Rest In Peace... Gordon Lightfoot

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I got to see him at the Peter Britt Festival once... He sang all his greatest hits... It was wonderful!

Thanks for all the music!

Rest In Peace Gord...
 
The nicest house we owned that we wanted too retire in, but had to sell when I got messed up, had a neighbor who sang in the shower at the top of his lungs. The shower was right on the front corner of the house next to ours. The first time we heard him he was singing to Gordon.
 
Our local independent station had a tribute to Lightfoot this morning. Select May 2, the Morning Show at the link below, and skip to 7:55 am. There's a few minutes of air break and then the good stuff starts. This will be up for two weeks.

https://kexp.org/archive/
 
Rats!!!!!!!! Another one gone!!!! Ye, let the church bell chime,,,,29 times! One of my favorite song writers.......Thanks, Mr. l for not forgetting our "Brown Water" Sailors! Rest in Peace, Sir!
 
'If You Could Read My Mind' is - like Stairway to Heaven, More Than a Feeling & Bohemian Rhapsody, Your Song, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Bach's Prelude in C Major and a bare handful of others - a perfect song. Detailed analysis reveals complexities most listeners don't notice, while the arrangement, musical details, musicianship and lyrics are flawless and and cannot be improved...by anyone.

When a song flows so smoothly that it is like something that grew in nature rather than created by people, or betrays it's complexity by appearing simple because it demands no work from your ears, heart, mind or soul as it occupies all those things, then....that is a perfect song. Gordon was one of the most gifted singer-songwriters ever, from anywhere - five decades of Gold.

 
Curtis Enlow said:
'If You Could Read My Mind' is - like Stairway to Heaven, More Than a Feeling & Bohemian Rhapsody, Your Song, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Bach's Prelude in C Major and a bare handful of others - a perfect song. Detailed analysis reveals complexities most listeners don't notice, while the arrangement, musical details, musicianship and lyrics are flawless and and cannot be improved...by anyone.

When a song flows so smoothly that it is like something that grew in nature rather than created by people, or betrays it's complexity by appearing simple because it demands no work from your ears, heart, mind or soul as it occupies all those things, then....that is a perfect song. Gordon was one of the most gifted singer-songwriters ever, from anywhere - five decades of Gold.
Click to expand...
perfect description.... where do you come up with such a thorough flow of thoughts?
 
hobie1dog said:
perfect description.... where do you come up with such a thorough flow of thoughts?
Click to expand...
Thank you for your kind words :)

Basically, I've always enjoyed writing but was never very good at it until I went to art school later in life to earn degrees as a recording engineer and also in video production. Being creative fields there was a heavy emphasis on creative writing, communication and composition and that not only cleaned up and helped organize my thoughts but it also helped me to 'find my voice' so to speak in expressing myself better. Also, as a recording engineer, we were trained in musical analysis and description.

Lastly, I am a huge Lightfoot fan. In fact, knowing his tour dates were previously cancelled I, literally, checked on his condition on the morning that it was later announced he had passed. I guess it has all come together in my desire to pay tribute to one of my musical heroes.
 
Saw him perform at Oregon State U. some 45 years ago (gawd, am I really that old?). I had some cheap seats that were at the top of the fold out bleachers that were used for basketball games. Behind the bleachers was a walkway that went to the locker rooms. While the warm up band was playing, I glanced through the gap at the top of the bleachers to see Gordon L. sitting on a bench drinking a 6 pack of beer.

How he got through his performance without taking a leak is beyond me.

Hans,
 
Curtis Enlow said:
'If You Could Read My Mind' is - like Stairway to Heaven, More Than a Feeling & Bohemian Rhapsody, Your Song, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Bach's Prelude in C Major and a bare handful of others - a perfect song. Detailed analysis reveals complexities most listeners don't notice, while the arrangement, musical details, musicianship and lyrics are flawless and and cannot be improved...by anyone.

When a song flows so smoothly that it is like something that grew in nature rather than created by people, or betrays it's complexity by appearing simple because it demands no work from your ears, heart, mind or soul as it occupies all those things, then....that is a perfect song. Gordon was one of the most gifted singer-songwriters ever, from anywhere - five decades of Gold.

Click to expand...


I have heard the song a few times, but never 'listened' to it. It sounded good as background music, but when you listen critically, it is an amazing song. If it doesn't make you get a bit misty in the eye, you have either lead a privileged life or have no soul (IMO, of course).
 
Here’s a list I made for my 20 and 30-something coworkers to introduce them. I leave off “The Wreck” on purpose. That’s a commitment better made after being properly acclimated. :)

Early Morning Rain
Sundown
Beautiful
Rainy Day People
Cotton Jenny
Carefree Highway
If You Could Read My Mind
 
I love the backstories of songs and occasionally write little blerbs for friends on my Facebook page. This is one from three years ago about one of Gordo's songs.

The Girl in the Song:

Gordon was away from home a lot - performing, recording, touring. He hired a fellow Canadian named Cathy as a back-up singer which then led to an affair.

Cathy Smith was a part time back-up singer, groupie and occasional drug dealer and Gordon was not her first rodeo. She became a part of The Band's entourage and was even rumored to be a character featured in The Band's iconic song, 'The Weight.' (Most likely Miss Fanny, as all the others are spoken for). Such was her personal entanglements with The Band that, when she became pregnant, she called it 'the band's baby' because paternity was...in question.

Despite all this her relationship with Gordon Lightfoot was intense, full of jealousy and occasionally, violent. It contributed to the demise of Lightfoot's marriage and resulted in, what was at the time, the most expensive divorce in Canadian history. As Gordon was inclined to do, his experiences with Smith resulted in a number of songs, among them 'Sundown', 'I'm Not Supposed to Care' and the Top 40s late 70's hit, 'The Circle is Small.'

Eight years later Cathy Smith would inject John Belushi with a fatal drug overdose and spend 15 months in prison for her part in his death.

"...I can see her lookin' fast in her faded jeans
She's a hard lovin' woman, got me feelin' mean
Sometimes I think it's a shame
When I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin' 'round my back stairs
Sundown ya better take care
If I find you been creepin' 'round my back stairs..."

sundown.jpg
 

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