Here's one that's sure to stir up the ol' bees nest. Are there some Gord songs that you don't particularly like? And why? You don't have to hate them, I mean I figure Gord's music is like pizza, even when it's not that great it's still pretty good. But say you're listening to an album (could be Songbook too) and there is a certain song that just does nothing for you and you usually skip over it.

I'll break the ice on this one: I usually don't listen to the first two songs on Songbook. They're not bad, but to me it's just not the real Gordon Lightfoot, they're not in his style. Also, for some reason I usually skip over Something Very Special to Me, don't really know why, I guess it's just not for me.

Well, there you go. If no one replies, I'll just figure you all hate me for even suggesting that anyone here doesn't like every song and go into hiding.

Chris

------------------
"...life is only therapy, real expensive and no guarantees."
- GB

Dangerous waters...
I'll admit to this and this alone: I have never like speaking parts in anyone's songs (George Strait's "You Look So good In Love" for example), so I've never liked the speaking part of "In My Fashion", even though I love the song otherwise, and even like the spoken lyrics. Just sing! AARRUUUGGHH!

Hi Bill, thanks for the warning. I know I am really treading on thin ice here. Also, I forgot to mention that all of this can change for me. There have been times in the past that I didn't like a Gord tune right off the bat, but then it grew on me even to the point where I really love it. It's just me I guess.

Bill, I also like your point about talking in songs. Since you seem to know a little country, you might relate to this. I detest Alan Jackson's I'll Go On Lovin' you for that reason. You're right, it's a song so SING it. But I love In My Fashion, even though I too could do without the talking.

Chris

------------------
"...life is only therapy, real expensive and no guarantees."
- GB

young stranger,
There isn't one song that I totally dislike.
There are some that I like more than others. Some that I like a small amount.
But none that I totally dislike.

I view the opening two PU from songbook as collectors pieces.(Seperate from his main body of work). For that reason my opinions of them are neutral.

Frank.

I have never been fond of A lesson in Love. The tune is a bit monotonous to my way of thinking and it reminds me of a broken record. Sorry, that's just the way I feel.
And I'll probably get ripped for this one, but Ringneck Loon was a disappointment for me. The lyrics were soooo below his standard work that I shudder every time I hear it. "Ringneck loon, he knows best He's a loon and he don't care less."
C'mon, the Loon is a Canadian symbol - you'd think he'd express himself more fitting of the subject. Maybe he has and I just don't get it.

Mary Ann

I thought I was the biggest Gord fan in the world till I found this site. It's so nice to know that there are so many of us that share the same feelings. And yes, I too have a song that I'm not crazy about. Cobwebs & Dust. Perhaps it's because I'm not fond of either cobwebs or dust, but I generally do skip over it. So young stranger (Chris) don't feel like you're going to get lambasted for the post. I think it's ok not to love EVERY song, after all, we still all love Gord!!

Mary Ann.

I must agree with you on "A Lesson In Love"
for the same reasons and then some. I hate
to admit to myself, let alone the rest
of Gord fandom, that there's a song I just
can't listen to anymore. But there truly must be around 40 or so that are basically tied for first place.

midnightmisty

[This message has been edited by midnightmisty (edited August 18, 2000).]

Could someone please explain how to "edit"
comments? Proofreading isn't doing the job.
Sorry, everyone, please excuse me as I'm ill
and the pain has me not being able to see
straight. No matter how hard I try. This is
VERY embarrassing now......

midnightmisty

Midnightmisty,

Once you've posted a message, you are taken back to the topic. In the box where your message is there is the date and time. To the right of that there are four icons. The second one from the right allows you to edit. Click on this icon and it will bring your message back to the drawing board to be changed in any way you see fit. (The icon depicts a note with a pencil/eraser.)

Hope this helps http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif

Janice


[This message has been edited by Janice (edited August 17, 2000).]

Janice,

Thanks so very much for your help! I'm going to look around tomarrow and edit like crazy!
Sooooooooooo many typos! EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!

thanks, again.

midnightmisty

Although I really like all his work, I might skip over "Pussywillows, Cat-Tails"(too slow) or "Sweet Guinevere". "Ringneck Loon" is okay, I feel its a song about accepting who you are...be yourself, live your life be free kinda song.

Great responses, I am glad that so many are willing to admit that while they (including myself) love almost all of the songs, there are maybe one or two that they just don't care for that much. Tom, I wasn't a big fan of Pussywillows Cat-Tails at first either, but I like it more now. Seems to be ever since I saw Gord recording it on the tape Char sent me, go figure. And sandyo, I liked Cobwebs & Dust when I first heard it, but now I also have a problem, I think I find it to drag on and on with the same repetitive melody. It's not that short of a song and so it gets a little old. But make no mistake everyone, I LOVE the music of Gordon Lightfoot. It is still the best ever written and for me he has the best voice for popular music I have ever heard. Do you all hear me? I LOVE GORDON LIGHTFOOT'S MUSIC!!!!

HI true there are songs that I skip over but not al the time. I do feel guilty about it I love something very special to me.
I usally skip Big Blue sorry for who ever likes it. It's ok I guess it just depends on the mood your in
Bye fellow friends
Bunny

I posed the flip side of this question once, re "perfect" albums/sides, i.e., those with no song you'd reasonably skip. Most of the albums have at least one song that I'm not particularly fond of, although a few of those "throwaways" have grown on me over time e.g., Lazy Morning, Make Way for the Lady). Here's my current list of "throwaways," by album, with the caveat that sometimes a song is a throwaway because the listener is not yet ready for what the song has to say (so don't kill me for this list, I'm still growing):

Lightfoot! - Oh, Linda

TheWayIFeel - I'll Be Alright.

DidSheMentionMyName - I Want to Hear it From You (I usually listen to Something Very Special, but I agree that it's weak and I sometime skip it)

BackHereOnEarth - Cold Hands from NY (too close to home), Don't Beat Me Down

Sunday Concert - none ("perfect" album)

IYCRMM - none / "perfect"

SSOL - none / "perfect"

ODR - My Pony Won't Go - He can't find no oats to eat? Give me a break (although I usually listen to the song because I love the way It's Worth Believin' gets the toes tappin' after that dirge)

DonQ - none / "perfect"

Sundown - none / "perfect"

COTS - none is a true throwaway for me, although The Soul is the Rock is a song I often skip.

SummertimeDream - I'd Do It Again

EndlessWire - If There's a Reason

DreamStreetRose - used to dislike Make Way for the Lady, but that one has really grown on me and is now one of my favorites on the album. Hey You is now at the bottom.

Shadows - none / "perfect"

Salute - I only purchased this a few months ago, so I am still playing all the songs -- too soon to tell.

East of Midnight - A Lesson In Love

WFY - Ring Them Bells (give that one to Pete Seeger; I'm not too fond of Welcome to Try either)

Painter - On Yonge Street (this one must be for the Canadians, cause this Statesian doesn't get it)

Songbook - Stone Cold Sober (a decent song badly mixed, IMHO), Canary Yellow Canoe (which I don't bother to skip cause it's the last song anyway), Always on the Bright Side (again). I also usually skip Crossroads on Songbook, where it follows too close to the far superior (and similarly themed) CRT, although I don't skip it on TheWayIFeel.

No one bats a thousand. Not even the Yankees (although with runners in scoring position, they come close).


------------------
"And the laughter came too easy for life to pass me by." - SDYS

C'mon Bill,

I always laugh at the part where he talks about "a man who couldn't come to terms with a slide rule"! (In My Fashion) lol

I hesitate to respond to this because I know I'm going to get fried. I am probably the only Gordon Lightfoot fan in the world who does not like the song "Sundown". This was the first of his radio popular songs that I was old enough to remember. Maybe I don't care for it because I tend to gravitate to the more obscure songs that don't get much attention or maybe the radio stations just played it too much and I got tired of it...I don't know.

Janice

Janice,
we've had our first disagreement on site. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/frown.gif

Frank.

quote:Originally posted by Frank v:

Janice,
we've had our first disagreement on site. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/frown.gif

Frank.

Oh Frank, please say you won't hold it against me! I would be devestated if you did.
I knew that no one would agree with me on this but decided to be candid anyway. Guess I should have kept it to myself http://www.corfid.com/ubb/frown.gif


Janice

Janice,
Dont be silly...
It just means you're 1% less perfect...LOL

Frank.

The reason Gordon writes to many songs is to please all of his fans. If we liked all the same songs we would not have anything to argue about. Two songs that I don't particularly care for are BLACKBERRY WINE and BABY STEP BACK, though I think they sound better live than on a cd or record.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Janice:
[B]I hesitate to respond to this because I know I'm going to get fried.

...I'm getting out the cast iron skillet right now...lol

Truthfully, I'm not a big fan of "Lifeline" or "Same Old Loverman"...

Interesting to read other peoples least favorite songs. I would have to say my least favorirte song, one I can't even sit through (sorry folks that like it!) is May I. There is something about that one that just rubs me the wrong way.

But hey! one out of how many? Not too bad!
Jenney

It is interesting to read other people's least favorite song choices.

I would have to say the one song that I just can't sit through (sorry!) is May I. There is something about that one that rubs me the wrong way. But hey! One out of how many? Not too bad!
Jenney

I'd have to say Baby Step Back and Blackberry Wine have to be played when I am in the right frame of mind or I skip them.
Same as Sundown - just over exposure on that song is what turns me off.
I'm glad I answered this on the right post this time!
LOL
Char

Oh, man - I don't wanna touch this one with an Endless Wire......

OK, let's all fry Janice..... http://www.ezboard.com/intl/aenglish...cons/laugh.gif

No, really I probably have more dislikes than I would care to admit. Thre are no clunker albums but may songs that just don't do it for me. Some of that is the generally high standard that it has to compete against but some is more than that. I write some songs myself and probably look at things too closely for my own good, but there are songs where I can see the seams and others that are just flawless.

Now I still after all the airpaly still like "Sundown," however (duck! incoming!!) "Beautiful" has never spun my chair. Go figure. It's interesting to me taht Gord put Big Blue on Songbook because in my opinion DQ has much better stuff on it - "Second Cup of Coffee," "Brave Mountaineers," "Patriots' Dream" - great stuff.

Ah to each his/her own

[This message has been edited by fezo (edited August 20, 2000).]

I don't care too much for "Spanish Moss."

On the songbook issue,the reason ALL the ultimate best material isn't chosen is because it would harm the sales of the original albums or any others.
For example if Minstrel of the Dawn and Circle of Steel were included there would be no need to purchase Gords Gold if you have songbook.
This is only a theory I may be wrong.

Actually, I think there may be something to your theory, Frank. There are some strange ommissions from Songbook. All teh absolutes are there but the near absolutes are mising...

Of the albums I've heard, here are my least favorites from each album:

Old Dan's Records - Mother of a Miner's Child
Sundown - The Watchmans Gone
Cold On The Shoulder - Bells of the Evening
Summertime Dream - Spanish Moss
Endless Wire - Sweet Guinevere
Dreamstreet Rose - Whisper My Name
Shadows - Thank You for the Promises
Salute - Broken Dreams
East of Midnight - Ecstasy Made Easy
Waiting On You - Wild Strawberries
Painter Passing Thru - Red Velvet

------------------
"...If YoU fEeL iT yOu BeTtEr BeLiEvE iT, yOu'Re GoNnA sEe It, YoU nEeD tO kNoW/iT iS rIsInG lIkE a FeAtHeR, dIpPiNg & DaNcInG fRoM bElOw/ThErE's A nEw WaVe ThAt Is BrEaKiNg In ThE wAkE oF a PaSsInG sHiP/eVeRy NaTiOn'S gOnNa Be ShAkEn, PuT iT tOgEtHeR, dOn'T lEt It SlIp..."

My Pony Won't Go
Song The Minstral Sang
Big Blue
Endless Wire
Baby Step Back (makes no sense)
Sometimes I Don't Mind
Biscuit City
Blackberry Wine

Wes

I had a hard time thinking of what songs I don't love (<------ the best way to put it) but here goes:

Make Way for the Lady
Red Velvet (hey, he didn't write it, anyway)
Uncle Toad Said (on the fence on this one)
Too Many Clues in This Room

There may be more but I doubt it. I love the guy!

Such interesting responses. I was thinking the same thing Margaret was, it is so interesting to see the differences of opinion. I agree that overexposure can make you not want to listen to a song, although I don't have that problem with "Sundown". But some differences of opinion are striking. For instance, I can't imagine having "The Watchman's Gone" on my list of songs I am not all that crazy about. It's definitely one of my favorites!

How about this twist: What have you heard from Gord himself about his own dislikes of his work? Here is one that you all may or may not have read already (I don't know what info is "old news" to Gord fans since I've only been on the forum since the beginning of this summer). This I found in an article on the website for RollingStone magazine. It refers to Songbook:

Q: I noticed there was no "Black Day in July"
(Lightfoot's song about the 1968 race riots
following Martin Luther King's assassination).

A: I don't like to open up old memories best left
undisturbed. I don't like to be a s--- disturber. I don't
do that one. It's not one of my favorite songs anyway
to play live. I go by what goes over best with the
crowd and they don't request that one too much
anymore. No, I don't like it.

Anyone heard or read anything else from GL himself?

When I told Gord that my all-time favorite LP was "SHADOWS" he was amazed and happy that
someone had actually purchased it because it
it had not done very well commercially. I told him that I had purchesed 2. We talked about it at length from both of our perscpectives.

Then I asked him which LP was HIS all-time
favorite and he said, "Sunday Concert" (live)
because it's the only one that hasn't been
mixed in the studio to perfection. He liked
the way it was "genuine". Much like himself, I must add!

BTW... that was in the early to mid 80's, so
I don't know if it's still his favorite.

And please forgive me. I know this is a
"dislikes" topic, but I didn't know where else to post this and I thought some might find it a little interesting.

midnightmisty

[This message has been edited by midnightmisty (edited August 23, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by midnightmisty (edited August 23, 2000).]

Repy to Margaret:

Margaret, I didn't say I disliked those songs...I was just picking my least favorite from each album. For example, I love the SALUTE album from beginning to end, however, if I had to pick the song I liked least it would be "Broken Dreams". I still like the song, but compared to other songs on that album its not my favorite. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/wink.gif

I have to qualify my answer regarding Baby Step Back - I enjoy it on the album - not live in concert. I don't know why. I enjoy the story about Gord's brother-in-law playing golf and not stepping up to the tee and all, but the song in concert doesn't thrill me. I know Gord loves the TOE-TAPPERS and I love most of them too but this one in concert grates on me for some reason.
On the album - okey dokey!

Char, It is funny about BABY STEP BACK, it is one of two least favorite but at the last concert it sounded really pretty good. Maybe I was just on a Lightfoot High.

I can't stand the saxaphone on "A lesson in love." It sounds cheesy to me, and I guess it just doesn't sound like Lightfoot to me. Guess he wanted to try something new, but every time I hear it I'm incredulous that he put that on there.

I also don't care for Spanish Moss. Actually I don't dislike it intensely, but it doesn't do much for me. What always runs through my mind when I hear it is, (with all due respect) "Gord, stick to Canada. You're better off not trying to sing or write about the South." !!!Eeek! Dare I say that? Well, I said it. Sorry if I offended anyone. I just think Gord is out of his element on that song and I think it shows, though I do think he is one of the greatest singer/songwriters/storytellers of all time.

Midnightmisty, Maybe I missed something but how did you make the acquaintance of our beloved Gordon? I am very envious of all the times you have talked to him.

To m___________e:

I too thought that about "Spanish Moss" but after awhile the song grows on you (pardon the pun). Anyway, "I wish ya' knew what I was sayin'". "I think I'd better go."

monebalone, classicmixdj,
Oh, I kinda like the attempt Gord made at writing songs about the South in both Cotton Jenny and Spanish Moss. Yes, he was a bit off the mark on a few things but not being from around these parts- how would he know. For example in Spanish Moss, he talks about Georgia pines in Savannah. Very few pine trees grow that far south- the sandy soil can't support their massive root system. You would have to travel back up north a bit to see some REAL Georgia pines. And there again, the soil is a greyish-yellow in Savannah. The red clay is farther north. And in Cotton Jenny, its hot and sticky, not hot and sickly . . . and I have never in all my born days said "Well, shut my mouth". (LOL) But even with those irrelevent and inconsequential errs, I found it endearing and flattering that he thought so much of my neck of the woods to write about it.

Mary Ann