Richard Thompson Appears in a Blue Mirror Quiz

Answer: Belfast B

This song is about someone improving their life. Seems a little unlikely for a Richard Thompson song, but here the singer has definitely turned their life around. He is prepared to do whatever it takes to make his Mary happy; "for the sake of Mary".

Amongst other things, he has given up drugs, booze and had his last tattoo. He has also given up his job on board ship. The relevant lyric here being:
"I was cook first class on the Belfast B
But when she sailed, she sailed without me"

The general theme of the whole song can be summed up in the last few lines;
"I don't want to be the villain again
She's had her bad times and it's shook her about
I don't want to take the easy way out
For the sake of Mary"

Answer: Fresh from the tomb

Here we are back to a more usual theme for a Richard Thompson song, a broken relationship. In this case every time he goes to sleep, he has nightmares. In his dreams it is almost an inverse of beauty and the beast, the lady starts off looking lovely but rapidly changes.

"You smell like something fresh from the tomb
You squeeze too hard, you insist on kissing
When it seems like half your face is missing
And your hair's turned into reptiles hissing"

Answer: Racing Green

Here we have a love song, although not a song of misery it is still not your typical song of adulation. This is a love song to a car, the MGB-GT of the title. The lyrics even state; "She's the mistress of my heart now."

The song says at one point, "looks like a dream in racing green". Possibly not quite as well known as Richard Thompson's song about a Vincent Black Lightning motorbike which appeared on the 1992 album, "Rumor and Sigh", this is pure idolisation of a particular car.

Answer: Fame and love

The story here is a pair of criminals, who would like to be as famous as Bonnie and Clyde. The opening line; "Shane and Dixie they were two-bit crooks. They wanted to be famous like you read in books." Not being the most successful they, well Shane, decides that a double suicide will get them the fame he craves. Or maybe a murder-suicide, it would end up the same from his point of view.

But back to the question, the answer can found by listening to the chorus.
"Fame and love, fame and love
Fame and love will never die"

Answer: Glycerine

The subject of this song is a woman, trying to pretend that she is interested in a relationship. The singer is pointing out the various ways it shows she is not interested in someone despite the woman's best efforts to pretend otherwise.
The verse which supplies the answer will demonstrate this.
"There's glycerine in the tear. Rouge in the blush.
Your artful stammer. A little too rushed.
All passion to the eye. All cold to the touch.
And then he'll guess. Your mind has drifted in the kiss."

At least that is my interpretation it could be seen the other way round except for the way that the song ends, which follows on from the lines above.
"There's a chink in your armour. A crack in your defences.
When your iron will. Gives way to your senses.
Your whispered sweet nothings. All sound like expenses.
And that's enough. He won't believe your words of love."

Answer: Wolfhound

To resolve the question, it needs to be explained that the White Horse in this context is a bottle of whisky.

"Last I hear she's sleeping out
Back on the Derby beat
White Horse in her hip pocket
And a wolfhound at her feet"
This makes sense, more so than having an equine in her hip pocket.

The song itself is the singer reminiscing about a woman he once knew and loved. The best description of the subject is the song's chorus:

"She was a rare thing
Fine as a Beeswing
So fine a breath of wind might blow her away
She was a lost child, she was running wild, she said
So long as there's no price on love, I'll stay
And you wouldn't want me any other way."

Answer: Seraphim

This song suggests the singer comforting someone, probably a female, who has tried and failed. Maybe reached the heights and come back down to earth with a bump. The lyrics of the chorus are clear on this:
"Did your dreams die young
Were they too hard won
Did you reach too high and fall"

But the question is answered at the close to the start of the song, where the subject is described:
"I'll hold you safe and small
A refugee from the Seraphim
In your rich girl rags and all"

The end of the song is reminiscent to me of the saying, those whom the gods love die young.
"And there is no rest
For the ones God blessed
And he blessed you best of all"

Answer: McDonalds

Although the company is not named explicitly, the thrills of working in the fast-food industry are laid bare for all to see. There is a particular reference to the "Golden Arches", which is a well-known symbol for the chain McDonalds.

"Keep your uniform clean, don't talk back
Blood down your shirt going to get you the sack
Sugar, grease, fats and starches
Fine to dine at the golden arches"

The start of the song also indicates the chain with the first words being "Big mac, small mac, burger and fries". It isn't exactly a rosy review of the job, lines such as: "Can't lose my job by getting in a rage. Got to get my hands on that minimum wage", and the chorus makes it clear the motivation of the worker.
"Shove it in their faces, give 'em what they want
Got to make it fast, it's a fast-food restaurant"

Answer: Black

The chorus of this song runs:
"Mascara tears, bitter and black
A spent bullet drilled a hole in my back
Salt for the memory, black for the years
Black as forever, mascara tears"

We are back to the typical misery in a flawed relationship that should be expected from a Richard Thompson song. Here the first verse sets the scene quite clearly, and maybe describes some people I have met.
"When I said those things, I was out of my mind
I was trying to be mean and cruel and unkind
Don't take it too hard
There's another man inside me wants to break us apart"

So bitter words, people getting upset, just another night of un-happy families.

[NB The lyrics booklet is clear that the line is "Black as forever", not as seems more plausible "Black is forever".]

Answer: Alfred Tennyson

This is an album title that doesn't appear in any of the songs, so having a clear indication of its origin supplied with the album is helpful. The poem is "The Lady of Shalott", and the relevant stanza appears on the back of the lyrics booklet.
"And sometimes through the mirror blue
The knights come riding two and two:
She hath no loyal knight and true,
The Lady of Shalott."

There are several more songs on the album that I have not written about. One of them being "Mingus Eyes", which might have the distinction of being the only song which includes references to both Marlon Brando and Konstantin Stanislavski in its lyrics.