Reading catmanron's comments about Race Among The Ruins just reminded me of how many verses or even entire songs I don't quite understand. Think about it. It may be hard to be honest with yourself because you have heard Gord's songs so many times that you may not even realize that, in fact, you're not quite sure what the words mean. Not that this is a bad thing, I agree with catmanron's last statement asking us not to tell what that second verse of RATR means. And some lyrics might just be too personal to Gord for any of us to understand without an explaination from the songwriter himself. Any thoughts?

That's the point !!!!!. If we could tell exactly what the song meant it would probably be shallow and mediocre. In fact, a good song (like a good poem) should be written in a way that the listener is able to apply his or hers own meaning to it. It's entirely possible that GL is such a tunesmith that what we assume is deeply personal to him may in fact mean much more to us. Perhaps, they sre simply words he has written as part of "his job", he's just so good at it we assume they have a deeper meaning. Is that not what an artist does ?? create so that each may see their own meaning in what is created ??

Good point Joe! To me a song that you can predict the next word that is coming as you listen to it for the first time, is not worth a second listen. There are GL songs that I have to admit I have no clue what they are about, and some that I think I know, until someone else comes along and throws a whole new light on them. That is the beauty of a well crafted song. It means different things to different people, and may even change it's significance to you as you experience life more.

RATR and IYCRMM are perfect examples of songs that take on far more meaning as you mature.

Jenney

Thankyou YS , Joe, and Jenney.

You have all said, clearly and in a very understandable manner, exactly what I was trying to say ( in a garbled manner...lol ).

Its funny Jenney how these songs, that we first heard three decades ago. Have so much more meaning to us the longer we live. ( not that we are getting old or anything ).

We relate them to what we were doing when we first heard them, and we also relate them, to what we have done since.

But I think its all to do with the "second to none", wordsmith talent of Lightfoot, he is surely a genius !!

Keep Smiling Ron http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by catmanron (edited July 22, 2001).]

The only GL tune I thought about "meaning" anything was "Too Many Clues In This Room". Were he an American, he could have called it "Anthem to Richard Nixon and Watergate."