Early Morning Rain

Mike Dixon · 10-14-2006, 10:03 AM

Maybe you've already resolved this one but I haven't seen it...
What ARE the lyrics? I've heard "with a pain that ever grows", "where the cold wind blows", "where the cold winds blow" and "where the pavement never grows" (which I first thought was a joke but it kept showing up).
Thanks to anyone who can enlighten me on this one.

Old Folkie · 10-14-2006, 10:03 AM

Maybe you've already resolved this one but I haven't seen it...
What ARE the lyrics? I've heard "with a pain that ever grows", "where the cold wind blows", "where the cold winds blow" and "where the pavement never grows" (which I first thought was a joke but it kept showing up).
Thanks to anyone who can enlighten me on this one.

Auburn Annie · 10-14-2006, 01:30 PM

Here are the original lyrics from LIGHTFOOT!:

In the early morning rain
With a dollar in my hand
With an achin' in my heart
And my pockets full of sand
I'm a long way from home
And I miss my loved ones so
In the early morning rain
With no place to go
Out on runway number nine
Big seven-o-seven set to go
But I'm stuck here in the grass
Where the cold wind blows
Now the liquor tasted good
And the women all were fast
Well there she goes my friend
Well she's rollin' down at last

Hear the mighty engines roar
See the silver bird on high
She's away and westward bound
Far above the clouds she'll fly
Where the mornin' rain don't fall
And the sun always shines
She'll be flyin' o'er my home
In about three hours time

This old airport's got me down
It's no earthly good to me
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground
As cold and drunk as I can be
You can't jump a jet plane
Like you can a freight train
So I'd best be on my way
In the early morning rain
You can't jump a jet plane
Like you can a freight train
So I'd best be on my way
In the early morning rain

Mind you, this song has been covered by a zillion other artists, some of whom approximate the lyrics. Gord himself occasionally plays with the words while performing live, and has noted specific changes (e.g from "If You Could Read My Mind" he changed "And if you read between the lines / You'll know that I'm just tryin' to understand / The feelin's that YOU lack" to "the feelin's that WE lack" for his daughter Ingrid.)

BTW if you go to the home page, there's a link for "songs" which will give you an alphabetical list; click on the title and it will bring you to the lyrics.

Ginny · 10-14-2006, 01:54 PM

That lyric as I see it written in the corresponding songbook to the original "LIGHTFOOT!" recording, although it doesn't give the date, I recall it being 1965, reads as follows: "Where the cold wind blows" as Annie has indicated above. Gord seems to alter lyrics from time to time but when he does, it is always in a very subtle manner. I like this version of "Early Mornin'Rain" best of all mainly because of it's rawness and I never tire of listening to the way he pounds out the strumming effect on the guitar. Takes me way back to the old Steele's Tavern, Riverboat days. Cheers, Ron J.

Old Folkie · 10-15-2006, 08:05 AM

I checked the versions I have on my computer...Gord says "where the cold wind blows" on the Songbook version...Ian & Sylvia, Tony Rice, Judy Collins, Eva Cassidy all say "where the cold winds blow"...Peter Paul & Mary say "where the pavement never grows" and then J.P. Cormier does too. Where that wording came from I can't imagine but obviously that's where I heard it.

charlene · 10-15-2006, 09:38 AM

On Canadian Idol the young girl, Elena that performed it in front of Gord sang 'with a pain that never goes'. Just watched/lsitened again..

Gord seemed very pleased with her rendition....

Jesse Joe · 10-15-2006, 10:16 AM

This was the best performance of EMR, I ever heard. Following night she was booted off. Never did understand that one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrKBjMjJeCA

Hey Char, did you notice a younger Meredith, sitting next to Daddy, on that show..

[ October 15, 2006, 17:39: Message edited by: Jesse -Joe ]

Old Folkie · 10-15-2006, 12:09 PM

Ok here are some more:
Kingston Trio say "where the cold winds blow"
And Gord on Gord's Gold says "with a pain that ever grows"
!!!! So now I know where THAT one came from. I accused someone who sang it like that of making it up.

vlmagee · 10-15-2006, 12:21 PM

On Gord's Gold, as I recall, Gord sings the "pain" version. And in a late 60s live appearance released on an obscure CD a few years ago, he sang the "pavement" version. I remember winning a few bets on that one! I have always wondered whether he created that line as a playful bit of humor and used it on multiple occasions, or whether it was a one time thing. I don't even know what he sings these days; all versions sound right to me!

charlene · 10-15-2006, 12:57 PM

Meredith was a huge Kalan Porter fan....

brink- · 10-15-2006, 01:03 PM

I thought she was an Elena fan - she was holding a sign that said Elena-or was she holding the sign to get her booted? j/k

[ October 15, 2006, 13:37: Message edited by: brink- ]

brink- · 10-15-2006, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vlmagee:
On Gord's Gold, as I recall, Gord sings the "pain" version. And in a late 60s live appearance released on an obscure CD a few years ago, he sang the "pavement" version. I remember winning a few bets on that one! I have always wondered whether he created that line as a playful bit of humor and used it on multiple occasions, or whether it was a one time thing. I don't even know what he sings these days; all versions sound right to me!

Val, do you remember which CD it was?

vlmagee · 10-15-2006, 02:02 PM

Of course I do. Whether you can find it is another matter. It was called ... mmmm ... San Francisco Live, and contained what they called "psychodelic" music. The recordings (many different artists; just the one of GL) are all live, mostly if not totally from performances on college campuses. The sound quality left a lot to be desired, but the recording was quite something to hear, with Red Shea and John Stockfish. Red had almost a bluegrass sound; quite breathtaking, actually. I always wondered if the CD was "authorized"; wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't.

New 12 String Mike · 10-15-2006, 04:00 PM

OK.

The story I read, from the Songbook booklet, I think, was that Gord heard Elvis sing the line, "with a pain that ever grows." And has sung it that way ever since. He also recently changed the line,"as cold and drunk as I can be," to "as cold and drunk as I might be."

I've often wondered if he'd change seven oh seven to seven four seven, or something similar, too.

Of course, there's that whole airport security thing now too.

brink- · 10-15-2006, 05:19 PM

I have that one, Val. I just have never opened it. The one with the Chambers Brothers, Grateful Dead, Janis, Boz etc.? Maybe it is time to listen to it.
On the back cover it says the recordings were taken from performances for College Campus Radio.

vlmagee · 10-15-2006, 06:51 PM

Sounds like it, Deb. Open it and listen. You will be glad you bought it.

Wesley · 10-15-2006, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brink-:
I have that one, Val. I just have never opened it. The one with the Chambers Brothers, Grateful Dead, Janis, Boz etc.? Maybe it is time to listen to it.
On the back cover it says the recordings were taken from performances for College Campus Radio.

I'd love to hear the GD Chamber's Brothers version of ERM. I only know Time and their version of I Can't Turn You Loose.

Affair on Touhy Ave. · 10-15-2006, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by brink-:
I have that one, Val. I just have never opened it. The one with the Chambers Brothers, Grateful Dead, Janis, Boz etc.? Maybe it is time to listen to it.
On the back cover it says the recordings were taken from performances for College Campus Radio.

I'd love to hear the GD Chamber's Brothers version of ERM. I only know Time and their version of I Can't Turn You Loose.

charlene · 10-16-2006, 06:32 AM

this is lovely - I think it's Paul Weller:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QMFWasgs38

and a snippet of Elvis:

http://www.amazon.com/Elvis-Now-Presley/dp/B000002...
[ October 16, 2006, 06:37: Message edited by: charlene ]

Glenmark · 10-16-2006, 10:08 AM

It is indeed Paul Weller, Charlene, and it is lovely, but I prefer Gord's chording of the song.

Old Folkie · 10-16-2006, 10:29 AM

OK continuing my survey...
Elvis says where the pavement never grows...
Paul Weller says where the cold wind blows...
You could make a very interesting CD, all Early Morning Rain!

Gitchigumee · 03-16-2007, 04:59 PM

Can anyone tell me the date and place of this performance? It's incredible!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-otk4v9aRs4

Borderstone · 03-16-2007, 05:10 PM

I do believe that's from "Live In Reno" in early 2000. (Taped late 1999? Someone correct me if I'm mistaken.)

ELizabeth · 03-16-2007, 05:18 PM

I am sure you're right Borderstone.

vlmagee · 03-16-2007, 06:07 PM

Taped April 19, 2000.


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