A Year Without GL?

Remember the Christmas classic " A Year Without A Santa Claus"? One Christmas, Santa takes ill and decides to take a holiday and cancel christmas. Santa insists that he won't be missed and that no one cares about Christmas. Mrs. Claus sends elves Jingle and Jangle to Southtown to find out if Christmas is still in people's hearts.
It's a classic that I've watch since I was
four or five years old and it gave me an idea.

My brother and I took our vast collection of
Lightfoot Cd's up to the bar and grill on
Friday night. Our town of Pittsfield, Il
is a good mix of white and blue collar people. Our mission was to see if anyone else cared about GL anymore. We were like elves with a goal to get drunk, have fun,
listen to Lightfoot and see if we would get kicked out for listening to such "outdated" music. After several Crown Royal Canadian
whiskeys I got up the nerve to give the bartender my Gord's Gold CD. I asked him to skip ahead a few tracks and he did. The first song to ease into the minds of every patron was "Beautiful". I almost immediatly
noticed people tapping their foot!!!!
When "Rainy Day People" came on, it was as if someone flipped a switch on. Someone yelled"I think this is Gordon Lightfoot"
and someone else said," Oh my god, I haven't heard this song in fifteen years."

I knew that things were going well when people stared to come up to my brother and I
and looking at our Cd's. We even had some requests. When "Edmund Fitzgerald" came on
the whole bar ( at least 90%) began to sing
in harmony. My brother and I felt like folk heroes. We gave the gift of Gord.
Even though Gord has been out of the spotlight for some time now, I had a chance to actually see how much his music has touched the lives of most everyday people.
My brother and I had a blast and got to share Gord's music with about 75 drunk and happy people. We listened and remembered
for about 3 hours. I will never forget my night as an elf for Gord. Am I a Dork or what?

[Auburn Annie]

If you're a dork you've got lots of company as an "elf for Gord". I find myself placing his CDs front and center on display in any music section I pass (drives the clerks nuts, I suppose). I do the same for author-friends' books at bookstores, putting their books face out on the shelves. Doing my bit to spread the musical/reading cheer.

I've thought about opening a Canadiana store, with Canadian musicians' CDs on sale and (mostly) Gord's music playing in the background. No money to do this with, but it's fun to consider.

[Jenney]

Titan, if you're a dork, then you are my kind of people!

I really enjoyed reading your post, and only wish I had been there that night.
Jenney

[formerlylavender]

Titan, I love your story. Sounds like a fun night - I wish I was there.

I know of one bar in my area that has Gords Gold on the juke box. It gets played quite a bit according to the bartender.

Thanks for the comments. I did have a very
good time and was called by some people that want to do it again. Crown Royal over ice and GL go together very well.

[SilverHeels]

Titan,

next time you plan another 'dork' evening,
be sure and invite me!

It sounded wonderful!

This bar in Pittsfield, IL is very "laid back" and gets a friendly crowd every weekend. I was lucky because the bartender is in my fantasy football league and likes GL
too!! They let people bring in Cd's because they have a good sound system and don't mind playing music that customers bring in.
Everybody seemed to be having a good time even when "less heard" songs such as CRT or Painter Passes Through came on.
At one point, I thought it was OVER because
somebody had Mariah Carey and wanted to hear that. But, when that song ended on comes
IYCRMM and Carefree Highway. We never went back to Mariah Carey. People were amazed at all the good music Gord had done and surprised at many of the songs they had never heard before. It sure was loads of fun
and I wish Borderstone could have been there.
Thanks for all the comments!!!!
We all did shots to "Sundown" and I had several people wanting to buy my drinks!!!
What a fun time!!!!

[mjoe]

Titan -
That is a great story! Sounds like a scene in a movie. What a great time you must have had! I sure wish I had been there. And Crown Royal, to boot! Doesn't get much better than a night filled with GL music and a little Crown Royal! Even though he doesn't drink anymore, I think Gordon would be proud! I think the rest of us Lightheads should try to pull this stunt off during one of our gatherings. Any ideas, folks? Ed, Derek, Jenney? Surely we could make this happen......

Melissa

[Borderstone]

Borderstone here! I do that very same thing in music stores! I'll move back copies of Lifehouse CD's and whatever comes after Gord. and fill up a whole row with his CD's. (Even when there's only a few or a lot of the same.) I guess we do that because maybe we sub-conciously think that someone will see it,buy it without even hearing it and discover how good the music is. ..Or,we're all stars,in the Gord show! Hey! That sounds like a cool idea! "The Gord Show"! People get up on stage on national T.V. and try to sing his songs and whoever stinks gets GONGED!...or forced to listen to,"Feelings" by Morris Albert 500 times. (Both single and LP! Borderstone,outta here and FEELINGS-NOTHING MORE THAN FEELINGS,Alberta Bound!!

I wish you could have been there, Borderstone. It was a blast!!!!!!

[Borderstone]

I wish I could have too. I wouldn't have embibed,because that's just not me but I definetly would have sang! I'm unable to travel due to financial restraints and no transp. but if something like this heads to Phoenix,AZ let me know up here and I'll be there! I'll even wear a GL Mask! Ha,Ha. Borderstone,outta here and Alberty Bound!

[roseanna]

That story brought a smile to my face. Sounds like an amazing night. It's been said, but I'll say it again. I wish I had been there. There's something thrilling about hearing Gord unexpectly. It's like finding money.