Shadows is the understated album in the GL canon. His portfolio has numerous stellar songs, but Shadows is the one GL album that totally comprises stellar songs.
I honestly thought of allowing unlimited votes, but I'm not sure what the point would be then. Everything from Lightfoot! to around East Of Midnight would be a solid block. It just speaks to how solid his catalog is.
Summer Side Of Life,Don Quixote,Old Dan's Records,Sundown are must haves and then I went for Lightfoot! which is my favorite UA. That leaves Sit Down,Cold On The Shoulder,Summertime Dream as three solid runner-ups. I'm a Gord fan but I never liked Gord's Gold very much. The re-recordings weren't as good as the originals IMHO.
I should have said I would not have included everything if we were given the opportunity, Shadows was the last real good album IMO. I do have the later stuff, I support the cause.
Supporting it and listening to it have to be different things for me. It is catchy and get stuck in my head but is lines about cell phones or the internet. I don’t need to carry that around with me. I’d take gold 2 over it anytime.
I only got to see him in concert once when he was touring/promoting Cold On The Shoulder album... late March,1975 IIRC. The audience was with him 100%...it was a Gord love fest. The last song/encore was Pony Man. What a beautiful way to send your fans off into the night. I count it as one of my finest musical experiences. Edit in: I was off a bit May 17,1975 ..Syria Mosque, Pittsburgh,PA
That's sounds fantastic. Some live representation, in the form of some prime era live shows, audio and video would be very welcome. A live box set would be amazing, due to the fact you could possible throw in a chunk of unrecorded material, like "Face Of A Thousand People", some covers, etc. I honestly have no idea what's out there, as far as decent releasable video or audio. And then there is the fact of whether Gord wants anything like that released, given his tight grip over his catalog.
For me, Gord is one of the three best songwriters who've ever walked the planet. I voted for Back Here On Earth, Don Quixote, Summer Side Of Life, Cold On The Shoulder and Dream Street Rose but I could easily come up with another five I was equally happy with. I'd probably rank his studio albums like this: 5/5 1. Cold On The Shoulder 2. Don Quixote 3. Dream Street Rose 4. Back Here On Earth 5. Summer Side Of Life 6. Summertime Dream 7. Shadows 8. Endless Wire 9. Waiting For You 10. Lightfoot 11 East Of Midnight 12. Sit Down Young Stranger 13. Salute 14. A Painter Passing Through 4/5 15. The Way I Feel 16. Sundown 17. Did She Mention My Name 3/5 18. Old Dan's Records 19. Harmony N/A - Solo (I'm enjoying it but haven't owned it long enough to decide where it ranks. Obviously, in another mood, the order might well change but this is the way I feel (badoom tish!) today.
My three... Gordon Lightfoot – Old Dan's Records Label: Reprise Records – 8122-78162-2 Format: CD, Album, Reissue Country: Germany Released: 2002 Genre: Folk, World, & Country Style: Country, Folk Gordon Lightfoot – Sundown Label: Reprise Records – 2177-2 Format: CD, Album, Reissue Country: US Released: 1987 Genre: Rock Style: Folk Rock, Acoustic Gordon Lightfoot – Summertime Dream Label: Reprise Records – 2246-2 Format: CD, Album Country: US Released: 1990 Genre: Rock, Folk, World, & Country Style: Folk Rock, Folk
Agreed. I own many, many albums. When I'm asked to name one without a single weak track, Shadows is the album that immediately comes to mind. His masterwork, in my opinion. He autographed my copy of the album jacket back in 2000.
Would have liked to have had full separate versions of For Lovin' Me/Did She Mention My Name and I'm Not Sayin/Ribbon of Darkness
True. I wonder if Gord had already started to sour on For Lovin’ Me at that point, or he was just trying to cram in as much material as could, like how he does live nowadays, skipping verses, etc.
I'm Not Saying/Ribbon of Darkness already joined on Sunday concert. There was room on the double lp for all 4 songs at their normal length. Not sure I've ever heard an explanation for it.
I can never understand the lack of love for what I rate as his best album "The Way I Feel". Many of the songs off this album have been covered by many famous artists possibly more covers than any other of his albums? This album contains 5 absolute classic Gordon songs: "Walls"; "Softly"; "Home From The Forest"; "Song For a Winters Night" and the sublime "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" plus 3 or 4 other songs are some of his best ever as well. Anyone want to suggest why this album gets overlooked so much? The only other Gordon album that comes close to that one with as many classic songs would be "If You Can Read My Mind" album. Those are the two absolute classic albums for my money.
