Gordon Lightfoot
 

Going to see him Saturday. Probably for the last time. Sad, but so amazing what his songwriting has given to us - well me, anyway. When I was rebuilding my first Porsche I had the albums Summer Side of Life and Lightfoot on the cassette player in the shop and listened to them endlessly. I probably lost my first really serious girlfriend because I preferred to work on my Porsche than spend time with her. Later I had a girlfriend who was half American Indian and half Italian. She had the most beautiful long straight hair clear way down past her ass. "Affair on 8th Avenue" still makes me weepy, "long flowing hair" etc... The Lightfoot tapes were the soundtrack to my 20s. How can a guy in his 30s write "Summer Side of Life?"

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Happy you're going to see him. I've been a diehard fan of his since 1970. I hope he does'nt pass away while your there. His voice has passed him by many years ago.

Haunting voice, intoxicating and soothing. Enjoy.

I saw Bob Seger in 1984 and again last year. Couldn't believe how fast 30 yrs went by. Their voices aren't as good as back when, but still glad I went.
Excuse me... I'm feeling a little verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves...

the other day I heard sundown on the radio. I had not heard the song in years. it has been on my mind for days. great, great song!!! he is a great one...I bet he will be great in concert!!!

I grew up hearing his songs on radio. Obviously, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" has a deeper meaning to me than most.

Apparently, he will never play my hometown again. The story is that he played there back in the 70's and was treated bad by someone and vowed to never play in that town again.

My Gordon Lightfoot story . . .

In 1985, the audio retailer where I was a partner got a call from GL’s management company to come fix the hifi at his house. So I made the trek to his large Victorian house in Rosedale – a premium part of Toronto. He answered the door & showed me to the library where he had a cheap-ass Harman Kardon receiver, a turntable & a pair of bookshelf speakers.

“Here it is. I don’t know why it doesn’t work.” He said & disappeared into the kitchen off to the right with a white grand piano visible in the sunny great room to the left.

A speaker wire had fallen off so the fix took less than 5 minutes. I went searching for him & he was just lighting a joint as I walked into the kitchen.

“Thanks. Don’t tell anybody” he said, indicating the joint. But . . . he didn’t offer me a hit.

From that point on, I swore I would tell everybody I could that Gordon Lightfoot Bogart’s joints. And I have . . .

Ian

I learned to play guitar because of my love for Lightfoot 's music. In the 60'same and 70's you could buy the album and the music book to go with it. I must have driven my family up the wall with endless repetition of his Playlist.
I still get the occasional request for "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald "and will throw in "All I'm After " from time to time. Beautiful melodies but oft times melancholy.
I have seen him twice since his surgery and was pleased to hear his voice was stronger the second time.

Best
Les

Listen to him all the time. A new fan from a later generation. Great music! Enjoy!


Skickat från min iPhone med Tapatalk

This thread sent me down a Lightfoot rabbit hole on YouTube last night.

Also listened to Terra Lightfoot. (not related)

Have a great time at the concert.

Despite my love of "punk, alternative, indie, electronica, new music" (ugh, hate defining genres), I always gravitate to the "AM Gold" that I grew up on! He for sure is at the top of that list...along with America! One of my faves:

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sandman-I always thought it was "every highway". Good tune anyway.

Growing up in Michigan, Lightfoot's "Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" was part of everyone's soundtrack. Such a haunting song!

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Randy

I saw him for the first time last year. He looks like a ghost of what he once was but put on a great show. He interacts well with the audience unlike many of the younger performers of today. Always loved his music.

Randy--where in MI did you live?

My x-wife grew up in Soldotna, Alaska. Her mother claimed she had a relationship with Gordon Lightfoot and that "Sundown" was written about her. I had to laugh in the sense that if it really WAS her, it would not be something that I'd want to brag about. All the google searches point to other people. Not surprising, - Although knowing my x- mother in law. The "If I find you creepin' round my backstair" MAKES A BUNCH OF SENSE! :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundown_(Gordon_Lightfoot_song)

Hell, I was born in 1970 and I love his music.

great song. great story!

pretty sweet interview.
worth enduring the 28 seconds of commercial info that proceeds it, imho.

Gordon Lightfoot Interview - CBC News | The National

I grew up in Westland, right outside Detroit. I was a Detroit Free Press carrier and remember quite well, when the stories of the Edmund Fitzgerald were all over the front page.

Randy

Cool! I grew up in Port Huron so the freighters were a big part of my life. We still go to the St. Clair river to watch for them when we go back. Of course, I get all "Cliff Claven" talking about them to my kids. My older brother was killed in a car crash on Nov. 1 1975 so the Fitz disaster goes with that difficult period of time for my family.