Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post

geodeticman · 04-01-2006, 07:24 AM

Welcome Lightland !

I too, love "Seven Island Suite" for its amazing imagery, smell of autumn leaves, still-water bay canoeing (I picture) and walking on the Islands on a day outing with leaves crunching underfoot, and a mauve sunset harkening time to paddle home. That's my "VIEWING" of that songs' musical painting in my mind. It is so many forum members' favourite song, too, followed closely this LP by "The Watchman's Gone".

Good folks in here. I, like u in some ways, was and am completely absorbed by Lightfoot musically since my First album IYCRMM in 1973, followed VERY quickly by Sundown when it came out.

Perhaps it is the fact that I borrowed a friend's older brother's copy of IYCRMM who was in college at the the time, and I, 14 at the time, sophomorically thought "wow ! College music !" .

I was heretofor used to Deep Purple,
Eagles (Still am), Black Sabbath (bllecchhhh), and Iron Butterfly and the like. Lightfoot seemed like an epiphone. Suddenly, girls were "women to rescue" and "fragrances all in my keeping" : ) .

I had very little time to explore the rich tapestries on that borrowed album but love it very much. The first purchased album was Sundown. It was mine ! As such, I listened to his mesmerizing music, lyrics, phraseology, orchestration, etc. through good quality headphones (Old Koss 3 pounders; total sound blockers that were incredible quality ).

You know how you ALWAYS hear more in good headphones ? Perhaps for this reason (I could not afford another LP because I had to split the cost of my track spikes and CC Adidas Country's both for school with my folks) I had the unique oppurtunity to listen after practice in my bedroom to Sundown on the 'phones over and over and mused to myself, truly, "this is incredible music" and " I have NEVER heard anything like this before".

Particularly, as most frequenters of this forum we call corfid know , I rave on and on given a tangential subject to transion to talk of the incredible orchestration and string arrangements on Sundown, and indeed all of his albums in the 70's in this vane.

Other decades for other reasons wonderful. The late great Nick DeCaro had much to do with this, a genius in his own right, but, as you probably know being a FANatic ! - Gordon had considerable input into his own arrangements, and always made a point of respecting the working musician by hiring local union musicians for strings and such.

He, in his own words (paraphrased), has said that his musical education at the now defunct Westlake College of Music in ?L.A. where he studied as I recall music theory, composition, and arrangements, first on the piano, said that this was an invaluable experience he heartily reccomended for young hopefuls.

I think that particular comment came from a guitar player magazine in the late 70's ( I remember seeing him on the cover at the door mag stand at the "Record" store on Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder Colorado. In the 70's, that outdoor walking "mall" was a Woodstock part 1.2 of sorts; a real bohemian haven in an already richly diverse college town. Anyway, I digress....

I guess the headphones with Sundown so long my only album...well... 6 months or so... made me keenly aware of every subtle nuance in that album and I would be hard put to pick one of the *easily* 7 top-ten worthy songs on it as a favourite; but easily a favourite album.

Then, came Don Quixote, and at 14 I, having just read an Arthurian novel, fancied myself the man of La Mancha jousting at windmills, serving a King, winning Lady Guinevere, etc. To save the sanity of readers, I will wax on my ex-cogitations of THAT incredible album another day.

But, Lightland, it sounds like you've been bit bad by the GL bug for years like probably most of us in here (I am only a one monther in here ! ) and could wax enthusiastically longer than me ! Please do !

Also, plese know I do not purport anything I say about GL as "fact"; only my understanding or belief. Much simpler to say this once than preface every statement IMHO ! So much to say about GL, and everyone knows so MUCH in this room. Don't underestimate their keen knowledge and rapier wit ! j/k Its a good bunch in here truly.

Again, welcome Lightland !

"Be known as a man who will be candid on questions that do not relate"

- Steve aka geo-man in this room.

04-01-2006, 07:24 AM	#1302
geodeticman Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Colorado Rockies- Rampart Range Posts: 261	Welcome Lightland ! I too, love "Seven Island Suite" for its amazing imagery, smell of autumn leaves, still-water bay canoeing (I picture) and walking on the Islands on a day outing with leaves crunching underfoot, and a mauve sunset harkening time to paddle home. That's my "VIEWING" of that songs' musical painting in my mind. It is so many forum members' favourite song, too, followed closely this LP by "The Watchman's Gone". Good folks in here. I, like u in some ways, was and am completely absorbed by Lightfoot musically since my First album IYCRMM in 1973, followed VERY quickly by Sundown when it came out. Perhaps it is the fact that I borrowed a friend's older brother's copy of IYCRMM who was in college at the the time, and I, 14 at the time, sophomorically thought "wow ! College music !" . I was heretofor used to Deep Purple, Eagles (Still am), Black Sabbath (bllecchhhh), and Iron Butterfly and the like. Lightfoot seemed like an epiphone. Suddenly, girls were "women to rescue" and "fragrances all in my keeping" : ) . I had very little time to explore the rich tapestries on that borrowed album but love it very much. The first purchased album was Sundown. It was mine ! As such, I listened to his mesmerizing music, lyrics, phraseology, orchestration, etc. through good quality headphones (Old Koss 3 pounders; total sound blockers that were incredible quality ). You know how you ALWAYS hear more in good headphones ? Perhaps for this reason (I could not afford another LP because I had to split the cost of my track spikes and CC Adidas Country's both for school with my folks) I had the unique oppurtunity to listen after practice in my bedroom to Sundown on the 'phones over and over and mused to myself, truly, "this is incredible music" and " I have NEVER heard anything like this before". Particularly, as most frequenters of this forum we call corfid know , I rave on and on given a tangential subject to transion to talk of the incredible orchestration and string arrangements on Sundown, and indeed all of his albums in the 70's in this vane. Other decades for other reasons wonderful. The late great Nick DeCaro had much to do with this, a genius in his own right, but, as you probably know being a FANatic ! - Gordon had considerable input into his own arrangements, and always made a point of respecting the working musician by hiring local union musicians for strings and such. He, in his own words (paraphrased), has said that his musical education at the now defunct Westlake College of Music in ?L.A. where he studied as I recall music theory, composition, and arrangements, first on the piano, said that this was an invaluable experience he heartily reccomended for young hopefuls. I think that particular comment came from a guitar player magazine in the late 70's ( I remember seeing him on the cover at the door mag stand at the "Record" store on Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder Colorado. In the 70's, that outdoor walking "mall" was a Woodstock part 1.2 of sorts; a real bohemian haven in an already richly diverse college town. Anyway, I digress.... I guess the headphones with Sundown so long my only album...well... 6 months or so... made me keenly aware of every subtle nuance in that album and I would be hard put to pick one of the easily 7 top-ten worthy songs on it as a favourite; but easily a favourite album. Then, came Don Quixote, and at 14 I, having just read an Arthurian novel, fancied myself the man of La Mancha jousting at windmills, serving a King, winning Lady Guinevere, etc. To save the sanity of readers, I will wax on my ex-cogitations of THAT incredible album another day. But, Lightland, it sounds like you've been bit bad by the GL bug for years like probably most of us in here (I am only a one monther in here ! ) and could wax enthusiastically longer than me ! Please do ! Also, plese know I do not purport anything I say about GL as "fact"; only my understanding or belief. Much simpler to say this once than preface every statement IMHO ! So much to say about GL, and everyone knows so MUCH in this room. Don't underestimate their keen knowledge and rapier wit ! j/k Its a good bunch in here truly. Again, welcome Lightland ! "Be known as a man who will be candid on questions that do not relate" - Steve aka geo-man in this room.