Sometimes, I can still hear him creepin' 'round my back stairs.

That is sad. My wife is actually rockin' "Summer Side of Life" on vinyl as we speak.

I saw him at the Canyon Club last year and he was excellent. His voice was clear and strong.

I was playing the Edmund song once and my mother insisted it was the most annoying thing she had ever heard. Then she visited the Maritime Cathedral, and now she thinks it is a wonderful song. Of course, I don't play it anymore.

Who the fark is Gordon Lightfoot?!

Is that even a real person? That name sounds fake.

lerry Who the fark is Gordon Lightfoot?!

Wouldn't it be appropriate to show curiosity and/or humility along with your ignorance, rather than contempt?

Gordon Lightfoot's voice has gone the way of the Edmund Fitzgerald

That voice would have made Whitefish Bay had it put 15 more miles behind it

Lerry: Who the fark is Gordon Lightfoot?!

Who indeed!

From FTA:

"Verdict: When an audience begins to clap, keeping time with a song, and nearly drowns out the struggling singer, something's terribly amiss. Lightfoot's band seemed to be holding back, as well, so they wouldn't overwhelm his fragile voice."
==========

Either his soundman was a slouch, or the sound system was inadequate. In any case, it's still the soundman's fault.

I've worked with singers that barely sung above a whisper, and there was no problem.

What were they using for a sound system? Megaphones?
How the hell does the audience clapping along, drown him out?
I haven't worked a pro reinforcement system in 20 years that couldn't be heard over the audience, even if they were all screaming.

/Not a big Lightfoot fan.
//He's more powerful than Ambien.
///That wasn't clapping, it was their eyelids slamming shut.

lerry: Who the fark is Gordon Lightfoot?!

Is that even a real person? That name sounds fake.

Go to your local custom t-shirt shop.
Have them make you a shirt that says "I'm the most ignorant person in the world."
Wear it every day, for the rest of your life.

lerry: Who the fark is Gordon Lightfoot?!

Who can this stupid young horseman be?

No forays into pop and country for old men.

TommyymmoT:
/Not a big Lightfoot fan.
//He's more powerful than Ambien.
///That wasn't clapping, it was their eyelids slamming shut.

LMAO

I sort of like Gordon Lightfoot, very mellow, a great soporific like you say.

At least he's not Muslim.

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called 'Gitche Gumee'
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty.
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early.

The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ship's bell rang
Could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'?

The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the captain did too,
T'was the witch of November come stealin'.
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the Gales of November came slashin'.
When afternoon came it was freezin' rain
In the face of a hurricane west wind.

When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck sayin'.
Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya.
At Seven P.M. a main hatchway caved in, he said
Fellas, it's been good t'know ya
The captain wired in he had water comin' in
And the good ship and crew was in peril.
And later that night when his lights went outta sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Does any one know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searches all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her.
They might have split up or they might have capsized;
May have broke deep and took water.
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion.
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams;
The islands and bays are for sportsmen.
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her,
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the Gales of November remembered.

In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed,
In the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral.
The church bell chimed till it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call 'Gitche Gumee'.
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early!

/who is Gordon Lightfoot my ass

Someone tell that guy about Google.

Maybe Gordon has the flu bug or a head cold or what-have-you. This is just one gig.

And like TommyymmoT pointed out, the sound crew should have been able to compensate for the lack of projection from Lightfoot.

weiner dog: Maybe Gordon has the flu bug or a head cold or what-have-you. This is just one gig.

And like TommyymmoT pointed out, the sound crew should have been able to compensate for the lack of projection from Lightfoot.

==================

Thank you. It's not that hard, especially given the fact that the article stated the theater had balconys, which seems to indicate that it was a big enough gig to have a decent system and crew.

I don't know what the the FOH (front of house mix guy) was thinking, but Gordon Lightfoot,
is not one of those real "belt it out" sort of singers.

Yeeesh, It's farking Gordon Lightfoot, not Axl Rose.

Dr.Zom: The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called 'Gitche Gumee'

/who is Gordon Lightfoot my ass



Bravo, sir, Bravo.

did this lady consider that he might have been having an off night or illness?

Now I'm curious as to whether he's heading down the same road as Dylan. On that last tour, Bob was so different - nasal, whiny (yes, even more than usual) that he was even harder than usual to understand. I wonder if it's age plus smoking (dunno if Gord smokes, tho) and the loss of resonance in the sinus airways that sneaks up on folks.

Of course, it coulda just been a bad night.

Hey, TommyymmoT, I didn't use boldface.

The songs of the wars are as old as the hills
They cling like the rust on the cold steel that kills
They tell of the boys who went down to the tracks
In a patriotic manner with the cold steel on their backs

The patriot's dream is as old as the sky
It lives in the lust of a cold callous lie
Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill
Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills

The train pulled away on that glorious night
The drummer got drunk and the bugler got tight
While the boys in the back sang a song of good cheer
While riding off to glory in the spring of their years

The patriot's dream still lives on today
It makes mothers weep and it makes lovers pray
Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill
Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills

Well there was a sad, sad lady
Weeping all night long
She received a sad, sad message
From a voice on the telephone
Her children were all sleeping
As she waited out the dawn
How could she tell those children
That their father was shot down
So she took them to her side that day
And she told them one by one
Your father was a good man ten thousand miles from home
He tried to do his duty and it took him straight to hell
He might be in some prison, I hope he's treated well

Well there was a young girl watching in the early afternoon
When she heard the name of someone who said he'd be home soon
And she wondered how they got him, but the papers did not tell
There would be no sweet reunion, there would be no wedding bells
So she took herself into her room and she turned the bed sheets down
And she cried into the silken folds of her new wedding gown
He tried to do his duty and it took him straight to hell
He might be in some prison, I hope he's treated well

Well there was an old man sitting in his mansion on the hill
And he thought of his good fortune and the time he'd yet to kill
Well he called to his wife one day, "Come sit with me awhile"
Then turning toward the sunset, he smiled a wicked smile
"Well I'd like to say I'm sorry for the sinful deeds I've done
But let me first remind you, I'm a patriotic son"
They tried to do their duty and it took 'em straight to hell
They might be in some prison, I hope they're treated well

The songs of the wars are as old as the hills
They cling like the rust on the cold steel that kills
They tell of the boys who went down to the tracks
In a patriotic manner with the cold steel on their backs

The train pulled away on that glorious night
The drummer got drunk and the bugler got tight
While the boys in the back sang a song of good cheer
While riding off to glory in the spring of their years

The patriot's dream still lives on today
It makes mothers weep and it makes lovers pray
Let's drink to the men who got caught by the chill
Of the patriotic fever and the cold steel that kills

Patriot's Dream is a great song. I grew up listening to him with my dad who's a huge fan. I was lucky enough to see him about 20 years ago after a fair in San Diego. I hope to pass him on to my son as well. One of the most underrated songwriters ever. I mean alot of people know songs like Sundown, or Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, but there are alot of gems not as familiar like Early Morning Rain or Minstrel of the Dawn or Song for a Winters Night that are just great songs and I love them more every time I hear them.

weiner dog: Maybe Gordon has the flu bug or a head cold or what-have-you. This is just one gig.

He played here and the reviews were positive. His voice isn't as strong as it once was but he really impressed the crowd. He's still good at his craft, which is what counts.

The second-hottest woman I ever knew was a huge Lightfoot fan. I wouldn't have given his music a second thought but for her. And if she had given me a second thought I would have given his music a third thought, or something.

Feel_the_velvet: Gordon Lightfoot's voice has gone the way of the Edmund Fitzgerald

That voice would have made Whitefish Bay had it put 15 more miles behind it

I LOL'd.

/love that song

His pipes must really be shot because I've covered a few GL tunes and they are some of the easiest vocals of any song ever written.

People, let's not be too harsh on this reviewer.

This is Alabama we're talking about here.

Canadian Railroad Trilogy

lerry: Who the fark is Gordon Lightfoot?!
Is that even a real person? That name sounds fake.

Damn. Do you live under a rock? Here's Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. His most well known song.

Whatthefark: lerry: Who the fark is Gordon Lightfoot?!
Is that even a real person? That name sounds fake.

Damn. Do you live under a rock? Here's Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. His most well known song.

I figured "If You Could Read My Mind" got more radio play.


Presley covered his "Early Morning Rain" song.

I LOVE Edmund Fitzgerald's voice!

SwingingJohnson: I figured "If You Could Read My Mind" got more radio play.

That, and "Sunlight"


/sometimes I think it's a shame...

Be calm in the face of all
Common disgraces
And know what they're doin' it for


/love ya, G-dog

ELIANE: I love Edmund Fitzgerald's voice.

JERRY: (Gives Elaine a look) No, Gordon Lightfoot was the singer. Edmund Fitzgerald was the ship.


ELAINE: I think Gordon Lightfoot was the boat.

JERRY: (Sarcastic) Yeah, and it was rammed by the Cat Stevens.

mekkab: SwingingJohnson: I figured "If You Could Read My Mind" got more radio play.

That, and "Sunlight" "Sundown"


FTFY

Gordon Lightfoot wrote "Sundown" about his girlfriend Cathy Smith, who would be famous as the killer speedball-shooter to John Belushi.

ergo, Gordon Lightfoot>John Belushi
Link (new window)
/the more you know

I read it as "Ella Fitzgerald".

"Don Quixote" is my other favorite.

Grunt2006: ELIANE: I love Edmund Fitzgerald's voice.

JERRY: (Gives Elaine a look) No, Gordon Lightfoot was the singer. Edmund Fitzgerald was the ship.


ELAINE: I think Gordon Lightfoot was the boat.

JERRY: (Sarcastic) Yeah, and it was rammed by the Cat Stevens.


awesome

I got a new (old) car this week, and only the am radio was working. I found a Gordon Lightfoot tape in the console and I've probably listened to Edmund Fitzgerald & Sundown about 20 times.

Gord is from my hometown, and his family was acquainted with my grandfather's. I'll never forget him saying, "boy, that Lightfoot kid could always sing."

It's not like he's the only aging singer out there who's lost their voice.

farking ungrateful infidels. The man almost died in 2002. Next time he should just sit in a recliner on stage and wave at the audience while his recordings play over the P.A.

Charge 'em full price Gord.

My Mom used to listen to him and Carole King all the time when I was young - late 60's - early 70's. Every time I hear Sundown I go right to the memory of sitting next to my Mom on the front porch of our house on a perfect summer night with Gords' Gold on the turntable in the living room. It's one of my favorite childhood memories of my Mom.

trebekmustdie: Gord is from my hometown,

Imagine, if you will, a picture of the "Orillia, Home of Gordon Lightfoot" sign here. I wanted to post one, but my Google-fu seems to be failing me.

/Also from Orillia

The guy is almost 70 years old. I saw him about 5 years ago because I was sure it was his last tour and he was going to croak then. I'm actually surprised he is still doing his yearly tours which pass by here every time.

/was a very nice show

I hope to see him in concert one of these days, regardless of how well he may/may not be able to sing. Songs from my childhood... I am sure he puts on an exceptional show...

I saw him at the Murat in Indianapolis last September. Great show, even if his voice has gone a little. The sound crew wasn't doing a very good job, though.

Although I'm a fan, he was one of the "see once before he dies/quits touring" artists. I was extremely glad I went.