ADDED: Here's the NYT obituary, which says he wrote his first song when he was in high school, during the hula hoop craze. It contained the line: "I guess I’m just a slob and I’m gonna lose my job, ’cause I’m Hula-Hula-Hoopin’ all the time."
At Facebook, my son John wrote: "Here’s a live performance of his beautiful song 'If You Could Read My Mind' (1970), which he wrote about his divorce. In this video he sings, 'I’m just trying to understand the feelings that you lack,' which is in the original recording too. Later on when he played it live, he changed one word at his daughter’s request, instead singing '…the feelings that we lack.' He realized that the deeply personal subject matter had prevented him from being objective enough to think of that improvement."
Should a man run his writings past a woman to benefit from insight about what might offend women? We were just talking about a woman who gave a draft of her writing to her ex-husband and then rejected all his suggestions about how to soften the harshness toward him. The editor said his corrections would weaken the story.
The song was "If You Could Read My Mind," so I don't know why it's a problem to be "prevented... from being objective." And why is subjectivity ever a problem for a singer? Imagine if Bob Dylan submitted "Positively 4th Street" to whoever the hell that song is about? Bob sticks to his point of view, which includes a wish that the person he's talking about could read his mind and know what a drag it is to see him.
Joni Mitchell said: "There came a point when I heard a Dylan song called 'Positively Fourth Street' and I thought 'oh my God, you can write about anything in songs.' It was like a revelation to me."
Joni Mitchell said: "There came a point when I heard a Dylan song called 'Positively Fourth Street' and I thought 'oh my God, you can write about anything in songs.' It was like a revelation to me."
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51 comments:
Loved him. Pictures show him onstage with a 12-string five years ago at 79. I hope he could play and sing right up until the end.
Thanks for the link. What a voice. Listening at 4am here in the dark seems appropriate.
The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald reminded me of Bernard Bolan's Not Many Fish in the Harbor Today, maybe mostly its the ballad form.
I asked Bolan if he saw the resemblance and Bolan said he never heard of it.
Bolan was an Australian lawyer and comic songwriter. The Edmond Fitzgerald would have added to the comedy if it was deliberate.
One of the greatest singer/songwriters ever. He will be missed. I first saw/heard of him on the Johnny Cash show in the late 60s and have been a fan ever since.
He was scheduled to appear here a couple of weeks ago. The concert was canceled. I was thinking this can’t be good. It wasn’t. Sad news. One of the greats of our generation. Truly great, distinct voice. Another great musical gift from Canada. RIP. Sometimes I look around and notice that the voices of my time are leaving. More and more they seem to be leaving.
He has gone to meet the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is one of my favorites. A wonderful documentary was done as to how the Fitz sank. Of course, Lightfoot's song was part of it.
The Power Line blog has a very good write-up on Lightfoot.
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2023/05/gordon-lightfoot-dies-at-84.php
Sundown is a fantastic song. The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is sheer torture to listen to.
"Thank you", indeed. I probably still have some of his LPs stashed down in my basement.
One of my first vinyl albums, and one of the reasons I liked Spotify so much, because I could listen to his albums with the songs in the order I remember them. He's been a favorite for me since the mid-70s.
For me Gordon Lightfoot will always be the winter troubadour. No matter where I was, his songs always took me to falling snow, looking out over Gitche Gumee. Cold breath. Warm heart. Praying. That they will return. His songs.
"If You Could Read My Mind" was one of several songs I listened to repeatedly during my divorce, that put into words what I was going through. I had daydreamed about saving the marriage, but eventually had to face reality.
"When you reach the part where the heartaches come
The hero would be me.
But heroes often fail.
And you won't read that book again
Because the ending's just too hard to take."
On a lighter note, I had a friend who always wanted to host a party, play dance music, and then put on "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." He wanted to watch the mood collapse. I don't think he ever tried it though.
"Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth
You’re an idiot, babe
It’s a wonder that you still know how to breathe"
I remember playing “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” over and over and over.
Should a man run his writings past a woman to benefit from insight...
I thought art, like music, was from the perspective of the artist. Taylor Swift makes millions riffing on her feelings, without considering how her perspective might not be reality.
I did not see the daughter’s suggestion as framed by her sex, but rather as a child of divorce. She probably loved both parents and realized they both had feelings they were not sharing with each other. A son could have made the same suggestion.
I loved Gordon Lightfoot and he was the only act I wanted to see live. When I first moved to Missoula I heard he'd just played the UM Fieldhouse the night before.
I moved to Texas and when I moved back three years later I read that Lightfoot had been at the Fieldhouse...the night before.
Wasn't meant to be I guess.
Anyway he was a hero to a certain segment of the country western business. Listen to Waylon's cover of "That's What You Get For Loving Me." Fit him almost too well.
And I think "Early Morning Rain" might have inspired Haggard to write "Silver Wings."
I may have to research that one.
Pah, he wrote a whole lot of music besides "Edmund Fitzgerald," my least favorite of his songs.
He just did that one for Canada, a place you could love back then.
I used "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" as an example of narrative poetry in my 8th grade English classes in the 1970's and 80's. And, of course, I played the recording. History, music, and poetry all in one.
He was a hard-working guy, but what a voice, what a song-writing talent. And a virtuoso on the 12-string, which is no small feat. I always thought he was under-sold.
Gordon Lightfoot was one of my favorite singers during my teen years of the 1970’s. More and more of the performers of my youth of the 1960’s and 1970’s are passing on, which is depressing. However, their music and legacy will live on. Lightfoot’s opus “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, will be the song that will define his career. It’s the only song that I know of that is haunting, depressing, powerful, and inspirational (the crew fighting for their lives against all odds is inspiring) all at the same time. It is a lasting memorial to the doomed crew of that ore carrier, which was the largest ship on the Great Lakes at the time of its sinking. If I recall correctly, this was Lightfoot’s last big hit.
Thank you, Gordon Lightfoot, for your music. Rest in peace.
Scotty
"I guess I’m just a slob and I’m gonna lose my job, ’cause I’m Hula-Hula-Hoopin’ all the time."
Please tell me that Lightfoot actually recorded this song and it's on the internet somewhere!
Ave atque vale.
He has gone to meet the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The captain of the EF was Ernest McSorley, which I've used as a character name in many of my novels and short stories.
Liked Sundown and E. Fitzgerald.
RIP
boys it's been good to know ya
So many great songs. And that voice! RIP to one of the greats of music.
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a great song to listen to once.
Canvasback said... I've always loved "the Lee of Christian Isles".
I was fortunate to see him at a small venue in Reno a few years ago. Very personable, easy banter with the audience, he connected. He had so many great songs, and the hits are the least of them IMO.
Canadian Railroad Trilogy...The Minstrel of The Dawn...Song For a Winters Night...etc etc
SS Edmund Fitzgerald, 730' long, carried 52 million pounds. Had luxurious quarters for VIP's. Found at the bottom in two pieces.
I think one needs to listen to it more than once to get the full impact of the disaster.
"Sundown" is the grooviest song ever written.
We don't know who "Positively 4th Street" is about? Hell, we don't even know *where* it's about! 4th Street in NYC's Greenwich Village or 4th Street in Minneapolis' Dinkytown?
"Early Morning Rain" a favorite. Saw him several times at the Troubadour in LA.
His guitarist, Red Shea, was a fine finger- and flat-picker.
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a great song to listen to once.
Haha- yes! I was thinking playing it on a loop in the museum is not a good idea, a bit like when our boat got stuck in It's A Small World when I was a kid...
The kind of people who like to listen to a guy warble on a guitar about "feelings" aren't the target audience of Wreck of E. Fitzgerald.
Of course, Lightfoot had a prodigious singing repertoire.
Not too well remembered anymore, but I've always been partial to "Go Go Round" (1967).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6ewc6bdMdo
It's such a timeless story: "Only a go-go girl in love with someone who didn't care."
Answer: Gordon Lightfoot or Barry White.
Question: Whose songs were playing when the most children were conceived?
Can't jump a jet plane
Like you can a freight train...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZpk0A4hZes
wild chicken said...
Pah, he wrote a whole lot of music besides "Edmund Fitzgerald," my least favorite of his songs.
He just did that one for Canada, a place you could love back then.
Why was that? So the Canadians could celebrate the sinking of a US merchant vessel in Canadian waters? Sounds like a real lovable bunch.
The best concert I ever attended was at the Iowa Fieldhouse back in the 70s. Gordon Lightfoot, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson each did their own set, then they all got together for a couple of numbers at the end.
Lightfoot and Kristofferson were great, but Waylon brought the house down with "You Can Have Her."
At Facebook, my son John wrote: "Here’s a live performance of his beautiful song 'If You Could Read My Mind' (1970), which he wrote about his divorce. In this video he sings, 'I’m just trying to understand the feelings that you lack,' which is in the original recording too. Later on when he played it live, he changed one word at his daughter’s request, instead singing '…the feelings that we lack.' He realized that the deeply personal subject matter had prevented him from being objective enough to think of that improvement."
1: Never knew that it was about his divorce. Makes the song much more poignant
2: The change sucks. He was saying "I don't understand why you don't love me any more, when I still love you"
It WAS the feeling that SHE lacked.
Because if by that point he didn't love her either, it would be an entirely different song
Imagine if Bob Dylan submitted "Positively 4th Street" to whoever the hell that song is about? Bob sticks to his point of view, which includes a wish that the person he's talking about could read his mind and know what a drag it is to see him.
Who was it that was sooooo vain?
I was a kid, growing up in a Cleveland suburb, when ‘Big Fitz’ sank in Lake Superior. His ‘fully loaded for Cleveland’ mention hit us hard for some reason. (Tears) Godspeed, Gordon…
My favorite song; 'sweet Guinevere, you're off to the coal town tonight. And your young brother Ernie's up in Pittsburgh, PA. You know mother loves you, and dad's in the mine, so don't go to the coal town, Guinevere if you're kind.'
Not mentioned in obituary: https://deadline.com/2020/08/cathy-smith-dead-obituary-john-belushi-drug-overdose-gordon-lightfoot-sundown-1203024794/
As a child I saw the launching of the Edmund Fitzgerald sitting on my father's shoulders at a shipyard near Detroit. The campaign bottle hit the side of the ship and went 'thunk' without breaking. I still remember the gasp from the audience.
I can't find the reference now, but it's my understanding part of the inspiration for Edmund Fitzgerald was Lightfoot reading about it in Newsweek and they misspelled the name of the ship.
He thought it disrespectful to the crew and their families, and wanted to do something about it.
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