibal
Fledg'ling
ProducerRichard Thompson, John Wood
Richard Thompson chronology
Henry the Human Fly
(1972) 		I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight
(1974)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic4.5/5 stars[1]
Christgau's Record GuideA–[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music3/5 stars[3]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide3.5/5 stars[4]
Rolling Stone4/5 stars[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide3/5 stars[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide9/10[7]

Henry the Human Fly is the first solo album by British singer/songwriter/guitarist Richard Thompson.[8][9] It was released in Britain in April 1972 on the Island label and in the US on the Reprise label. The album, along with much of Thompson's work from the '70s and '80s, was reissued by Rykodisc, 1991.[6]

Thompson has stated that the album, at one point, was the worst-selling album in the Warner Bros. catalog.[10][8]

Production[]

Although Thompson's first solo album, two other ex-Fairport Convention members make appearances.[6] Linda Peters, who married Thompson shortly after the album was released, sings backup on Henry the Human Fly.[5][11]

Critical reception[]

The Spin Alternative Record Guide called the songs "tinged with perversity and populated by oddballs," writing that it "reveals Thompson as the one Fairporter most fiercely determined to redefine folk rock at every turn."[7]

Mojo counted Henry the Human Fly as one of the hundred greatest guitar albums ever produced.[12]

Track listing[]

All songs written by Richard Thompson.

  1. "Roll Over Vaughn Williams" – 4:09
  2. "Nobody’s Wedding" – 3:13
  3. "The Poor Ditching Boy" – 3:01
  4. "Shaky Nancy" – 3:26
  5. "The Angels Took My Racehorse Away" – 4:01
  6. "Wheely Down" – 3:00
  7. "The New St. George" – 2:08
  8. "Painted Ladies" – 3:31
  9. "Cold Feet" – 2:26
  10. "Mary and Joseph" – 1:38
  11. "The Old Changing Way" – 3:55
  12. "Twisted" – 1:58

Personnel[]

References[]

  1. ^ Hartenbach, Brett (2011). "Henry the Human Fly - Richard Thompson | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: T". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 16, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Volume 8: MUZE. pp. 150–151.CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1144.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Loder, Kurt (March 29, 1984). "Henry the Human Fly". Rolling Stone.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 704.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 405–406.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Richard Thompson | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  9. ^ "Richard Thompson: Quintessential Cult Artist". NPR.org.
  10. ^ "Richard Thompson". Music.
  11. ^ "Hard-Luck Stories". MTV News.
  12. ^ "North Coast Journal November 30, 2006 : THE HUM : Heartbreaker". www.northcoastjournal.com.



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