Wow, so tough, but fun to think about. I could just transcribe the playlist from the mixed cassette that's been in my car forever:

--Ten Degrees and Getting Colder (which I always rewind at least once)

--Marie Christine--another cool ship song

--Sit Down Young Stranger--makes me cry. So good.

--For Lovin' Me

--Walls

--Affair on Eighth Avenue

--Rainbow Trout--definitely a finalist

--Dream Street Rose--another favorite

--Magnificent Outpouring

--Spanish Moss

--Morning Glory What's the Story?

--Don Quixote

--Go My Way

--Song for a Winter's Night

. . . OK, I'm going to go play it now.

It would be impossible for me to choose a favorite Lightfoot song, they are all excellent. I will say that Gordon has been a huge inspiration in my music and I wish he could go on forever. If you see this Gordon, I hope you recover well from your recent illness.

It would be impossible for me to choose a favorite Lightfoot song, they are all excellent. I will say that Gordon has been a huge inspiration in my music and I wish he could go on forever. If you see this Gordon, I hope you recover well from your recent illness.

I love Gordon's work my favorites are summer side of life and triangle as well as pretty much everything gord has recorded. My selections speak to his vast range.

I love Gordon's work my favorites are summer side of life and triangle as well as pretty much everything gord has recorded. My selections speak to his vast range.

I agree with most everyone else; it is hard to pick just one fav..... Gord's songs remind me so much of the much beloved poets of the Romantic era (Keats, Wordsworth, Blake); nature and human nature infused with so much passon. But if I have to narrow it down, my three top picks have to be:

Wherefore and the Why - what an upbeat, uplifting, inspiring song!

Circle of Steel - makes me want to cry; Gord sees what other people try to ignore.

Song for a Winters Night - I guess tops my list. This song, like so many of his others is heartfelt, almost wistfully sang... an etherial and hauntingly beautiful song, perhaps paralleling life, coupled with Gord's melodic voice put me right over the top!

I agree with most everyone else; it is hard to pick just one fav..... Gord's songs remind me so much of the much beloved poets of the Romantic era (Keats, Wordsworth, Blake); nature and human nature infused with so much passon. But if I have to narrow it down, my three top picks have to be:

Wherefore and the Why - what an upbeat, uplifting, inspiring song!

Circle of Steel - makes me want to cry; Gord sees what other people try to ignore.

Song for a Winters Night - I guess tops my list. This song, like so many of his others is heartfelt, almost wistfully sang... an etherial and hauntingly beautiful song, perhaps paralleling life, coupled with Gord's melodic voice put me right over the top!

quote:Originally posted by Danny:
My favourite Gl song is the Circle is Small.May be an odd choice but there's just something about that song. A close second would be Circle of Steel from the Sundown LP.

Woha ho! Finally someone else mentioning "The Circle Is Small" as their favorite. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif Bravo Danny!

Since i first posted on this forum I have had the chance to listen to some more songs from Gordon's back catalogue and some cover versions too. Amongst the latter I have to say I have fallen in love with Ann Murray's version of "Cotton Jenny". An odd thing happened indeed: I didn't know who wrote it, until I grew so pleasantly obsessed by it I had to go and find out. Soon as I learned it was written by Lightfoot it all fell into place, so to speak.

GL has a very unique style, and in his upbeat songs he can be nothing short of exhilarating. It's not simply a question of what he sings about, or of the words he chooses, but of the music he sets these words to. Sometimes, as in "Circle", you get this contrasting feeling - a downbeat lyric and an uplifting melody, which in itself is a bold statement, I believe - and some other times the feelings expressed in the words are mirrored by the melody in such a pure, unadulterated way that it puts a big grin on your face.

Whenever I hear "The Circle Is Small" it's as if I saw a movie, one where you start laughing out loud just as you were about to break down.

quote:Originally posted by Danny:
My favourite Gl song is the Circle is Small.May be an odd choice but there's just something about that song. A close second would be Circle of Steel from the Sundown LP.

Woha ho! Finally someone else mentioning "The Circle Is Small" as their favorite. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif Bravo Danny!

Since i first posted on this forum I have had the chance to listen to some more songs from Gordon's back catalogue and some cover versions too. Amongst the latter I have to say I have fallen in love with Ann Murray's version of "Cotton Jenny". An odd thing happened indeed: I didn't know who wrote it, until I grew so pleasantly obsessed by it I had to go and find out. Soon as I learned it was written by Lightfoot it all fell into place, so to speak.

GL has a very unique style, and in his upbeat songs he can be nothing short of exhilarating. It's not simply a question of what he sings about, or of the words he chooses, but of the music he sets these words to. Sometimes, as in "Circle", you get this contrasting feeling - a downbeat lyric and an uplifting melody, which in itself is a bold statement, I believe - and some other times the feelings expressed in the words are mirrored by the melody in such a pure, unadulterated way that it puts a big grin on your face.

Whenever I hear "The Circle Is Small" it's as if I saw a movie, one where you start laughing out loud just as you were about to break down.

quote:Originally posted by ordinaryman:
i have so many favourite gl songs. right now, i'd have to say 'looking at the rain'. evocative, and i love the string section!

YES, 'LATR' IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES, AND A SPECIAL PLACE IN HEAVEN FOR NICK DECARO, WHO ARRAINGED THE STRINGS...

quote:Originally posted by ordinaryman:
i have so many favourite gl songs. right now, i'd have to say 'looking at the rain'. evocative, and i love the string section!

YES, 'LATR' IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES, AND A SPECIAL PLACE IN HEAVEN FOR NICK DECARO, WHO ARRAINGED THE STRINGS...

In my inept effort to post a reply to this topic, I inadvertantly established a new topic of my own. I hope I got it right this time. My favorite: On the High Seas, from Dream Street Rose. You can find my reasons under my name, elsewhere on this site.
Alan

In my inept effort to post a reply to this topic, I inadvertantly established a new topic of my own. I hope I got it right this time. My favorite: On the High Seas, from Dream Street Rose. You can find my reasons under my name, elsewhere on this site.
Alan

Is There Anyone Home is my favorite. Anyone know the background of the song??

Is There Anyone Home is my favorite. Anyone know the background of the song??

One of the best songs Gordon Lightfoot wrote was Protocol. The other one is 10 Degrees and Getting Colder. Cabaret is another good one. Suzanna, The Way I feel, Sit Down Young Stranger, and Bitter Green. I pick them because they come to my memory first because they are very unique Gordon style.

One of the best songs Gordon Lightfoot wrote was Protocol. The other one is 10 Degrees and Getting Colder. Cabaret is another good one. Suzanna, The Way I feel, Sit Down Young Stranger, and Bitter Green. I pick them because they come to my memory first because they are very unique Gordon style.

Gordon, I hope that you actually read some of this stuff. I can't tell you how your music has been instrumental in my life.

It was your music that helped a ghetto kid from Michigan get through some of the worst times any kid could imagine. When everyone else was listening to funk, your words touched me and made me dream of a different world...a world of fantasy and oceans.

I took your music as a challenge to grow. Because of your music, this ghetto kid went to the university of Michigan and from there to law school. Beyond that, I listened to you every night for 8 years of college, and found the inspiration to go on. I know that it sounds silly, but you helped me get into my dream school-Harvard. And every night I studied while listening to you. I graduated with highest honors.

I now own my own law firm, and I now raise my children on your expressions. You are more than a msician. You are a muse.

My favorite song of yours, among so very very very many, is " If you need me". The words in this simple song are soft and inspirational. I have a wife that I been with and have loved for 23 years, since the first moment I ever laid eyes on her while i high school. This song says what it is for a man to love a woman. And more, it says what he needs from her in order to grow as a man, to develop, to unleash everything within himself...with her as his muse. This song is deep. I wonder who she was who inspired you to compose this song. My My, how she cut into you so seriously.

As I listen to it, as I have since it was first released those many years ago, I still wonder, what woman placed such a dagger in your heart forcing you to compose such sincere, simple and deep lyrics. This is not an "A" side song, but it has "A-plus" inspiration.

Thank you for your gift of song and dreams to us the lowly listener. I have grown up these 40 years on you. As a black male, I can truly say you touch, and reach, and impact in ways that ghetto boys like me who with the inspiration of your songs, have gone on to become the dreams and goals that your words helped to create.

Gordon, I hope that you actually read some of this stuff. I can't tell you how your music has been instrumental in my life.

It was your music that helped a ghetto kid from Michigan get through some of the worst times any kid could imagine. When everyone else was listening to funk, your words touched me and made me dream of a different world...a world of fantasy and oceans.

I took your music as a challenge to grow. Because of your music, this ghetto kid went to the university of Michigan and from there to law school. Beyond that, I listened to you every night for 8 years of college, and found the inspiration to go on. I know that it sounds silly, but you helped me get into my dream school-Harvard. And every night I studied while listening to you. I graduated with highest honors.

I now own my own law firm, and I now raise my children on your expressions. You are more than a msician. You are a muse.

My favorite song of yours, among so very very very many, is " If you need me". The words in this simple song are soft and inspirational. I have a wife that I been with and have loved for 23 years, since the first moment I ever laid eyes on her while i high school. This song says what it is for a man to love a woman. And more, it says what he needs from her in order to grow as a man, to develop, to unleash everything within himself...with her as his muse. This song is deep. I wonder who she was who inspired you to compose this song. My My, how she cut into you so seriously.

As I listen to it, as I have since it was first released those many years ago, I still wonder, what woman placed such a dagger in your heart forcing you to compose such sincere, simple and deep lyrics. This is not an "A" side song, but it has "A-plus" inspiration.

Thank you for your gift of song and dreams to us the lowly listener. I have grown up these 40 years on you. As a black male, I can truly say you touch, and reach, and impact in ways that ghetto boys like me who with the inspiration of your songs, have gone on to become the dreams and goals that your words helped to create.

Donaldduffy,
you can send your beautiful post to Gord at:
Gordon Lightfoot
1365 Yonge St. #207
Toronto, Ontario
M4T 2P7
Gord doesn't go on-line but he's aware of all of us out here in cyber-space. He calls us "The Net People"

Your story is indeed a wonderful tribute to Lightfoot but I'm sure you had an awful lot to do with your personal and professional success.! Thanks for sharing your story. Drop in more often!
Char
moderator

Donaldfluffy...What a beautiful post! Thanks for giving me the pleasure of reading it.

Donaldfluffy...What a beautiful post! Thanks for giving me the pleasure of reading it.

I guess I'm lost in the some of the more obscure cuts, along with those mentioned above, I love anything with a "haunting" cold melody that makes you draw the collar of your coat up a little.
I'm particularly fond of Shadows, The Lost Children (What an always relevant and heart-wrenching song), Does Your Mother Know?, Restless, Anything For Love, and Yarmouth Castle.
I am so impressed with GL's grasp of poetry, I mean, "What a poet!" Not much I don't like...I love anything from the Sunday Concert album, Back Here on Earth and the Sundown album.
I love his lighthearted songs such as Wild Strawberries and The Pony Man to the ballads such as Ghosts of Cape Horn and Lookin at the Rain. I love to play and sing his stuff, Lord knows I don't do it justice. His music sure is a fun part of life and there's never been a better venue in which to enjoy a GL concert than the Tivoli Theater, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 6th row right center.

I guess I'm lost in the some of the more obscure cuts, along with those mentioned above, I love anything with a "haunting" cold melody that makes you draw the collar of your coat up a little.
I'm particularly fond of Shadows, The Lost Children (What an always relevant and heart-wrenching song), Does Your Mother Know?, Restless, Anything For Love, and Yarmouth Castle.
I am so impressed with GL's grasp of poetry, I mean, "What a poet!" Not much I don't like...I love anything from the Sunday Concert album, Back Here on Earth and the Sundown album.
I love his lighthearted songs such as Wild Strawberries and The Pony Man to the ballads such as Ghosts of Cape Horn and Lookin at the Rain. I love to play and sing his stuff, Lord knows I don't do it justice. His music sure is a fun part of life and there's never been a better venue in which to enjoy a GL concert than the Tivoli Theater, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 6th row right center.

Being a less than gifted guitar player, I absolutely marvel at the musicianship on the ballad "Miguel". Hearing Red Shea's guitar fills and how the guitars play off each other in this song just makes me shake my head in admiration and amazement. To borrow the slogan of the PGA Tour, "These guys are good"!

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"be calm in the face of all common disgraces...and know what they're doin' it for..."

I've listened to Gord more years than I care to remember and in a host of fantastic songs it actually boils down to a very easy choice.

In the late 70s I had cause to spend a year at the far end of the Aleutians, a very cold, very isolated, very lonely place, with winter weather so bad you were restricted from going outside. So in a way I've answered the age old question of 'What would you take to a deserted island?' I took a turntable and a host of Gordon Lightfoot albums.

Anyway, the roughest part was leaving behind my family and my life literally became a version of 'Song for a Winter's Night.'

"I read again between the lines upon the page
The words of love you sent me
If I could know within my heart
That you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
Upon this winter night with you"

The man is pure magic. Within a line he has gone from certain love to a bit of nagging doubt. Anyone who's ever been in that situation will readily identify how easy it is to cross that thin line and actually have both feelings at once.

Pure magic.

I have just recently gotten online and this is one of the first sites I found and after reading through all of the posts I'm amazed and gratified that there are so many people who love Gordon's music so well. I'm especially inspired by Donaldfluffy's post.
"The abuse that we must stand is often Heaven sent" -GL

As far as a favorite Lightfoot song is concerned I agree with most of you: there's just no such thing. When I was going to college at the University of Wyoming I used to make the 7 hour drive listening to nothing but Gordon Lightfoot and never hear the same song twice. And that's what's so amazing about his music. They're ALL good!

But I do have a favorite:
Bells of the Evening from the Cold on the Shoulder album.
To me it epitomizes everything we love about his music: the lyrics, the melody, the imagery, the voice.

Mr. Lightfoot, may you have a speedy and full recovery. May all the joy that you've given all of us over the years be returned to you.

I have just recently gotten online and this is one of the first sites I found and after reading through all of the posts I'm amazed and gratified that there are so many people who love Gordon's music so well. I'm especially inspired by Donaldfluffy's post.
"The abuse that we must stand is often Heaven sent" -GL

As far as a favorite Lightfoot song is concerned I agree with most of you: there's just no such thing. When I was going to college at the University of Wyoming I used to make the 7 hour drive listening to nothing but Gordon Lightfoot and never hear the same song twice. And that's what's so amazing about his music. They're ALL good!

But I do have a favorite:
Bells of the Evening from the Cold on the Shoulder album.
To me it epitomizes everything we love about his music: the lyrics, the melody, the imagery, the voice.

Mr. Lightfoot, may you have a speedy and full recovery. May all the joy that you've given all of us over the years be returned to you.

Talking in Your Sleep is my favorite song and has been stuck in my head since the early 70's. I never met anyone else who knew the song and never knew who the artist was. Yipee! Now I can finally go about finding it and owning it! I can die happy!

Talking in Your Sleep is my favorite song and has been stuck in my head since the early 70's. I never met anyone else who knew the song and never knew who the artist was. Yipee! Now I can finally go about finding it and owning it! I can die happy!

I'll make this simple. All GL songs but a very select few. I'm not saying I "hate" those few but they just don't seem (in my opinion) to match Gord's style. Some are the one's he didn't write himself like,"Pride Of Man". Some are the ones influenced by trying to sound modern or "hip". 1/2 of the "Endless Wire" lp is good the other 1/2 sounds like an unfortunate cross between Fleetwood Mac,The Eagles and Gary Wright. Lastly,some of the rock like songs on,"Salute" sound like they should have been done by .38 Special. I just prefer that Gordon either does Folk,Country or his easy-going brand of Jazzlike pop tunes. It's been Borderstone,outta here and A.B. ! http://www.corfid.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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Borderstone

"I read again between the lines upon each page the words of love you sent me..."
SONG FOR A WINTER'S NIGHT.
Curtis

"I read again between the lines upon each page the words of love you sent me..."
SONG FOR A WINTER'S NIGHT.
Curtis

I like them all. I'm probably unable to pick a favorite. However, I do listen to The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald alot because we are going to the shipwreck museum in July and our cabin is on Whitefish Bay. That song gets me stoked for my vacation. I like all Gord music and a personal favorite song may change from day to day. If it's cold and rainy on a particular day, maybe Rainy Day People is my favorite song that day.

I like them all. I'm probably unable to pick a favorite. However, I do listen to The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald alot because we are going to the shipwreck museum in July and our cabin is on Whitefish Bay. That song gets me stoked for my vacation. I like all Gord music and a personal favorite song may change from day to day. If it's cold and rainy on a particular day, maybe Rainy Day People is my favorite song that day.

Donaldfluffy sums it up the best - inspirational. So much poetry, and so much to listen to and oh so much to think about. Inspirational!

If you need me, is indeed, a wonderful tune. I'm not supposed to care, same old obsession, ordinary man, shadows, ribbon of darkness, song for a winter's night, ode to big blue, affair on eight avenue, bells of the evening, can't depend on love, if children had wings, home from the forest, if I could, in my fashion, it's worth believin', on the high seas, never too close, mother of a miner's child, second cup of coffee, sit down young stranger, watchman's gone, patriot's dream, your love's return, lazy mornin'. Oh, who am I kidding? I could go on with favorites for hours. Just say most, with very few exceptions.

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restless shadows

Donaldfluffy sums it up the best - inspirational. So much poetry, and so much to listen to and oh so much to think about. Inspirational!

If you need me, is indeed, a wonderful tune. I'm not supposed to care, same old obsession, ordinary man, shadows, ribbon of darkness, song for a winter's night, ode to big blue, affair on eight avenue, bells of the evening, can't depend on love, if children had wings, home from the forest, if I could, in my fashion, it's worth believin', on the high seas, never too close, mother of a miner's child, second cup of coffee, sit down young stranger, watchman's gone, patriot's dream, your love's return, lazy mornin'. Oh, who am I kidding? I could go on with favorites for hours. Just say most, with very few exceptions.

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restless shadows

Like many of those who have posted, I grew up on the radio-friendly 70's songs like "Sundown" and "If You Could Read My Mind". My wife (she and I are in our late-20's) had more exposure to album material through her mother, but it was all from that same era. Once she got me exposed to songs like "Summer Side of Life" and "Circle of Steel", my list of favorites grew, but I hadn't found that transcendent song to serve as my "favorite" song.

That is until last year, when I found a double-CD set entitled "The United Artists Collection" that had four albums worth of material that I had largely not heard. For those few not familiar, GL re-recorded a few of the songs from this time ("Steel Rail Blues" and Canadian Railroad Trilogy" were probably my favorites that appeared in this collection) in his later work. But I was exposed to great songs like "Boss Man", "Marie Christine", "The Gypsy" and "Black Day in July". For all of that, none of those is my favorite, either.

I gotta go with one I haven't seen mentioned much, that being "The Way I Feel" (Version 2, the double-tracked vocal and percussion-laden track). Haunting, the rare kind of song I can listen to several times in a row. One of my favorite songs ever.

To me, GL is one in a trio of Anglo-folk artists who stand at the pinnacle of their craft, each of whom represents the 60s-70s time differently, but equally well. For America, of course, we have Bob Dylan. Canada gave us GL. England's best, in my opinion, is Nick Drake. Keep your ears and your mind open, and see you around the listening bars of your local record store.

Chris

Like many of those who have posted, I grew up on the radio-friendly 70's songs like "Sundown" and "If You Could Read My Mind". My wife (she and I are in our late-20's) had more exposure to album material through her mother, but it was all from that same era. Once she got me exposed to songs like "Summer Side of Life" and "Circle of Steel", my list of favorites grew, but I hadn't found that transcendent song to serve as my "favorite" song.

That is until last year, when I found a double-CD set entitled "The United Artists Collection" that had four albums worth of material that I had largely not heard. For those few not familiar, GL re-recorded a few of the songs from this time ("Steel Rail Blues" and Canadian Railroad Trilogy" were probably my favorites that appeared in this collection) in his later work. But I was exposed to great songs like "Boss Man", "Marie Christine", "The Gypsy" and "Black Day in July". For all of that, none of those is my favorite, either.

I gotta go with one I haven't seen mentioned much, that being "The Way I Feel" (Version 2, the double-tracked vocal and percussion-laden track). Haunting, the rare kind of song I can listen to several times in a row. One of my favorite songs ever.

To me, GL is one in a trio of Anglo-folk artists who stand at the pinnacle of their craft, each of whom represents the 60s-70s time differently, but equally well. For America, of course, we have Bob Dylan. Canada gave us GL. England's best, in my opinion, is Nick Drake. Keep your ears and your mind open, and see you around the listening bars of your local record store.

Chris

This is my first visit to the site. I'm having a wonderful time listening to Gord on my DVD while I am reading everyone's opinions and GL stories. Let me add my 2 cents...

I began to listen to Gord in '71 when my barracks-mate pulled out his stereo and an album that was entitled "Sit Down Young Stranger". [It was re-released later as "If You Could Read My Mind".] My buddy Duke had several earlier albums that he shared while we sat around sipping beverages to pass the time during barracks life. We stumbled upon Sunday Concert on day in the PX and I then discovered my favorite song - Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle.

The most telling thing of that recording was the live audience's reaction. The silence during his performance and for a split second at the song's end....they were stunned. It was then that I realized how Gordon can weave the emotions of life around the intricate words of a story and apply an appropriate melody that creates a tapestry worthy of the Louvre....
"Oh, Lord!" she groans "I'm burning!
Let someone understand!"
But her silent plea is wasted
In the playing of the band...
and a voice says "Shut up and deal! I'm losing....."
You could close your eyes and see and hear everything!

Did She Mention My Name was a favorite while I was in the service, as was Early Morning Rain. CRT is without equal to anything other than GL's own music, and Christian Island talks to everyone's personal place of peace.

The most moving experience I ever had at a concert was during one of Gord's appearances at Blossom Music Center near Cleveland. BMC is an outdoor theater that sits in a hollow between a couple of hills. It's very common for people to sit on blankets on the sides of the hills to enjoy the shows. My wife and I were enjoying the concert as the sun was setting on a late August evening. The low lying area often gets foggy, and it began to do so this evening just as Gord began the opening strains of "Fitz". It was an amazing and eerie feeling to be sitting there as the fog rolled in, listening....
"when she left fully loaded for Cleveland...." I still get the chills.