Here are the results so far:

Showdown #1
Old Dan's Records 16 Uncle Toad Said 2

Showdown #2
If You Could Read My Mind 13 Harmony 1

Showdown #3
Drifters 12 Stay Loose 6

Showdown #4
Hangdog Hotel Room 10 Betty Called Me In 5

Showdown #5
Slide on Over 10 Blackberry Wine 5

Showdown #6
Sea of Tranquility 8 Triangle 6

Showdown #7
Don Quioxte 13 Minstrel of the Dawn 9

Wow. Got the blood flowing on that last showdown. I could sense the blood pressure rising as people sweated through the choice. I knew that would cause difficulty. They're amazing songs with great guitar work and lilting melodies.

Now I've got some other showdowns scribbled on a paper upon my tabletop where my lamp is burning low, but I am going to honour (honor for you Americans)Borderstone in Showdown #8. Borderstone suggested the following Showdown. It's an interesting one and reaches back into the past. Please vote on which you enjoy the most.

A Minor Ballad

or

Message to the Wind

Have fun :) I've got to go re-listen to those ones. I haven't listened to "A Minor Ballad" in quite some time. Then I'll put in my vote since I haven't voted on any yet.

Here are the results so far:

Showdown #1
Old Dan's Records 16 Uncle Toad Said 2

Showdown #2
If You Could Read My Mind 13 Harmony 1

Showdown #3
Drifters 12 Stay Loose 6

Showdown #4
Hangdog Hotel Room 10 Betty Called Me In 5

Showdown #5
Slide on Over 10 Blackberry Wine 5

Showdown #6
Sea of Tranquility 8 Triangle 6

Showdown #7
Don Quioxte 13 Minstrel of the Dawn 9

Wow. Got the blood flowing on that last showdown. I could sense the blood pressure rising as people sweated through the choice. I knew that would cause difficulty. They're amazing songs with great guitar work and lilting melodies.

Now I've got some other showdowns scribbled on a paper upon my tabletop where my lamp is burning low, but I am going to honour (honor for you Americans)Borderstone in Showdown #8. Borderstone suggested the following Showdown. It's an interesting one and reaches back into the past. Please vote on which you enjoy the most.

A Minor Ballad

or

Message to the Wind

Have fun :) I've got to go re-listen to those ones. I haven't listened to "A Minor Ballad" in quite some time. Then I'll put in my vote since I haven't voted on any yet.

This one isn't so hard for me. I love "Message", and "A Minor Ballad" just doesn't do it for me. For some reason, it reminds me of some old song we used to sing at campfires-not a Gordon Lightfoot song.

"At times you will pretend and not pretend at all..."

This one isn't so hard for me. I love "Message", and "A Minor Ballad" just doesn't do it for me. For some reason, it reminds me of some old song we used to sing at campfires-not a Gordon Lightfoot song.

"At times you will pretend and not pretend at all..."

I'll go with Message, but I'm not terribly fond of either of these songs. Message is good, but not great.

Amazing, MM, from the last set of songs to this one, you just went from one end of the spectrum to the other - for my personal tastes anyway.

I'll go for "Message" too, "A Minor Ballad" is good, but a little dreary. I Normally skip this one!

I'm not familiar with Message to the Wind, because I never loaded songbook on the computer. A Minor Ballad, I've always enjoyed it's moodiness. Wild as the sea...
Kimberly

minor ballad

I really get into,"A Message To The Wind" because Gordon is practically singing acapella,with very little musical accomp. :)

It's quite touching. "A Minor Ballad" is great too but doesn't exactly touch me in the same way. I'm not crazy about it's title either.

I'd call it "Ballad To A Beauty", myself. Despite that,I find the two songs to be similar somehow. ...but "Message" is my vote! ;)

By the way folks,I'd love a few more participants in my "Music trivia" post over at Small Talk. Only 1 real taker so far. :( Wah!*

A Minor Ballad

(but this has been the weakest match-up so far).

Bill :)

I agree with BillW. "A Minor Ballad" seems a bit like an assignment for a music composition and theory class--"OK, for Friday write a song that sounds like a Renaissance madrigal". I like the melody, and his voice is excellent (like when he harmonizes with the cello). However, some of the lyrics are just plain awful. "Nor gowns of soft crimson hue...". Crimson by definition is a bright red; how can there be a "soft crimson hue?" "Within the valley so free..." A valley by definition is surrounded by mountains; a metaphor for being enclosed, or walled in, would have been apt than "free".
"Message to the Wind" sounds like he came up with a great title, but the song sounds a little abstract, like he had no personal connection to it.

Still, as they say, mediocre Gord is better than good almost anyone else!

DQ

A Message To The Wind

A Message To The Wind

A Minor Ballad.

I love his voice in this song. For some reason, this song makes me feel like he's singing a poem.

Message to the Wind

Message to the Wind

What happened to that thread? The last time I looked there was 5 or 6 replies.
[/QUOTE]I was wondering the same thing. I had been patiently waiting for B to give the answers so I could see if I had any correct.

Re: Showdown #8
 

A Minor Ballad, by a minor margin. I like the pun in the title, although that does not influence my vote (the song is written in A minor). I think it has the stronger melody, with slightly inferior lyrics to A Message.

David