Favorite Lightfoot Song & Why? II

[fairychick]

Is this a question that can be answered? I first heard Lightfoot back in 1970 and was captivated from the start. So that's 35 years of listening to and hearing his words, music, and voice. It would almost be easier to say this is my favorite song from...and go through each album.

Without pulling out albums, or CDs, or looking at a discography, I've thought of two immediately though. The first is "Affair on 8th Avenue". It's haunting. The second is "Whisper My Name", although I'm not sure why since parts of seem almost like "bubblegum".

Yet now I'm thinking about "Heaven Help the Devil" and "If You Need Me" and....

How fortunate to grow up listening to Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot, and have them joined by Jackson Browne, Paul Simon, and so many others. It was all worth it.

tara

It has to be If you could read my mind.
Our first exposure to Gordon 3 years ago, and certainly not the last

It has to be If you could read my mind.
Our first exposure to Gordon 3 years ago, and certainly not the last

[Robert Shortell]

My favorite gl song was edmund fitzgerald-yes, the rest were good-but kind of reminded me of the music machine...I next heard Race among the ruins-and its my favorite now-its easy to sing harmony to & easy to play...lol....namaste & blessings gordon!!!

[pat murphy]

My favorite gl song was edmund fitzgerald-yes, the rest were good-but kind of reminded me of the music machine...I next heard Race among the ruins-and its my favorite now-its easy to sing harmony to & easy to play...lol....namaste & blessings gordon!!!

[Robert Shortell]

My favorite song was Edmund Fitz.-but then later I heard Race among the ruins-Wow!!...easy to harmonize to, and easy to play-thank you gordon for the songs-namaste & blessings, patricia in tenn.

[pat murphy]

My favorite song was Edmund Fitz.-but then later I heard Race among the ruins-Wow!!...easy to harmonize to, and easy to play-thank you gordon for the songs-namaste & blessings, patricia in tenn.

[Scarlet_Witch]

Well, It's great just to be able chat about Gordon and his songs. For me, there are too many, plus I feel there are three distinct era's for him (Before 76, 76-85 and post 85).
For me:

Pre 76: Circle Of Steel
76-85: I'm Not Supposed To Care
Post 85: I'll Prove My Love

Like I said, there's really not any song he's done that I dislike and too many to single out one (unless forced to do so---"I'm Not Supposed To Care").

[fpcorsair]

Well, It's great just to be able chat about Gordon and his songs. For me, there are too many, plus I feel there are three distinct era's for him (Before 76, 76-85 and post 85).
For me:

Pre 76: Circle Of Steel
76-85: I'm Not Supposed To Care
Post 85: I'll Prove My Love

Like I said, there's really not any song he's done that I dislike and too many to single out one (unless forced to do so---"I'm Not Supposed To Care").

Gordon lightfoot's songs are all great! "If you could Read My Mind" Big Steel Rail" "Early Morning Rain" but "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" has to be the best.

It is Musical genius! If you listen closely you can actually hear the waves. "And every man knew as the Captain did too, it was the Witch of November come stealin'".

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?" Some of the greatest lyrics ever written.
Stan

Gordon lightfoot's songs are all great! "If you could Read My Mind" Big Steel Rail" "Early Morning Rain" but "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" has to be the best.

It is Musical genius! If you listen closely you can actually hear the waves. "And every man knew as the Captain did too, it was the Witch of November come stealin'".

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?" Some of the greatest lyrics ever written.
Stan

Like so many of the others, he has so many great songs that I don't have a favorite. I have a whole bunch of favorites & it just depends on the mood I'm in. I once said that if I was on my death bed & could only hear 1 more song it would be 'Race Among The Ruins', but on "Summertime Dream" alone I like 'I'm Not Supposed To Care', 'Never Too Close' & 'The House You Live In' just as much. All the other songs on the album except 'Protocol', run a close 2nd to those 4, so you might assume "Summertime Dream" was my favorite album (and it was for a long time), but "Summer Side of Life", "Don Quixote", Cold On The Shoulder", & "Shadows" are all just as good & most of his others aren't far behind. So thankful that my son-in-law got me "Songbook" for Christmas. Hard to believe 'Borderstone' got left off his earlier albums - its Mr. Lightfoot at his best.

[wpaladin48]

Like so many of the others, he has so many great songs that I don't have a favorite. I have a whole bunch of favorites & it just depends on the mood I'm in. I once said that if I was on my death bed & could only hear 1 more song it would be 'Race Among The Ruins', but on "Summertime Dream" alone I like 'I'm Not Supposed To Care', 'Never Too Close' & 'The House You Live In' just as much. All the other songs on the album except 'Protocol', run a close 2nd to those 4, so you might assume "Summertime Dream" was my favorite album (and it was for a long time), but "Summer Side of Life", "Don Quixote", Cold On The Shoulder", & "Shadows" are all just as good & most of his others aren't far behind. So thankful that my son-in-law got me "Songbook" for Christmas. Hard to believe 'Borderstone' got left off his earlier albums - its Mr. Lightfoot at his best.

my fav.song is the hiway song, what a melody and
a tune; great songwriting!!!!

[Sydney Steve]

Good taste speckbacke!
I know way less than most posters here about Gord's work but I heard Hi'Way Songs for the first time only 3 months back when listening to "Songbook" for the first time.
It stood out and struck me as a special track.
Under recognised I reckon !

I'd say it's a tossup between Sundown and Don Quixote for myself. When I was in college and a media major my first year, I had a film class and wanted to do a mini-movie to the Sundown theme. Always pictured coinciding the beginning lyrics about the satin dress "in a room where you do what you don't confess" with a shot in a seedy strip club, focusing in on a beautiful dancing woman who really shouldn't be there and a man who knows it but goes along with the charade anyway.

I like the story told in Don Quixote. With a close third of Old Dan's Records.

I'd say it's a tossup between Sundown and Don Quixote for myself. When I was in college and a media major my first year, I had a film class and wanted to do a mini-movie to the Sundown theme. Always pictured coinciding the beginning lyrics about the satin dress "in a room where you do what you don't confess" with a shot in a seedy strip club, focusing in on a beautiful dancing woman who really shouldn't be there and a man who knows it but goes along with the charade anyway.

I like the story told in Don Quixote. With a close third of Old Dan's Records.

Maybe farewell to annabelle, or caberet, or love and maple syrup, or sea of tranquility or seven island suite, or the way i feel.

Maybe farewell to annabelle, or caberet, or love and maple syrup, or sea of tranquility or seven island suite, or the way i feel.

[Shutup and Deal, I'm Losin']

Hi'way Songs
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
The Wreck of The Edmun Ditzgerald

Approaching Lavender is my favorite. Great rhythm and lyrics. One of those songs which evokes great emotion.

Approaching Lavender is my favorite. Great rhythm and lyrics. One of those songs which evokes great emotion.

[Barry Shanley]

I'm relatively new to GL. I owned GG on tape about 20 yrs ago and lost it. I was young and restless and was more into the harder rock. I've mellowed into classical over the years but had some restless moods, like recently. I've found that GL is a perfect fit for me because of the mix he offers and the lyrics are a deep well to draw from. I've ordered all GL's original music cd's and so far I have 7 album's worth. UA,IYCRMM,SD,and SSOL. So far, I'll go with THE LAST TIME I SAW HER when I'm mellow and SEVEN ISLAND SUITE when I'm alittle rowdy...but I reserve the right to change my mind as new cd's pop in my mailbox...unless...IYCRMM? Ahem...Is there anyone out there who envies my situation? I mean...isn't it like being a kid again?

[marc in maine]

I'm relatively new to GL. I owned GG on tape about 20 yrs ago and lost it. I was young and restless and was more into the harder rock. I've mellowed into classical over the years but had some restless moods, like recently. I've found that GL is a perfect fit for me because of the mix he offers and the lyrics are a deep well to draw from. I've ordered all GL's original music cd's and so far I have 7 album's worth. UA,IYCRMM,SD,and SSOL. So far, I'll go with THE LAST TIME I SAW HER when I'm mellow and SEVEN ISLAND SUITE when I'm alittle rowdy...but I reserve the right to change my mind as new cd's pop in my mailbox...unless...IYCRMM? Ahem...Is there anyone out there who envies my situation? I mean...isn't it like being a kid again?

[Auburn Annie]

Welcome, Lightland; you are definitely among friends here.