Why Gordon Lightfoot continues to captivate us so...

His sound is unreal, certainly, I saw him on Saturday Night Live (on E!, rerun, and it was spectacular)

steve k

Was Jim Gordon his drummer? Jim Gordon played with Derek & The Dominos & Traffic... Gordo too?

"(I'm almost certain Noel Gallagher used it as a musical template for 'Look Back In Anger' - that's just an observation not a recommendation)"

i think ol' noel said it was bowie he ripped off for that one, can't remember which...

he is VERY canadian

He rules, obv.

'Jim Gordon is prisoner C89262 in the California Men's Colony at San Luis Obispo. He killed his mother on June 3, 1983, by pounding her head with a hammer, then finishing the job with three plunges of a butcher knife into the ribs. He says "You know, I heard the new version of 'Layla' on the radio and I was real surprised. And then I was informed that it was nominated for a Grammy and I was real surprised." Gordon did not petition the prison officials for permission to attend the ceremony, and regarding that said "I watched the show, and when my name was announced, well, I didn't hear it. I'd stepped out of the room. But the other guys said, 'Well, you won.'" Concerning the isolation from the rest of the music industry, Gordon said "When the crime happened, they all just turned their backs on me. I don't blame 'em, to tell you the truth. Whatever was taking me down that road, I was on a path of self-destruction and it was nothing that any reputable studio musician or artist would want to be connected with. Because it was kind of a hopeless situation." Apparently Gordon believes that he didn't commit the crime, but rather that the crime "happened" and says "When I remember the crime, it's kind of like a dream. I can remember going through what happened in that space and time, and it seems kind of detached, like I was going through it on some other plane. It didn't seem real." According to police reports, when they found him he feared that the person who killed his mother might come for him too, and in the police car he sobbed "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but she's tortured me for years." He was pretty consistently known as an All-American type, with Frank Zappa even nicknaming him "Skippy." Gordon did admit that Speedballs were commonplace on the 1971 Joe Cocker "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" tour, when he claims he was dating Rita Coolidge. A journalist who wrote a never released book on Gordon says he once showed her a letter from Gordon's father written in 1969 urging him to get psychiatric help. However, the letter apparently made no references to the voices that Gordon heard. The most powerful voice was that of his mother. The voice would deny him food, with Gordon starving himself for days and then hiding in a motel to eat fried chicken. The voice also caused him pain, denied him sleep and relaxation, caused him to be sullen and incommunicative with the occasional violent outburst, and, finally, refused to let him play drums. He says "My mother, she persecuted me a great deal, I felt. And it finally got so bad that I just gave up and got a condominium and just stayed indoors. I didn't ever go anyplace. That's when I started hearing voices, and having delusional thoughts and hallucations, and all of a sudden the crime occurred." Predictably, his work dwindled to nothing. In 1977, he began a series of aborted hospital stays. His last work was in 1979 when he got a gig with Paul Anka in Las Vegas. A few bars into the opening song, he walked off stage, unable to play. Today, he says he no longer hears the voices. He says he is on two medications, Navane for acute paranoid schizophrenia, and another one for depression, which Gordon says stems from prison life. Talking about the crime, he says "I was in a real strange place then. What I was imagining and what was real -- I still don't know the answer to that...but something always confronted me and didn't allow me to go along the lines I wanted to go along. And well, it just ruined my life." His lawyer says "[Gordon] truly believed he was acting in self-defense," and calls him "the most tragic case of my career." Gordon had a well-documented history of mental problems and a firm diagnosis of acute schizophrenia, yet was found guilty of second degree murder due to a then-recent change in California law severely restricting the insanity defense. He had made statements right after the crime admitting it ws wrong to kill. So, in May 1984, the court sentenced him to 16 years to life. Most of his time has been at Atascadero State Hospital. Parole has been denied him twice. His finances are in good shape, in spite of all this, due to royalties from Layla and other Dominos work, work with Traffic, and work with George Harrison, among other things. Finally, he says "As far as getting back toanything I was doing before 1981, it's pretty grim. Unless -- what I'd like to do is get in some kind of touring situation, maybe contribute a little bit with my writing." As a meek afterthought, he adds "I'd still like to play with Eric."'

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/1C003C81C00B742D?artistid=733309&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

the first 4 on UA are absolutely classic and generally considered so, but his subsequent albums are often overlooked, aside from the hits. don quioxte and summer side of life are two that i really enjoy.

Could be just me, but Gord and Stan Rogers seem to have similar voices, although Stan's vibrato is more obvious.

what are gordon's late 60s lps like? are they folk-rock, or even plain ol' rock, or was it more a "straight" singer-songwriter w/ acoustic guitar thing? i need to listen more to the dude, Sundown is such a great song, and i heard If You Could Read My Mind today, but I don't know his 60s stuff except thru covers (the Nico one and Fotheringay's "The Way I Feel" which kicks ass)

...Sundown and If You Could Read My Mind (over)duly ordered, as of ten minutes ago.
*gnaws fingernails*

canuckian humour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSThKFtOC48

been jamming the track "watchman's gone" a lot lately. way killer. big ups to my girl who turned me onto that.

"Sundown" is such a great song

screw lightfoot, i didn't know the first thing about jim gordon, until now!

Discography:
The Beach Boys: Good Vibrations; Spirit of America; Pet Sounds
John Lennon: It's So Hard; Imagine; The Plastic Ono Band- Sometime in New York City
The Monkees: Monkees; More of the Monkees; Instant Replay
Harry Nilsson: Nilsson Schmilsson; Aerial Ballet
Minnie Riperton: Adventures in Paradise
Tom Waits: The Heart of Saturday Night
"His drum break on the LP's version of "Apache" has been repeatedly sampled by rap music artists"

+... Jim Henson The Muppet Movie - ie. jim gordon = animal!!!!!

AND he killed his own mother?!?!? how did i not know about this guy?

He delivered a truly outstanding performance on Glen Campbell's Wichita Lineman too.

Great thread!!!! There is nothing wrong with Gordon Lightfoot!!!

I love Early Morning Rain. The Warlocks (nee the Grateful Dead) do a nice version.

This was a good tribute show from mid-2009, with Lightfoot himself playing a song at the end.

Ian and Sylvia do a wonderful version of "Early Morning Rain."

will search!

Does Kenny Buttrey play on any of these rekkeds aside from The Way I Feel?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Af5d1FeJn4

GL's "It Ain't Me, Babe". Bit more of a hopeful spin, though, I guess. One little detail I like in that song is when he sort of smirks out the last couple "but I'll try"s

love this thread title

thread revival caused me to put on "Sundown" right now

That his drummer beat in his own mother's skull with a hammer gives a keen sense of what it must have been like to work on Gordon's music. De-captivated. ;)

Dude played with hundreds of musicians. Can't pin the skull-bashing on Lightfoot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Gordon_%28musician%29#Discography

holy shit!

been coming back to Sundown (the album) a lot lately 'Seven Island Suite' is a forgotten gem, same with 'Christian Island (Georgian Bay)' from Don Quixote.

Having recently bought a portable CD/cassette player I'm able to listen to tapes I haven't heard in years, one of which was a best of Gordon Lightfoot... my, but this song is really reminiscent of Gene Clark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gs98fVoHVI

Just touching down to say that Gordon Lightfoot continues to captivate me so. Right now, Summer Side of Life is a warm glowy hot wood stove-smellin' respite from the Februaries. Like, it's cold outside, but if you promise to kick the snow off your boots, sure you can spend some time hanging out in Gordie's cabin.

Yes

One of the greatest things about the streaming era is being able to just mainline his albums back to back on a chilly morning

I’m very rarely in the mood for country but I’m almost always in the mood for Gordon Lightfoot.

I listen to “early morning rain” at least once every month.

summertime dream time

I never understood what Bitter Green was actually about but it’s gorgeous

Canadian Railroad Trilogy is one of the best songs ever written

"Somewhere U.S.A." always soothes my soul

Yes

One of the greatest things about the streaming era is being able to just mainline his albums back to back on a chilly morning

― flamboyant goon tie included, Friday, February 22, 2019 9:12 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

This. I just listened to Summer Side of Life & Don Quixote back to back.

I hope that if for some reason my life is being watched back after I die that Gordon Lightfoot and Kate & Anna McGarrigle are the soundtrack.

used to really dislike the Gordy I'd heard but suddenly I inexplicably love "Sundown". perhaps for the lyric "Sundown, you better take care, if I find you've been creepin' round my back stairs".

I got a soft spot for most of Gord’s gold (ie anything I know from classic rock radio), but Sundown is just on another level

the entire Sundown album is excellent..."The Watchman's Gone" is probably his best deep cut

I was a little surprised by how much more I liked Dylan’s cover of Early Mornin Rain when I finally heard Gordon’s a few years later

Any other deep cuts besides "The Watchman's Gone"?

I truly like Canadian folk with strong Celtic influences, so anything in that vein...

Was surprised to find Gordo wearing Eagles coke sunglasses, but I guess everyone in music capitulated at some point....

https://img.discogs.com/t13u68pSqfpsvcuXBKUALp5tdds=/fit-in/425x420/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-6574383-1422303221-6593.jpeg.jpg

Very involved with Cathy Smith in the early '70s, the woman charged in Belushi's death.

okay, here are some of my favorite Gord tracks that don't appear on any greatest hits that I'm aware of (in rough chronological order)

Rosanna
If I Could
Magnificent Outpouring
Approaching Lavender
Your Love's Return (Song for Stephen Foster)
Nous Vivions Ensemble
Love and Maple Syrup (I think most Gord fans probably hate this song
Can't Depend on Love
Hi'way Songs
Seven Island Suite (sort of a prelude to the Edmund Fitzgerald?)
Bend in the Water
The Soul is the Rock

I just assume anyone who was famous in the 70s did coke until proven otherwise

In the Rolling Thunder film, the Joni Mitchell "Coyote" scene, Lightfoot's walking around in the background seemingly not knowing where he is...which was his own house.

much like New Jersey I feel like Endless Wire fits into some identifiable but not-yet-named trope - the one following some late-career success, where the music is decent but forgettable, and the cover is so dull that it almost tries to steer you away...I mean, coke glasses aside, what is Gord trying to convey here? "yep, it's me, Gordon". They're the albums that always clog up the used section and are often pristine, since most people just played 'em once or twice and went "ah, whatever".

some that come to mind...Big Generator by Yes, Azure D'or by Renassiance, Everybody's in Showbiz by the Kinks...idk I feel there are a lot of these but my brain doesn't even register them so I can't remember right now

I like all but three of the songs Frogbs chose, including "Love and Maple Syrup", whose title always sounds to me like a failed attempt at a circa-1973 Canadian Content version of Deep Throat. I'd add "Is There Anyone Home?" as a must-hear.

anyone who was famous in the 70s did coke

Gord's issue was drinking, per all reports.

Lightfoot's walking around in the background seemingly not knowing where he is

I submit he may have been nonplussed to have a camera crew at his party (as well as drunk).

the one following some late-career success

I feel like his career is studded with these, though - like he would be inspired for a record, then coast on craft for the next one or two. Gord aside, though, this is a good idea for a thread!

As soon as I saw this thread pop up, I knew you'd be up in it frogbs!

I love all of the songs you put up there, aside from Rosanna and Can't Depend on Love.

Some of my favourite other Gord deep cuts...

Miguel
Protocol
Ballad of Yarmouth Castle
Same Old Loverman
Brave Mountaineers (Don Quixote is the most underrated GL album I think)
A Passing Ship

Agreed with halfway, there is a trope there somewhere, I feel like an REM album must fit, Up maybe?

Why on this thread instead of! I'm Not Sayin' it's the Gordon Lightfoot listening thread (but it is)...new album every Thursday

Keep on Gordin'!

I feel like his career is studded with these, though - like he would be inspired for a record, then coast on craft for the next one or two. Gord aside, though, this is a good idea for a thread!

― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, November 16, 2021 9:33 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

true not all of his first 11 are particularly inspired but I think every single one has an inviting aura and at least a handful of good tunes. Endless Wire just kinda feels like "whatever, I give up"...all the songs feel like retreads of earlier ideas (quite literally on the closer) and it's weirdly crowded for a Lightfoot album. steel guitar, drums, harmonia, a trombone (??), stereo panning effects...idk it kind of tramples over a lot of what made him good in the first place. also you can hear his voice starting to go a little.

As soon as I saw this thread pop up, I knew you'd be up in it frogbs!

well it was Edmund Fitzgerald day last week so naturally I am on a kick again

I agree that Endless Wire was overproduced and probably his weakest to date. I wonder if the massed overdubbed vocal tracks were an attempt to cover up inadequacies with his voice. I'd save "Daylight Katy" and "Dreamland" from this record, and it may not be coincidental that I would have heard these all the time on AM radio when I was six.

Wow...O had no idea about the John Belushi thing...I am so disillusioned.

Also, any funky blues like "Sundown"? Because I tried some of the folk numbers suggested and meh.

Maybe try "Baby Step Back"?

oh weird so Gordon Lightfoot has a late period album called "Endless Wire" that is pretty good, I was confused thinking you were talking about the pretty good late period Who album called "Endless Wire"

or maybe the Who's is better from the looks of it

The endless wire continued on its way past Lightfoot's house all the way to where the Who lived, and beyond...

I wonder if the massed overdubbed vocal tracks were an attempt to cover up inadequacies with his voice.

yeah I bet that's it. its the first album where you don't really hear him air out his voice at all. I think you could kinda figure it would be all downhill from there. but there is one post Edmund Fitzgerald album I do kinda like - Dream Street Rose. thanks to the album by album thread for turning me onto that one. if anything that's his coke album, the songs are like 25% faster than normal

Whatever we think about his late-period music, his late-period hair is unimpeachable. Endless Flow, amirite?

Sweet. Gordon Lightfoot, In Concert at the BBC, from 1972, on right now, over an hour of it.

that's cool, would love to hear some live 70's Gord, as somehow he never released a live album during that period! he only has two - one from 1969, and one from 2012. the '69 one is neat if you like his United Artists period since half the material was never recorded in the studio and some of it is very good. amusingly the other two performers are Red Shea, who played with Gordon until he died in 2008, and Rick Haynes, who I think stuck with him up until the very end! I guess he was a good dude to work for.

also the liner notes are kind of a trip, it's written in this beat poetry style with lines like "lightfoot is about to happen to you" intermixed with lyrics from "Yarmouth Castle" (which, by the way, is obviously the precursor to "Edmund Fitzgerald"). guessing this was a United Artists thing because I cannot imagine Gord himself writing anything like this.

His preceding studio album Back Here on Earth featured a rambling Gord-written prose poem:

https://www.lightfoot.ca/backnote.htm

Gord may well have washed his hands of UA by the time that live album came out though.

LIGHTFOOT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN TO YOU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja8oGwtaRXk

I keep calling 1-800-GORDMAS but they don't pick up

can you e-mail me a good site (bio) about Lightfoot?

hope everyone's whipping out their copies of Summertime Dream today

it was nice of the gales of November to come early in honor of the 50th