When David Byrne (of Taking Heads fame) was asked to comment why Richard Thompson was so poorly appreciated he said (mischievously I assume) "Serves him right for being so good." And he really is.
OK, maybe this is not his very best work but it is live (Thompson is a phenomenal live performer) with an up-tempo, catchy tune and wildly contrasting lyrics of desperation with hope. In the middle is the huge bonus of the Thompson guitar, this time frantic and raucous, reflecting the harshness of the lyrics. Many (including me) regard Thompson as one of the GREAT guitarists and this is a nice example.