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1952 Vincent Black Lightning Lyrics by Richard Thompson

Action Packed - The Best of the Capitol Years

1991

[Verse 1]
Oh, says Red Molly to James, "That's a fine motorbike
A girl could feel special on any such like"
Says James to Red Molly, "My hat's off to you
It's a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952
And I've seen you at the corners and cafés, it seems
Red hair and black leather, my favourite colour scheme"
And he pulled her on behind
And down to Box Hill they did ride
[Verse 2]
Oh, says James to Red Molly, "Here's a ring for your right hand
But I'll tell you in earnest I'm a dangerous man
For I've fought with the law since I was seventeen
I robbed many a man to get my Vincent machine
Now I'm twenty-one years, I might make twenty-two
And I don't mind dying, but for the love of you
And if fate should break my stride
Then I give you my Vincent to ride"
[Verse 3]
"Come down, come down, Red Molly," called Sergeant McRae
"For they've taken young James Adie for armed robbery
Shotgun blast hit his chest, left nothing inside
Oh, come down, Red Molly to his dying bedside"
When she came to the hospital, there wasn't much left
He was running out of road, he was running out of breath
But he smiled to see her cry
And said, "I give you my Vincent to ride"
[Verse 4]
Says James, "In my opinion, there's nothing in this world
Beats a '52 Vincent and a red-headed girl
Now Nortons and Indians and Greeveses won't do
Ah, they don't have a soul like a Vincent '52"
Oh, he reached for her hand and he slipped her the keys
Said, "I've got no further use for these
I see angels on Ariels in leather and chrome
Swooping down from heaven to carry me home"
And he gave her one last kiss and died
And he gave her his Vincent to ride
Credits
Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson

About “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” by Richard Thompson

Read the complete lyrics to "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Richard Thompson from the album "Action Packed - The Best of the Capitol Years" in 1991. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Singer-Songwriter, England, UK.

"1952 Vincent Black Lightning" is performed by Richard Thompson. from the album "Action Packed - The Best of the Capitol Years" in 1991 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "1952 Vincent Black Lightning", explore more songs by Richard Thompson using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"1952 Vincent Black Lightning" is credited to Richard Thompson. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"1952 Vincent Black Lightning" appears on "Action Packed - The Best of the Capitol Years" in 1991.

Visit the Richard Thompson artist page at /artist/richard-thompson for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.