Gord always had such a rich but focused voice. Pretty much to die for. The focus remained but the richness dropped by about 60%. Turned pretty reedy. Still a treasure.
It’s not like the original versions went away or were replaced. I think the extra effort to reimagine the songs is to our benefit. We get more content and have choices rather than just getting another comp or greatest hits collection that we already have. I think it’s a good thing when songs are allowed to change, grow and evolve rather than staying static and stagnate for 40 years. And, it is a closer representation of what you could expect if you were going to see him live. I get the feeling Gord is too much of a perfectionist to release live shows, he wants to do take after take to get it right and use the studio like a craftsman. Re recording his hits in the studio is likely the alternative to doing a live album.
Listening to The Way I Feel. What an opener in “Walls”; Gord is not holding back and the lyrics hit like a hammer, especially the use of “...but what the hell”. The phrase has lost none of its potency. For him to go there, then, and being the great lyricist he is, it just feels really bold. Curious if any listeners at the time took notice of this, or maybe it was not that big of a deal. Regardless, great all around song from Mr. Lightfoot.
Huge fan of them all. He is one of the very few where I like to cue up a playlist of his entire catalog and just hit random play. I like everything that comes up, literally, and it's fun to hear his songs from all over his 40ish years of recording in a random fashion. The Beatles are another one (not surprisingly), and I occasionally do it with the Eagles (with a few duds), but I'm not sure I would do that with anyone else's work, which is astonishing when you consider how many albums we're talking about.
Working my way thru Lightfoot on the weekends.. Endless Wire....I have mixed feelings on this one. Always considered Songs the Minstrel Sang and Sometimes I Don't Mind as clunkers. My faves are Daylight Katy, Sweet Guinevere, and the decision to remake The Circle is Small worked. (lots of radio airplay in my area). Only recently started to warm up to the song Endless Wire itself. Singles were The Circle is Small/Sweet Guinevere (33 on Billboard)........Daylight Katy, Hangdog Hotel Room....Dreamland/Songs the Minstrel Sang. The CD sounds like it has a blankets over the speakers. Put on the same songs from Songbook and a massive difference in how Endless Wire (the song) sounds. Summertime Dream....CD sounds fine. I didn't put it in my top five, but probably could have. Like that Terry and Rick are on background vocals in spots. Faves are Never Too Close, and Summertime Dream. Singles were The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald/The House You Live In (hit number 2)....Race Among the Ruins/Protocol....
From Summertime Dream, I play The House You Live In and Race Among The Ruins. Even with my questionable ability, they go down well down at my local open mic, which is a test of a great song, I reckon, Songs The Minstrel Sang seems to be a bit of a bete noir with Gord fans but I've always really liked it. It seems to gently parody traditional folk music but does it with such a smile on its face, that I find it irresistable.
I almost bought a used Summertime Dream CD today, as I’m a vinyl guy but tempted to get Gord’s catalog on CD just because. I didn’t put the album on my top five either, but like many of his albums it is right there. I’m Not Supposed To Care is a favorite of mine, it feels like a cousin to Read My Mind.
The Way I Feel...inspired by 3Dman I have the UA 2 cd set of this one. At times it feels like Gordon is right there in the room with you. Love all of these...fave is A Minor Ballad....of course CRT and Red Shea's guitar.....always had a soft spot for Go-Go Round and Home From the Forest. Rosanna is the only song for me that could be tossed. While I like the remake of The Way I Feel...it's out of place on this album. Move it to the next one...think it would have blended in better there. Of course you'd have to find another name for the album. Like the remake of Song For a Winter's Night on Gord's Gold better than the original. The same with Softly. Although I like the Sunday concert version probably the best. The false ending of Walls always bothered me!!! edit...Home From the Forest written by Ronnie Hawkins.
It has to be Gord's Gold. It's the only one I have. I also love all of Tony Rice's recordings of Lightfoot songs.
Watchmans Gone..........what a song! I shot this video from balcony under my ballcap on a rainy sunday evening.
One article mentioned a Lightfoot song called "Black Angel Eye." I thought that was an interesting title but I learned later that it was actually "Black Day In July."
I feel that they represent a style change. I have some of the later material, and Gord is still an impressive artist on that catalog, but I just prefer the "folkier" UA albums as a more pleasing (to me) setting for his unique voice.
I don't hear it that way. Tony was a great artist who did things his own way. I'm not interested in facsimiles.
Neither do I but that's what his Lightfoot covers sound like to me. Big fan of his music otherwise though.
I agree - I like his re-recordings better. His voice is deeper and I like his 70s sound the best. The originals are great, too, but for a single easy listen, with the 70s hits included, it's one of my go tos. As an aside, I've always loved his version of Dylan's Tom Thumb's Blues and Spin, Spin from the 60s years.
No doubt about that! And thanks for reminding that those songs were re-recorded. I just absolutely love Gord's Gold.
Only dis on Gords Gold is the removal of Affair on 8th Avenue from the cd version. Supposedly due to Lightfoot family request. Too bad, a beautiful song.
