What "Harmony" song would have been reworked

[sunspot]

In listening to "Harmony" multiple times now, I have wondered that if Gord had not become ill, what changes, if any, would have been done to the "Harmony" songs had Gord been able to redo the vocals and had a uninhibited opportunity to change arrangements:

A couple that go through my mind are:

Harmony: might have had some rewrites to avoid some of the repetitiveness of the lyrics

Flyin' Blind: Barry's percussion mix seems a bit too strong and Red's guitar a little light, at least on my car's speakers. I just love the understated drums on "River of Light."

No Hotel: Rick's bass is absolutely awesome, particularly as the song closes. Would it had been given such highlight if ths song had been done in the studio? Glad this one is live.

End of All Time: Aside from stealing lyrics off the Sundown album, I think it is a decent song but a bit overrated by members of this group.

Anyway, how would Harmony sound different had it been a full blown studio album?

[seafarer62]

In listening to "Harmony" multiple times now, I have wondered that if Gord had not become ill, what changes, if any, would have been done to the "Harmony" songs had Gord been able to redo the vocals and had a uninhibited opportunity to change arrangements:

A couple that go through my mind are:

Harmony: might have had some rewrites to avoid some of the repetitiveness of the lyrics

Flyin' Blind: Barry's percussion mix seems a bit too strong and Red's guitar a little light, at least on my car's speakers. I just love the understated drums on "River of Light."

No Hotel: Rick's bass is absolutely awesome, particularly as the song closes. Would it had been given such highlight if ths song had been done in the studio? Glad this one is live.

End of All Time: Aside from stealing lyrics off the Sundown album, I think it is a decent song but a bit overrated by members of this group.

Anyway, how would Harmony sound different had it been a full blown studio album?

[Iron]

None would or should sound any different.If You don't like the way it sounds,why don't You find something You like that is the way You would prefer...

I can't get into Harmony because none of the songs get to me the way most other Gord songs do. There's just not enough music to it, no weird sounding instruments or very catchy tunes. Perhaps it would've had some more background to the music if it had been a studio album .

I can't get into Harmony because none of the songs get to me the way most other Gord songs do. There's just not enough music to it, no weird sounding instruments or very catchy tunes. Perhaps it would've had some more background to the music if it had been a studio album .

[stationmaster]

Why mess with a good thing! I think the album sounds great the way it is - Pure and simple arrangements and lyrics yet very complex! This is Lightfoot you are talking about!

[BILLW]

With the critical raves "Harmony" has received, I wonder if Gord will approach recording his next album differently, should he decide to do another one. I wonder if he might spend more time working out a song in the demo stage, whereas he may have gone into the studio before having a song totally ready. In the future he may even ask for more input from the band, since "Harmony" was made with more band collaboration than any of his previous recordings.

[Rob1956]

With the critical raves "Harmony" has received, I wonder if Gord will approach recording his next album differently, should he decide to do another one. I wonder if he might spend more time working out a song in the demo stage, whereas he may have gone into the studio before having a song totally ready. In the future he may even ask for more input from the band, since "Harmony" was made with more band collaboration than any of his previous recordings.

[Borderstone]

Not a blessed thing should be different about this CD! Nothing! The live part is terrific and the songs are A+! Not everyone can like the same things,I know,but as I said in my review on here,it's a 5 star effort and equal to Sundown. Everything on there is as it's meant to be. Period. Later!

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"A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." - Borderstone

This album is so amazing. The only song that sounds rough in any way is "Flyin Blind". I do believe Gord was not yet comfortable with the lyrics on his demos. A few lyrical passages sound rushed and stick out.

But I have to agree with everyone who has said that the approach they had to use on this album produced masterful results. Plus the fact that even from the demos, it was clear that Gord was back on his game in a big way.

This album is so amazing. The only song that sounds rough in any way is "Flyin Blind". I do believe Gord was not yet comfortable with the lyrics on his demos. A few lyrical passages sound rushed and stick out.

But I have to agree with everyone who has said that the approach they had to use on this album produced masterful results. Plus the fact that even from the demos, it was clear that Gord was back on his game in a big way.

[Janice]

Wow, it appears that some may have misread the initial poster's question (or maybe I did). The person never said they didn't like the CD - the question was not what changes would make it better - he/she even implied that some changes would make it not as good. The question was, what do you think *Gord* might have done differently that would have affected the end result if the circumstances of recording the CD were different?

Personally, I think it would have been a completely different sounding CD had Gord not fallen ill and the CD was put together in the "usual fashion". We'll never know if those differences would have enhanced the songs or not. To be honest, I haven't listened to the CD all the way through often enough to site specific possible differences except that, as a perfectionist, Gord would have recorded the vocals, re-recorded again and again until they were "perfect" where as the vocals on the CD couldn't be re-recorded or "perfected" in any way - which is one of the things that some of you find so endearing about the CD whether you realize it or not. That's not to say that I don't think the vocals are perfect as they are, that's to say that Gord may not have found them perfect as they are if he had the ability to re-record them for the CD.

quote:Originally posted by TheWatchman:
I take that back. I would change one thing, add a few more songs. Can't get enough of a good thing I guess.

I agree. That's pretty much the way it is on all of the albums.

quote:Originally posted by TheWatchman:
I take that back. I would change one thing, add a few more songs. Can't get enough of a good thing I guess.

I agree. That's pretty much the way it is on all of the albums.

[mtheeb]

We shouldn't be blinded by adoration. Many of the lyrics obviously could be improved--and maybe Lightfoot would have modified them, given the chance. "Harmony" is very repetitive--but I still love the song. "No Hotel" repeats lyrics in odd places and the story goes nowhere; also, the guitar riff is very repetitive--but I still believe the song could've been a hit.

"Sometime I Wish," which I initially considered a downer of an ending, is now my favorite track. Go figure.

(Brian Wilson's new album apparently has some REALLY, REALLY awful lyrics--but I'll still buy it and likely love it, in large part because I factor in his tremendous history, musically, and the fact that, after all these years, he hasn't quit trying.)

[Restless]

We shouldn't be blinded by adoration. Many of the lyrics obviously could be improved--and maybe Lightfoot would have modified them, given the chance. "Harmony" is very repetitive--but I still love the song. "No Hotel" repeats lyrics in odd places and the story goes nowhere; also, the guitar riff is very repetitive--but I still believe the song could've been a hit.

"Sometime I Wish," which I initially considered a downer of an ending, is now my favorite track. Go figure.

(Brian Wilson's new album apparently has some REALLY, REALLY awful lyrics--but I'll still buy it and likely love it, in large part because I factor in his tremendous history, musically, and the fact that, after all these years, he hasn't quit trying.)

[Jim Dundee]

I think what I like most about this album is that because Gord sang these as demos, he didn't go back and overwork the vocals which I think he may have done on recent albums (the last 20 years). Instead, we get a very honest sound from him much like his earlier recordings.

I do believe there is one song he would have altered if he had a chance and that would be "Harmony." HIs tempo is fairly inconsistent in that one and I don't believe he intended it to be. It would have been a challenge for Barry to add the percussion with the slowing up and slowing down of Gord's rhythm guitar track.

In all, I think the album was benefited by the addition of a few new instruments that he hasn't used much ever before such as the classical guitar and clay drum. Small additions, but good ones. I fear had he recorded in his usual way with only the core band, he'd not have used those.

John

[donquixote]

I think what I like most about this album is that because Gord sang these as demos, he didn't go back and overwork the vocals which I think he may have done on recent albums (the last 20 years). Instead, we get a very honest sound from him much like his earlier recordings.

I do believe there is one song he would have altered if he had a chance and that would be "Harmony." HIs tempo is fairly inconsistent in that one and I don't believe he intended it to be. It would have been a challenge for Barry to add the percussion with the slowing up and slowing down of Gord's rhythm guitar track.

In all, I think the album was benefited by the addition of a few new instruments that he hasn't used much ever before such as the classical guitar and clay drum. Small additions, but good ones. I fear had he recorded in his usual way with only the core band, he'd not have used those.

John

[Dan O'Malley]

Must agree with Restless about Brian Wilson's album. The lyrics arwe mostly trite, but after a few listens the songs get hold of you in other ways. "Harmony" too, was a grower. I Still can't get into "The No Hotel", I think it drags. (sorry!) But I love "Clouds of Loneliness" and "Sometimes I Wish" now, although they didn't grab me on first listening.