He died today. I am crushed. Even as a metal musician, I know, understand, and feel his music. His emoting is profound. So proud to be a fellow Canadian. And sad to see him pass on.
I'm with you DMC. Let's not overlook his guitar skills. He makes really hard "picking" look silly easy, while singing. Gordo, my grandma was so fond of you...and she carried that on to me.
He is an immortal world class song smith. I live just a few minutes south of the Canadian border and he has always represented some of Canada's finest music. His loss is to the world of music.
Gordon was a true Canadian and was truly loved. Those of us from his hometown of Orillia Ontario are so proud of him. He always remembered his hometown and did anything he could to help us.He never needed asking.
That’s a nice memory for you. I grew up in Orillia in the 60’s. Sadly, just like Stephen Leacock was treated, Lightfoot was treated poorly and considered an alcoholic. Only when he became the mammoth talent he was, did Orillia recognize him and name their theatre after him. As the old saying goes: You can’t be Jesus Christ in your hometown.
It's sadly been announced that at the age of 84, Gordon Lightfoot is no longer with us. But he will always be in our hearts and be remembered forever through his songs. RIP to a legend.
A true songwriting legend. Knowing your love for storytelling, check out one of his biggest hits, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" telling the story of an iron ore transport that was lost in the icy waters of Lake Superior with all hands. Lightfoot released the song less than a year after the sinking, and it is quite the emotional experience.
His line “does anyone know where the love of God goes when the water turns the minutes into hours “ always sends shivers down my spine! A poet of immense power…
I wrote a poem for my sister-in-law based on the structure and meter of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald called, The Wreck Edna Fitzgerald. She was sexually, spiritually and emotionally abused by her now former husband for 16 years. "No say in the matter, her soul cruelly shattered, she lay there till he had his way The Bible gave consent, it was two for one rent, so her fighting was beaten away" "With their church supporting, her person distorting, becoming a wreck of this woman..." I won't post it all because it is hers, she owns it. But it ends well, as her story is, as Edna awoken as the rising Phoenix (for those who don't know, in mythology the Phoenix rises from it's own ashes, reborn) . I weep every time I hear that song
The live version is wonderful, but If you have a few minutes listen to the studio version with good headphones. It is a master-class on not only telling a beautiful tragic story, but also on how the instrumentation carries the story on a beautiful cloud of imagination. There are no empty voids, there is always some delightful ear candy that is there. It usually takes 3 or 4 listens to really grasp the absolute mastery Lightfoot, and his producer have for music.
What is amazing about so many performers in the 70's is that they wrote these songs, as well as performed them. The writing gets a back seat to the performance, but writing songs is so hard. Hallejuah is a great example, what a great song, and has been covered many times.
Thanks Mr. Slacker, for your perspicatious observations. I was hoping I wasn't the only guitarist, singer that recognized the aural layers of complimentary sound production of his back up band. He studied notation so that he could write the notes down to his compositions. In The Early Morning Rain was my first introduction to his wizardry!!
Gordon is one of my all-time favorite artists. You can imagine sitting by a campfire with him and just take it all in. Please, please, do "Sundown" (my personal favorite) and "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald".
Exactly the songs I was going to suggest. His all-time classic is "Edmund Fitzgerald" - such compelling storytelling it literally took me years to realize he had made up the sailors' dialog. It sounded so real it felt true.
When Gordon wrote these songs he was going through what was, at the time, the largest divorce settlement in Canadian history. You can just feel the emotion in his words and singing. Beautiful..
One of THE greatest songwriters ever -- period. Endless memorable melodies and beautiful lyrics. Simple structures, but that doesn't matter when the tunes are so brilliant.
When he first wrote it the lyrics were “I don’t know were *_you_* went wrong”, but his children etc said that it should be “we” to make it neutral, less acerbic. VVG song.
@@wilfbentley6738 @bethroars Unfortunately Gordon Lightfoot just died about 2 hours ago about 10pm on Monday May 1, 2023. I was singing and playing acoustic guitar to this song and a few others by Gordon with some friends last week.
@@NAVYMEDIC610 So incredibly sad. He was my wife's first concert, and we missed an opportunity to see him where we live a few years back. I'll regret that forever...
Gordon Lightfoot has written and performed some of the most beautiful songs out there and that vibrato of his is almost a 'signature'. Nobody sings like Gordon. His 'Song for a Winter's Night' can just break me. He is a voice of my teens - one of many. 😎
I recently stumbled on this video of a live performance of that song from the 60s and it broke my heart that I never got to see him in his prime. He was indeed a large part of the soundtrack of my teens and early twenties. I’m so very impressed by how all the young people are actually listening and taking it all in. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LfyDs6uXww0.html
Nice analysis of his performance. Gordon Lightfoot passed away four days ago, and I still have “the morning after blues, from head down to my shoes.” He had cancelled his tour and was said to be very ill. So, it was not unexpected. I first listened to Gordon in 1971 and was blown away. He is the reason why I sing and play an acoustic guitar today. He was a big part of my life and millions of others’ lives. I have been working on “If You Could Read My Mind” for 35 years, and I have steadily gotten better at it, but his performance is like an asymptotic limit that I will forever approach but never reach. In 2002, he suffered an aortic aneurysm and was in a coma for six weeks. It was a miracle that he survived. But, even more miraculously, he returned to touring and never stopped touring. He died with a full run of concert dates scheduled. He was one of a kind. His music lives on.
I was going through my morning routine a couple of days ago and as I scrolled through my regular newsfeeds I had to sit back down on the edge of my bed and just let the tears flow. We Canadians lost a true legend, an icon, as Gordon passed away on May 1st of this year. His impact on the world of music was huge influencing the likes of Bob Dylan Billy Joel and countless other great singer/songwriters. An interesting bit of Gordo trivia is Massey Hall. It’s a wonderful little venue in Toronto, Canada. He played it more than anyone else with some estimates being that he graced the stage there some 170 times over his career. This included playing the final show when it closed for a two year renovation and the first show when it opened back up. As a metal head I still love Lightfoot’s music, he was a masterful story teller and brilliant musician. He will be missed but his music will live on. RIP Gordon.
I am not a vocal coach, nor am I a musician. As a teenager, more that fifty years ago, I instantly grasped how great this song is and how exquisitely Lightfoot delivers it. It was one of the first album I had to have with my very limited funds.
Brent 1973 was my first year university and Gordon Lightfoot was my favourite singer at that time. Listening to this song takes me right back to res at Laurentian!
Gordon Lightfoot is a songwriting genius! Obviously he writes in a pure way that tells a story. The majority of his songs are written from things in his life, things he is passionate about, things he has seen. What makes him so different from many other artists who write songs about their own experiences is the way that he tells his story. Hard to explain, but if you are a Gordon fan you know what I mean. His music is just so rich, honest, and pure. The way he sings is just so easy to listen to and soothing, haunting at times.
See? This is why we love you, Beth. I've listened to this song hundreds of times over the last half century, but watching your reaction is like really hearing it for the first time. Thank you for that.
RIP Mr. Gordon!! I grew up with your Wonderful Music and it will always take me back to being 11 or 12 listening to AM radio on Hot Summer Days when Life was So Simple!! Thank You!
He was an incredible singer and songwriter and musician, all with such seeming simplicity. Thank you for pointing out his artistry and subtlety and helping us appreciate just how amazing he was. RIP, Mr. Lightfoot.
Hundreds of listens later, this song still brings me to tears and goosebumps. Thanks for leaving the music behind, Gordon--and thanks for expressing your appreciation for it, Beth...
He wrote about things that mattered to him. Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Black Day in July (the race riots that began in Detroit), Boss Man (about workers for unforgiving bosses), Rainy Day People (true friendship)
Gordon Lightfoot has so many great songs, you won't find a dud. He gives history lessons with is golden voice accompanied by his guitar. Black Day In July is an intense song describing the Detroit Riots in 1967.
I saw him live about 6 months ago.... yes, he is still performing at 84 yrs old. Even though his voice is not a strong as it was in his earlier years, it was still one of the best concerts I have ever seen. I was so glad I took the opportunity when I had the chance!
I saw him a year ago. Just for memories I saw him a half dozen times over 45 years or so. Met him once a fine gentlemen! He is my go to artist to soothe me and bring me to a good space and place
All of Gordon's music makes me think of driving in the mountain wilderness to a cabin or a lake etc. His vocals and music definitely had a unique feel...
Have had the pleasure of seeing him live a couple of times.. he’s an amazing singer and entertainer. Such life tales he tells.. softly.. so you listen! Thank you for your analysis.
This is such a classic song! If you like this kind of music you might also enjoy something by Jim Croce like for example "Time In A Bottle" or "Operator".
I’m 70 and remember this song playing in the early days of college. I thought it was a sad song and didn’t have the life experience to know what he was talking about. Later, I returned to this song after experiencing the same thing. I wonder whether great song writers consciously use the techniques you mentioned or it just comes naturally. Thanks for pointing out the smoothness contrasted with where he provides a rhythm.
I am 61, Gordon Lightfoot is probably my favorite singer of all time. His voice is haunting , his performance understated and soulful. This song was written at the end of his first marriage.
Back in 1971, my first ever concert was with Gordon Lightfoot. Over the decades, I've seen Springsteen, U2, Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, The Eagles, and Yes. By far the best concert I've attended was Gordon's. His music is timeless. His legacy will be rememered well into the future.
Thank you so much, Gordon! You'll always be the best storyteller songwriter; through your wonderful guitar playing and great deep vibrato singing. I 1st heard this song finding myself at 18 years old in love with a broken heart. I feel almost the same tonight with your passing. Also, in this song, he sounds a fair amount like Elvis Presley. Not a bad thing. R.I.P.
Truly one of the greatest heartbreak songs ever made. I could listen to this over and over, and never get tired of it. Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian national treasure. The lyrics here are both sweet and heartbreaking.
heartbreak? he was furious . telling her she had no feelings, and she was self absorbed and selfish, and the line, " I'm just tryin too understand, the feelings that you lack" was brutal. His daughter wanted him to change that line, but he refused , saying said that is what I feel.
Gord is a Canadian icon. He's now 84 and still performing (as far as I know). His most famous works are: The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald and The Canadian Railroad Trilogy.
I was fortunate enough to be in the same room with Gordon while he sound checked this song. Just him and me. One of my life's highlights. I got to talk with him a year later at the premier of his documentary.
I haven't heard this for decades and I didn't miss a word. It was so well loved and popular on the airwaves. Time travel. I'm envious of your escapades on Roar Beth, though still to see them all.
I think I know the story behind that plucking guitar technique. A neighbour of mine had a variety show televised nationally on the CBC for over two decades. His name is Tommy Hunter. He once explained to me how Gordon, who had recently joined the band for that show (then called Country Hodown), asked Tommy about that technique, which was originated by Maybelle Carter, who had appeared a number of times on the show (yes, that would be Johnny Cash's legendary mother-in-law). Tommy demonstrated it to Lightfoot, and he put it to good use on his first few albums. Now, this song was on his fifth album, but I'm guessing the guitar style you noted was rooted in what Lightfoot had gleaned from Tommy Hunter and Maybelle Carter at the outset of his professional music career.
One of my favorite artists This song always brings tears to my eyes and lifts my spirit Talented singer, quitarist, song writer I love how his music has numerous , as I call them nooks and crannies that allow me to curl up in and enjoy( even when they are a split second there.......sometimes I realize that I have curled up in one of those nooks and crannies, and just have not realized it yet😊
"The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald" by him is very unusual. A relatively long story as if he were an old fashioned troubadour. Nothing else quite like it in popular music until you get to The Change by Garth Brooks about the Oklahoma City bombing. Thank you for the review.
May 1, 2023 is a sad day for Canada. He, above all others, was able to take the soul of the country and put it into song. I've been a fan since 1966 and will be playing his compositions for years to come.
In later versions of the song, he changed the line "I'm just trying to understand the feelings that you lack" to "... we lack", after his daughter suggested the lyric improvement. In an interview, he mentioned that writing songs about a personal experience (like his divorce) sometimes makes it difficult to have enough emotional distance and clarity.
I sooo enjoyed your observations here, I've loved this one for decades and you just made me appreciate it and Gordon more. Keep it up dear, you have a wonderful way of breaking down a vocal delivery and you're becoming one of my favorite reaction channels.
One of my favorite songwriters of all time. I had the pleasure to see him play live at The Queen Elizabeth theater in the very early 80's. His style and personality had the audience feeling like guests in his home. So many great songs.
Gordon Lightfoot, is not just a Canadian Icon. He is also the man most responsable for making the Canadian music recording industry, as he would not sell out to the USA, and made all his records in Canada. Thus launching the Canadian music industry. you should check out some of his other songs as well, make sure to check out The Canadian Railway Triolgy.
I've been hooked on this song since it was first released, when I was just a wee bairn. The way it rolls along and then trips and falls, cascades… I've heard many musicians credit Gordon with introducing the story-telling folk sensibility that the likes of Dylan, Mitchell and so many others built careers on. Thank you so much, Beth.
This takes me right back to when I was just a kid. My Dad loved Gordon Lightfoot. Now you *really* need to check out some Stan Rogers, Beth! His son, Nathan, too. Incredible voices, the both of them.
Gordon was an Icon here in Canada and I'm learning he was well known world wide. I grew up listening to him since the 70's and I've played a few of his songs around the campfire. He will be missed in the music world.
I have been playing guitar since I was 15 years old. The base line and acoustic guitar work are beautiful. I often cry when I hear this beautiful song. One of the best songs ever sung!
Gordon is my favorite of all time. The songs, the guitar picking and his voice are awesome. There are so many great songs that have never been on radio. "Mother of a Miners Child". "Canadian Railroad Trilogy". "Miguel". I could go on and on. His live shows are amazing. Thanks for reacting to Gord!
I'm glad you enjoyed the reaction video to Gord's music! He truly was a master of his craft and had a gift for storytelling through his lyrics and guitar playing. It's always great to discover new songs and deepen appreciation for an artist's body of work. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and love for Gordon Lightfoot!
One of the greatest story tellers every. This song is so heart breaking yet so beautiful. His songs Carefree Highway, Sundown and Beautiful are also both amazing.
@Gordon Lightfoot -a big hi back to you! 👋 I’m doing pretty well, although battling allergies from the gorgeous trees and flowers bursting with color …and pollen! 🤧 (Cherry Blossom season in the DC area.) How are things in your life? Lovely to meet you, too!
Gordon is the definition of living legend. He has been awarded both of Canada's highest civilian honours. He has the order of Canada. The order of Ontario ( his home province in Canada where both Ottawa and Toronto are), rock and roll hall of fame. He wrote songs for Elvis Presley. Gordon is in 70s now and his voice no longer what it was but he still tours. About 20 years ago now he put out a best of album called Songbook It had 80 tracks on multiple CDs. Prolific almost seems insulting to the body of work he's done. He was there at the start of rock music. He helped create it. My words are faint praise to what he has done.
One of the greats, I’m so blessed to have been raised listening to him thanks to my parents, I love his music and always play it, especially during summer, he’s my summer time singer, so bright
Just found your channel ,saw your face and heard your voice and had to subscribe immediately, i knew i was in for some real entertainment. What a surprise you are going to get listening to the second superstar from Canada ,(behind Leonard Cohen) Your style is so excitable ,you must have watched the Charismatic Voice .
