Okay, before you whip out your thumbs-downs, consider the show (http://concerts.wolfgangsvault.com/ConcertDetail.aspx?id=579|2693) from 1968 at the Fillmore West now on Wolfgang's Vault. He's an amazingly gifted storyteller, and this superb show captures him before the MOR vampires added sappy strings to his songs in the seventies. Not all of them, of course, but it's great to hear his music stripped down to a bass player and two guitars. Arrangement-wise, the effect is similar to Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, or some of Tim Buckley's albums. Sounds like he could handle a crowd pretty well too.

Before I checked this out, all I had heard of his was If you could read my mind, Sundown and Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Now I'm going to have to seek those first three or four albums of his out, I bet they are pretty good.

I think he was brilliant. One of the best singer/songwriters of the 70s.

Big Gordon fan here - and I have been for over 30 years. I have many (most?) of his albums, most of them in vinyl. Saw him in concert in Denver in, what, 1984? A great songwriter and troubadour.

I dig him.

I'm a big fan and have quite a few of his albums.

I'd be curious to hear your favorites, do you recommend all of them or?

Another fan, Gordon wrote most of his songs himself, I have three of his albums.

I have the 'Sundown' album and several of his singles, some of them being "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" and "Race Among The Ruins". I know there's much more he did that's as good or better, but for some reason never pursued them.

Another fan, Gordon wrote most of his songs himself, I have three of his albums.

I thought he must, the songs in that Fillmore show are definitely written from the vantagepoint of one, very active mind. Poetry. "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" and "Cold Hands From New York" are very moving.

Gordan is the first album/cd I play for anyone with musical/vocal ability who thinks solid state lords it over tubes. Many of his tunes are stunning on a well tuned system.

Very few people have the music chops to do an accoustic show without being drowned out by amplified instrumentation. Gordan was one of the best, RIP.

No thumbs down here either. I have a few of his albums and the are very relaxing and enjoyable.

'If You Could Read My Mind', is one of my all time favorite songs, ever! I even like the disco remake of it. It is such a great, finely crafted song, disco can't ruin it. LOL

Another Gordon Lightfoot fan here....and Canadian Railroad Trilogy is a favorite...

His very first album could almost be considered suicide music, but I really like just about everything that he that he has done in his career. A very talented songwriter and musician. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald has to be one of the best "tribute" songs ever written (and played.)

Anybody with a solo guitar act has Gordon to thank for the majority of their material

Gord is Golden...:thmbsp:

large selection of Gordon at my local GW, somebody locally digged his music once

I always like his songs, the popular one's on the radio. I been seeing about 4 or five of his albums in my new used album collection. I'll get them out and give them all a listen.

I've always loved Gord, and I would be ecstatic if I found a bin of his music at the thrift... No luck yet, but hope springs eternal!

I was given a stack of vinyl about this time last year that must have had every Lightfoot album ever made. I picked out 4 or 5 that looked to be in good condition, but still haven't taken the time to clean any of them for playing.

I have a bunch of Gordon's stuff. Singer/songwriters like them don't come along too often. Most of the stuff never made the pop charts, but there's lots of gold in it ...

Excellent singer and a proud Canadian.

I love his music.
Favs are

Black Day in July
Beautiful
Steel Rail Blues
The Circle is Small Etc: :thmbsp:

I really do! I saw him in Nashville, in '74 I think. Wreck of the EF is one of the greatest songs ever, but "That's What You Get For Loving Me" and "In The Early Morning Rain?" I think I'll go listen to some GL!

My wife and I listened to several of his albums last summer and he sounded great.

Early Morning Rain is my favorite Lightfoot song. It's been covered by Elvis, Peter, Paul and Mary, Ian and Sylvia, Kris Kristofferson. I like Gordon's version but Kristofferson's cover is my favorite. :music:

There is a half-remembered line from a GL song from '74 or so about "All gather round when the mill shuts down"...And "Edmund Fitzgerald" is one of those songs that kinda makes the hair on the back of yr neck stand up...Great Stuff !

Lightfoot has a couple of greatest hits set out. They are titled either Gordies Gold. or Gordons Gold. There are two volumes out, and both are double albums. Good stuff!

"Carefree Highway", which I am on for a few minutes....

There is a half-remembered line from a GL song from '74 or so about "All gather round when the mill shuts down"...And "Edmund Fitzgerald" is one of those songs that kinda makes the hair on the back of yr neck stand up...Great Stuff !

Speaking of which, the Annual Edmund Fitzgerald Memorial Service is this Saturday in Whitefish Point...

There are a number of events going on up here regarding this event and it's lore.

"Carefree Highway", which I am on for a few minutes....

Please tell us more!

Gordon Lightfoot is one of my favorites. I have a number of his LPs from over the years and recently purchased his "Complete Greatest Hits" on CD (WB/Rhino), in addition to one of my favorites LP/CDs: "Salute" Je t'adore "Knotty Pine", "Biscuit City" et "Tattoo".

I think that these three are some of the finest songs ever written. He IS one of Canada's greatest story-tellers and songwriters--very under-rated.

Also his songs: "Beautiful" and "If You Could Read My Mind" are very special and evoke some poignant memories for me.

Gord's Gold is the title of those gh collections.

My favourite GL story. In 1972(?) I took the tunnel bus to Detroit, and walked to the Masonic Temple, a mile or so north, through downtown Detroit. Gordon Lightfoot and Red Shea, two wooden chairs on the stage. About 30 minutes into the show, a thunderstorm took out the power to the area. Emergency lighting kicked in, and we were all still sitting there, hopeful. The Masonic is reknowned for its acoustics. Gordon stepped up to the edge of the stage to announce that the show was being cancelled, when he stopped, midway through the first sentence. He sang a couple of notes, then a line from the song that was interrupted. He looked back at Red, who had already put down his bass and picked up an acoustic 6-string. Red nodded and pulled his chair up to the front of the stage. Gordon did likewise, and we were treated to about two hours of Gordon Lightfoot, Unplugged. Nobody was disappointed in the quality of the performance, or the sound, in that amazing hall. At the end, GL thanked the audience for staying, calling this one of the memorable moments of his career.

I'll never forget that afternoon.

Cool story. Wish I coulda' heard that one.

Now that would've been a show to see! Wish I had been there.

I bought a record collection earlier this year from a guy who was a big fan... Gord's Gold in the lower right corner...

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o240/speakerlabfan/IMAGE_00792.jpg

His music sounds good to me (what I have heard of his) :D

Man... this is why I love AK. Fantastic.

Gordan was one of the best, RIP.

Uh, one minor thing I'd like to point out here, he may be getting up there in years, and while he did have a bad scare a few years ago, he is still in good health and most certainly alive, to the best of my knowledge.

I saw him a couple of times at the Riverboat in Yorkville in the '60s, he was always great to hear live. I also ran into him once at a music industry show in Toronto, probably 6-8 years ago. For some reason I always had the feeling he was tall, but when I met him I was surprised that he's just a little feller. Quite pleasant too, I might add.

Again back in the '60s, my wife (to be) used to babysit for one of the guys that played with him, Red Shay. (spelling?)

Just a fantastic writer and singer when he was in his prime, a Canadian icon.

Gordon Lightfoot is one of my favorite artists. His early work on United Artists is terrific. In addition to vinyl it's available in a 2 CD set called "The United Artists Collection", which consists of the 5 albums he produced for UA from '66 to '69.

Gordon's music probably saved my life, "If you could read my mind" described the state of my first marriage and probably kept me from putting the car into a bridge abuttment at 100 MPH. Also like "The Pony Man".

While most are more familiar with his "hit" material which came later, his earlier work on United Artists from the late 60's is well worth seeking out, particularly "The Way I Feel".

I didn't, until a friend who was a HUGE fan dragged me to one of his annual Massey Hall shows to see him live. After that evening, I really got what he and his music was all about. Probably 20 years ago, but still memorable. Just him, a stool and his guitar. Great night it was.

I'd be curious to hear your favorites, do you recommend all of them or?

Well, obviously the albums Sundown, Summertime Dream and If You Could Read My Mind but I also really like the albums Summer Side Of Life and Endless Wire.

If I had to choose a favorite song it would be Summer Side Of Life from the s/t album.

Mr. Lightfoot is great singer/songwriter. I haven't heard his 80's albums yet although some of those tunes from that time period can be found on the Complete Greatest Hits album and possibly one of the Gord's Gold collections.

Cheers

Now you have words running through my head, was this from Saturday Clothes? I think that was the name;

"There's rats in my rafters, they're after my shoes ..."

Since the three LPs are all on my hard drive I checked, and although there is a song called Saturday Clothes, these words are from the song "Long Way Back Home."

Of course a lot of you may believe there are rats in MY rafters.:D

My first date with a young lady I was VERY enamored with in college was to a Gordon Lightfoot concert, so my attention was elsewhere at the beginning of the show. However, as the evening progressed, I began listening to the music. It was the tour to promote the LP that Edmund Fitzgerald was on (either Summertime Dream or Endless Wire, don't recall which) and the stage lights all went red when he began the opening chords of EF. My hair stood on end is right. Man, what a great concert (and what happened after wasn't bad either). I've found lots of GL LP's at the local thrifts. Don Quixote is a particular favorite.

Interesting that on 10th November, 1975, 32 years ago, the Edmund Fitzgerald carrying iron ore sank in Lake Superior in storm with winds up to 75 miles per hour; the entire crew was lost.

♫...she might've broke deep and took water ♫

I like Gordon....

I was asked a trivia question that I got correct: What are the only parts of dialog in The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald? ANSWER: The Cook said "It's too rough to feed ya." also, The Cook said "It's been good to know ya." Needless to say, the teacher that overheard this exchange nearly collapsed....

I did download the mp3 of Gordo's Gold a few months backafter reading about him on Ak.

Today at a garage sale I picked it up on Vinyl and also Sundown on Vinyl......... good karma.

Sundown is one of the albums that I consider a part of who I am. My folks would play that album over and over, pretty much making it the soundtrack of my early years. Still sums up my life these days.

One of the few concerts I have been to was GL. Just him and his guitar. Great stuff. He took requests from the audience most of the night and the audience kept trying to stump him with his own stuff. He had a great sense of humor about it and was laughing the whole time, between singing that is.

I'd never heard of him before AK enlightened me........I thank you all for that!

Big fan here. Did you know that, unlike most artists, he re-records his songs for his greatest hits albums (a.k.a. Gord's Gold and Gord's Gold II)? Most artists don't do much, if any, extra work for their GH collections. Impressive.

"Race Among the Ruins" is a big favorite of mine. Both the original version on Summertime Dream, and his alternative version on Gords Gold II are superb.

I caught the tail-end of an interview w/him on Bill Bennet's morning drive program awhile back, & he seemed to be the kind of guy you'd LOVE to hang out with. A very pleasant guy, if you ask me.

I started going to Lightfoot concerts as a teen in the early 70's and they were always excellent. I got to play with him a couple of times when he did concerts with orchestra. Wonderful song-writing, a fine musician and a nice guy, though not without his battles in life.

I was thinking as I was listening to the latest Neil Young album that there was just a hint of Gordon in there somehow.....

Got Gord's Gold I & II on CD and a couple other albums on tape somewhere from back when I could grab everybody's vinyl in college and record it. Saw him in concert at Wolftrap in NoVA a few years back and it was an awesome laid back night of tunes. Very similar IMO to say James Taylor they both seem to rely on their voices and lyrics to carry the show which is uncommon in today's world of light shows, backup dancers and lip syncing. There are a lot of artists out there that could learn a thing or two from GL. The CD's are great traveling music since there is not a song on either one of them you don't want to - feel you can't sing along to. One of the few artist's that we can play both CD's back to back and we don't hear from the kids the whole time.

Big fan here. Did you know that, unlike most artists, he re-records his songs for his greatest hits albums (a.k.a. Gord's Gold and Gord's Gold II)? Most artists don't do much, if any, extra work for their GH collections. Impressive.

"Race Among the Ruins" is a big favorite of mine. Both the original version on Summertime Dream, and his alternative version on Gords Gold II are superb.

Ah, well, could this be because he changed labels? The original label is rarely under an obligation to lend him the master for free so he can make a few bucks on his compilation. There would most certainly be a hefty fee.

But they can't stop him from doing a re-record, and since a lot of his early stuff was simple in terms of orchestration he could make a new master fairly cheaply. I know on one of his compilations I have, he used live performances on some of the tracks.

I have been a big fan for a lot of years. I have a lot of his albums on vinyl.
Yesterday, while working in the yard, I listened to Gord's Gold Vol 1. One
of my all time favorite's. I have seen him perform, and he puts on a great show.
Sadly, his voice is suffering because of health concerns.

i first heard him on my friends mac1900 and tt years ago. i've been a fan of GL and mac ever since. saw him outside of chicago at the star plaza theater in merrillville indiana, a sad, beat up kind of place. the best album imo is the united artist collection. amazingly, it's 8 bucks new for a two cd set. run don't walk. i swear if you don't like this album i'll buy it from you. (less shipping and handling. please allow 4-6 weeks for refund. :D)

Gordon Lightfoot makes my Autumn complete! His music is both lyrically and musically fulfilling. He makes the tubes sing! :yes:

-Dave

Gordan is the first album/cd I play for anyone with musical/vocal ability who thinks solid state lords it over tubes. Many of his tunes are stunning on a well tuned system.

Very few people have the music chops to do an accoustic show without being drowned out by amplified instrumentation. Gordan was one of the best, RIP.


I think I missed something here- when did he pass away?!? :smoke:

I think I missed something here- when did he pass away?!? :smoke:

uh, he hasn't...
http://gordonlightfoot.com/

Been a Gordon Lightfoot fan from way back. Mostly on his radio hits until a friend of mine introduced me to his "Cold On The Shoulder" LP. I still love that LP these 30+ years later. :thmbsp: My second favorite LP of Gordon`s is "Summertime Dream". As was said before I get "cold chills" from the songs The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald and Protocol. :yes: Sundown is another great LP. Gord`s Gold is a collection of this hits but not all of them.

What else can I say? I`m a fan and play his LPs often.

TankDonovan

Wow! Great concert, thanks so much!

uh, he hasn't...
http://gordonlightfoot.com/

Interesting how easy it is to assume an inactive performer has passed away. I assumed that too until I found his site.

Wow! Great concert, thanks so much!

Your welcome! I'm happy to share discoveries like this. Wolfgang's Vault is a treasure trove of classic performances, be sure to take a look around. Cool stuff like the six (was it six?) show stint of Jefferson Airplane in 1966 that started with Signe Anderson and ended with her replacement, Grace Slick- all of the shows are documented there.

Dittoes to all the above. GL is one of the most gifted songwriters of our time. "Song for a Winter's Night" is a lyrical and melodic gem:

"The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
My glass is almost empty
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..."

Lightfoot has a couple of greatest hits set out. They are titled either Gordies Gold. or Gordons Gold. There are two volumes out, and both are double albums. Good stuff!

Yes it is Gord's Gold Volume 1 and 2. Those discs would be a great start for someone who wants to get into some of his best without buying a lot of albums. Another must have is the DVD "Live in Reno". It was recorded around 2001, and is a nice representation of later GL, but before his serious illness.
Gord is very much alive, I just saw him twice last year, which runs my total to 21 times. His music has been a big part of my life in the past 30 years. I live 2 miles from Canada and some of my oldest/fondest memories of time spent with Canadian relatives includes him music. Even today, I get together with a friend for Saturday night political discussions over VO Manhattans Gordon always seems to make it onto the play list! :thmbsp:

Dittoes to all the above. GL is one of the most gifted songwriters of our time. "Song for a Winter's Night" is a lyrical and melodic gem:

"The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead
My glass is almost empty
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..."

One of my favorites, a beautiful song! Thanks for posting.

Bought Gordon Lightfoot's Dream Street Rose in my travels today hope to spin it soon.

Up here in Canada, Lightfoot is a national institution. His health hasn't been great, but he did tour a couple of years ago.

Great songs, interesting guy.

I think he is one of the best songwriters of my time. His guitar work is amazing.

And I have been lucky enough to see him live 3 times.

So, yes!

Love Gordon Lightfoot...Summertime Dream, Old Dan's Records, Carefree Highway, Race Against The Ruins, Hang Dog Hotel...etc...could listen to him for hours!!