Favorite Lightfoot Song & Why? II

[Doug]

I've listened to Gord more years than I care to remember and in a host of fantastic songs it actually boils down to a very easy choice.

In the late 70s I had cause to spend a year at the far end of the Aleutians, a very cold, very isolated, very lonely place, with winter weather so bad you were restricted from going outside. So in a way I've answered the age old question of 'What would you take to a deserted island?' I took a turntable and a host of Gordon Lightfoot albums.

Anyway, the roughest part was leaving behind my family and my life literally became a version of 'Song for a Winter's Night.'

"I read again between the lines upon the page
The words of love you sent me
If I could know within my heart
That you were lonely too
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
Upon this winter night with you"

The man is pure magic. Within a line he has gone from certain love to a bit of nagging doubt. Anyone who's ever been in that situation will readily identify how easy it is to cross that thin line and actually have both feelings at once.

Pure magic.

I have just recently gotten online and this is one of the first sites I found and after reading through all of the posts I'm amazed and gratified that there are so many people who love Gordon's music so well. I'm especially inspired by Donaldfluffy's post.
"The abuse that we must stand is often Heaven sent" -GL

As far as a favorite Lightfoot song is concerned I agree with most of you: there's just no such thing. When I was going to college at the University of Wyoming I used to make the 7 hour drive listening to nothing but Gordon Lightfoot and never hear the same song twice. And that's what's so amazing about his music. They're ALL good!

But I do have a favorite:
Bells of the Evening from the Cold on the Shoulder album.
To me it epitomizes everything we love about his music: the lyrics, the melody, the imagery, the voice.

Mr. Lightfoot, may you have a speedy and full recovery. May all the joy that you've given all of us over the years be returned to you.

I have just recently gotten online and this is one of the first sites I found and after reading through all of the posts I'm amazed and gratified that there are so many people who love Gordon's music so well. I'm especially inspired by Donaldfluffy's post.
"The abuse that we must stand is often Heaven sent" -GL

As far as a favorite Lightfoot song is concerned I agree with most of you: there's just no such thing. When I was going to college at the University of Wyoming I used to make the 7 hour drive listening to nothing but Gordon Lightfoot and never hear the same song twice. And that's what's so amazing about his music. They're ALL good!

But I do have a favorite:
Bells of the Evening from the Cold on the Shoulder album.
To me it epitomizes everything we love about his music: the lyrics, the melody, the imagery, the voice.

Mr. Lightfoot, may you have a speedy and full recovery. May all the joy that you've given all of us over the years be returned to you.

Talking in Your Sleep is my favorite song and has been stuck in my head since the early 70's. I never met anyone else who knew the song and never knew who the artist was. Yipee! Now I can finally go about finding it and owning it! I can die happy!

Talking in Your Sleep is my favorite song and has been stuck in my head since the early 70's. I never met anyone else who knew the song and never knew who the artist was. Yipee! Now I can finally go about finding it and owning it! I can die happy!

[Borderstone]

I'll make this simple. All GL songs but a very select few. I'm not saying I "hate" those few but they just don't seem (in my opinion) to match Gord's style. Some are the one's he didn't write himself like,"Pride Of Man". Some are the ones influenced by trying to sound modern or "hip". 1/2 of the "Endless Wire" lp is good the other 1/2 sounds like an unfortunate cross between Fleetwood Mac,The Eagles and Gary Wright. Lastly,some of the rock like songs on,"Salute" sound like they should have been done by .38 Special. I just prefer that Gordon either does Folk,Country or his easy-going brand of Jazzlike pop tunes. It's been Borderstone,outta here and A.B. !

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Borderstone

"I read again between the lines upon each page the words of love you sent me..."
SONG FOR A WINTER'S NIGHT.
Curtis

"I read again between the lines upon each page the words of love you sent me..."
SONG FOR A WINTER'S NIGHT.
Curtis

I like them all. I'm probably unable to pick a favorite. However, I do listen to The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald alot because we are going to the shipwreck museum in July and our cabin is on Whitefish Bay. That song gets me stoked for my vacation. I like all Gord music and a personal favorite song may change from day to day. If it's cold and rainy on a particular day, maybe Rainy Day People is my favorite song that day.

I like them all. I'm probably unable to pick a favorite. However, I do listen to The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald alot because we are going to the shipwreck museum in July and our cabin is on Whitefish Bay. That song gets me stoked for my vacation. I like all Gord music and a personal favorite song may change from day to day. If it's cold and rainy on a particular day, maybe Rainy Day People is my favorite song that day.

[Mist O' The Morn']

Donaldfluffy sums it up the best - inspirational. So much poetry, and so much to listen to and oh so much to think about. Inspirational!

If you need me, is indeed, a wonderful tune. I'm not supposed to care, same old obsession, ordinary man, shadows, ribbon of darkness, song for a winter's night, ode to big blue, affair on eight avenue, bells of the evening, can't depend on love, if children had wings, home from the forest, if I could, in my fashion, it's worth believin', on the high seas, never too close, mother of a miner's child, second cup of coffee, sit down young stranger, watchman's gone, patriot's dream, your love's return, lazy mornin'. Oh, who am I kidding? I could go on with favorites for hours. Just say most, with very few exceptions.

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restless shadows

[walls]

Donaldfluffy sums it up the best - inspirational. So much poetry, and so much to listen to and oh so much to think about. Inspirational!

If you need me, is indeed, a wonderful tune. I'm not supposed to care, same old obsession, ordinary man, shadows, ribbon of darkness, song for a winter's night, ode to big blue, affair on eight avenue, bells of the evening, can't depend on love, if children had wings, home from the forest, if I could, in my fashion, it's worth believin', on the high seas, never too close, mother of a miner's child, second cup of coffee, sit down young stranger, watchman's gone, patriot's dream, your love's return, lazy mornin'. Oh, who am I kidding? I could go on with favorites for hours. Just say most, with very few exceptions.

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restless shadows

Like many of those who have posted, I grew up on the radio-friendly 70's songs like "Sundown" and "If You Could Read My Mind". My wife (she and I are in our late-20's) had more exposure to album material through her mother, but it was all from that same era. Once she got me exposed to songs like "Summer Side of Life" and "Circle of Steel", my list of favorites grew, but I hadn't found that transcendent song to serve as my "favorite" song.

That is until last year, when I found a double-CD set entitled "The United Artists Collection" that had four albums worth of material that I had largely not heard. For those few not familiar, GL re-recorded a few of the songs from this time ("Steel Rail Blues" and Canadian Railroad Trilogy" were probably my favorites that appeared in this collection) in his later work. But I was exposed to great songs like "Boss Man", "Marie Christine", "The Gypsy" and "Black Day in July". For all of that, none of those is my favorite, either.

I gotta go with one I haven't seen mentioned much, that being "The Way I Feel" (Version 2, the double-tracked vocal and percussion-laden track). Haunting, the rare kind of song I can listen to several times in a row. One of my favorite songs ever.

To me, GL is one in a trio of Anglo-folk artists who stand at the pinnacle of their craft, each of whom represents the 60s-70s time differently, but equally well. For America, of course, we have Bob Dylan. Canada gave us GL. England's best, in my opinion, is Nick Drake. Keep your ears and your mind open, and see you around the listening bars of your local record store.

Chris

Like many of those who have posted, I grew up on the radio-friendly 70's songs like "Sundown" and "If You Could Read My Mind". My wife (she and I are in our late-20's) had more exposure to album material through her mother, but it was all from that same era. Once she got me exposed to songs like "Summer Side of Life" and "Circle of Steel", my list of favorites grew, but I hadn't found that transcendent song to serve as my "favorite" song.

That is until last year, when I found a double-CD set entitled "The United Artists Collection" that had four albums worth of material that I had largely not heard. For those few not familiar, GL re-recorded a few of the songs from this time ("Steel Rail Blues" and Canadian Railroad Trilogy" were probably my favorites that appeared in this collection) in his later work. But I was exposed to great songs like "Boss Man", "Marie Christine", "The Gypsy" and "Black Day in July". For all of that, none of those is my favorite, either.

I gotta go with one I haven't seen mentioned much, that being "The Way I Feel" (Version 2, the double-tracked vocal and percussion-laden track). Haunting, the rare kind of song I can listen to several times in a row. One of my favorite songs ever.

To me, GL is one in a trio of Anglo-folk artists who stand at the pinnacle of their craft, each of whom represents the 60s-70s time differently, but equally well. For America, of course, we have Bob Dylan. Canada gave us GL. England's best, in my opinion, is Nick Drake. Keep your ears and your mind open, and see you around the listening bars of your local record store.

Chris

This is my first visit to the site. I'm having a wonderful time listening to Gord on my DVD while I am reading everyone's opinions and GL stories. Let me add my 2 cents...

I began to listen to Gord in '71 when my barracks-mate pulled out his stereo and an album that was entitled "Sit Down Young Stranger". [It was re-released later as "If You Could Read My Mind".] My buddy Duke had several earlier albums that he shared while we sat around sipping beverages to pass the time during barracks life. We stumbled upon Sunday Concert on day in the PX and I then discovered my favorite song - Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle.

The most telling thing of that recording was the live audience's reaction. The silence during his performance and for a split second at the song's end....they were stunned. It was then that I realized how Gordon can weave the emotions of life around the intricate words of a story and apply an appropriate melody that creates a tapestry worthy of the Louvre....
"Oh, Lord!" she groans "I'm burning!
Let someone understand!"
But her silent plea is wasted
In the playing of the band...
and a voice says "Shut up and deal! I'm losing....."
You could close your eyes and see and hear everything!

Did She Mention My Name was a favorite while I was in the service, as was Early Morning Rain. CRT is without equal to anything other than GL's own music, and Christian Island talks to everyone's personal place of peace.

The most moving experience I ever had at a concert was during one of Gord's appearances at Blossom Music Center near Cleveland. BMC is an outdoor theater that sits in a hollow between a couple of hills. It's very common for people to sit on blankets on the sides of the hills to enjoy the shows. My wife and I were enjoying the concert as the sun was setting on a late August evening. The low lying area often gets foggy, and it began to do so this evening just as Gord began the opening strains of "Fitz". It was an amazing and eerie feeling to be sitting there as the fog rolled in, listening....
"when she left fully loaded for Cleveland...." I still get the chills.

This is my first visit to the site. I'm having a wonderful time listening to Gord on my DVD while I am reading everyone's opinions and GL stories. Let me add my 2 cents...

I began to listen to Gord in '71 when my barracks-mate pulled out his stereo and an album that was entitled "Sit Down Young Stranger". [It was re-released later as "If You Could Read My Mind".] My buddy Duke had several earlier albums that he shared while we sat around sipping beverages to pass the time during barracks life. We stumbled upon Sunday Concert on day in the PX and I then discovered my favorite song - Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle.

The most telling thing of that recording was the live audience's reaction. The silence during his performance and for a split second at the song's end....they were stunned. It was then that I realized how Gordon can weave the emotions of life around the intricate words of a story and apply an appropriate melody that creates a tapestry worthy of the Louvre....
"Oh, Lord!" she groans "I'm burning!
Let someone understand!"
But her silent plea is wasted
In the playing of the band...
and a voice says "Shut up and deal! I'm losing....."
You could close your eyes and see and hear everything!

Did She Mention My Name was a favorite while I was in the service, as was Early Morning Rain. CRT is without equal to anything other than GL's own music, and Christian Island talks to everyone's personal place of peace.

The most moving experience I ever had at a concert was during one of Gord's appearances at Blossom Music Center near Cleveland. BMC is an outdoor theater that sits in a hollow between a couple of hills. It's very common for people to sit on blankets on the sides of the hills to enjoy the shows. My wife and I were enjoying the concert as the sun was setting on a late August evening. The low lying area often gets foggy, and it began to do so this evening just as Gord began the opening strains of "Fitz". It was an amazing and eerie feeling to be sitting there as the fog rolled in, listening....
"when she left fully loaded for Cleveland...." I still get the chills.

[clawcrawler]

quote:Originally posted by Jennifer:
My favorite GL song is
Seven Island Suite.
He really hits the heart of matters
there.
Could listen to it over & over.

It is one of my favorite songs also. I like the different movements and the imagery. It shows his creativity at it's best.

[GL Fan for 30+years]

quote:Originally posted by Jennifer:
My favorite GL song is
Seven Island Suite.
He really hits the heart of matters
there.
Could listen to it over & over.

It is one of my favorite songs also. I like the different movements and the imagery. It shows his creativity at it's best.

There's a lot of GL songs that I like, but my favorite will probably always be
"The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald."

Coming in a close 2nd is ShadowsII (Gords Gold Volume. II version).

There's a lot of GL songs that I like, but my favorite will probably always be
"The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald."

Coming in a close 2nd is ShadowsII (Gords Gold Volume. II version).

[Borderstone]

Well I've been on here awhile now and I just went back and looked at all these posts and of course I read my own. Safe now to say that my opinion and answer to this question has altered. I have realized after listening to my collection for awhile,that I prefer both versions of "The Pony Man" equally. In fact they are so similar,when I listened to the newer longer version I almost didn't realize that it was longer. The reasons are that the line about midnight on the meadows reminds me of my backyard back in PA which was mostly like a meadow. Also when it talks about the midnight sky and the moon it reminds me of how my hometown was small and had no really large buldings or bright lights to block the view of the moon & stars. When the moon was full,there were seemingly 1 billion stars out there. Finally,it just reminds me of my own childhood and how simple it was. Not just living in a small town but being a kid there also. This has been Borderstone,getting misty eyed while Alberta Bound. (Or maybe Corry,PA)

Toss up.. Pussy Willows Catails because of the imagery... Beautiful because i wrote down the lyrics and left them on the windshield of a girl.. A girl who would become my wife. That was 25 years ago.

Still Married.

Toss up.. Pussy Willows Catails because of the imagery... Beautiful because i wrote down the lyrics and left them on the windshield of a girl.. A girl who would become my wife. That was 25 years ago.

Still Married.

Depending on my mood or the season, my favorite GL song usually changes frequently; however, if I had to narrow it down to one, it would have to be "If You Could Read My Mind." I feel this is the best song ever written. I have yet to hear any music artist or group sing a song that captures my soul like this one does. I will never forget the time when I was mature enough to understand what the song meant. I was probably 14, and I had just been dumped by this girl I was completely in love with (I probably wasn't in love with her, but I was young, naive and a dreamer, and at the time, she was my whole world). My mother had picked me up at school; on the way home, the song was played on the radio. I had heard it many times before, but I had never really payed attention to the lyrics. Right then, I experienced this intense emotional release while the song was being played; I was hanging on to every word. After the song was over, I noticed my mother looking strangely at me, with concern. I finally realized that I had been crying, though never feeling or noticing it. It was a confusing moment for me because I did not feel sad, so I didn't understand why I had cried. Only later did I comprehend that I discovered the true meaning of music.

[Izzy]

Depending on my mood or the season, my favorite GL song usually changes frequently; however, if I had to narrow it down to one, it would have to be "If You Could Read My Mind." I feel this is the best song ever written. I have yet to hear any music artist or group sing a song that captures my soul like this one does. I will never forget the time when I was mature enough to understand what the song meant. I was probably 14, and I had just been dumped by this girl I was completely in love with (I probably wasn't in love with her, but I was young, naive and a dreamer, and at the time, she was my whole world). My mother had picked me up at school; on the way home, the song was played on the radio. I had heard it many times before, but I had never really payed attention to the lyrics. Right then, I experienced this intense emotional release while the song was being played; I was hanging on to every word. After the song was over, I noticed my mother looking strangely at me, with concern. I finally realized that I had been crying, though never feeling or noticing it. It was a confusing moment for me because I did not feel sad, so I didn't understand why I had cried. Only later did I comprehend that I discovered the true meaning of music.