You've done "Sundown"", and "If You Could Read My Mind". You're now kind of obligated to do "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". You will NOT regret it. But save it for a day you want a kind of heavy song. It's based on a real shipwreck.
I don't know if they can deal with the sadness and heartbreak of THE WRECK OF THE EDMOND FITZGERALD. They are so upbeat that it may ruin their day. I have seen reactors break down in tears listening to it.
@@orbahumphrey8329 A lot of us dealt with "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" as teenagers when it was released so I think they will be able to take it. Good songs are capable of breaking your heart and mending it back stronger than before. That mending is when the tears leak out.
Vibrato is what it's called with the voice. Bob Dylan called Lightfoot his favorite composer...Dylan actually inducted Gordon in to the rock and roll hall of fame.
I would consider his voice displaying tremolo, not vibrato, which is a sharp and return to normal in pitch. Tremolo is a slight change in volume in the note and returning to the original volume.
@@guitarkis4969 It was definitely his vibrato that she referred to as "shaky." In other words, it was his pitch changes, not volume changes, that got her attention.
You guys need to listen closely to the lyrics, because this is what songwriting is all about. The man in the song has gone through the beauty, joy, disappointment, and anger of a once fierce love that has died. Even his grief is now played out, and the calm but tragic surrender in his soul is palpable. A truly great work of art.
What we know now is that Gordon Lightfoot was a drunk and a philanderer. This song was written at the end of his first marriage. His wife was finally tired of his cheating ways, and threw him out. Consequently, the woman he was cheating with was one of his backup singers. In the song, he sings: "Enter number two..." referring to this new woman, who inspired him. However, she was also a drunk and a philanderer, so their pairing didn't last long. We found out years later, that this "backup singer" was the same woman who killed the actor, Chris Farley, by shooting him up with an overdose of drugs, and then left him facedown over a broken coffee table in a hotel room. These two were not good people.
Yes sir. What a great comment. So insightful. You nailed it. I had the pleasure of watching Gordon Lightfoot sing in concert, back in about 1968. It wasn't anything like seeing Three Dog Night, or Chicago, or Jefferson Airplane or The Beach Boys. It was more like hearing one of the greatest storytellers of all time come into your home and just talk to you... with his music.
@@laidoffjournalist - the lady in question was Cathy Smith, and it was John Belushi she injected with heroin, causing his death. Lightfoot nearly died of an aneurysm in 2002. When he recovered, he completely reformed himself - quit drinking and smoking, quietly remarried, and reinvigorated his career. The description here has some truth to it but only to GL’s earlier years. The man who died earlier this year was a very different one from the dame guy in his earlier years.
My fave and my dad's. Bought him the album one year for his birthday. All present-opening stopped immediately so he could play that one song. ❤ That was almost 35 years ago. He and I still laugh about it. My hubby bought me a shirt from Great Lakes Brewing because they have a porter labeled as Edmund Fitzgerald.
Jim Croce also had that story telling voice. Time in a Bottle is mellow side. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown is my go to. What a legend and also lost in his prime.
Favorite story tellers: John Prine - “Sam Stone”, “Hello in There”, “Souvenirs”, “Donald and Lydia” Harry Chapin - “Cat’s in the Cradle”, “Taxi”, “Sequel”, “A Better Place to Be” Jim Croce - “Time in a Bottle”, “Operator”, “Photographs and Memories” (Story Teller Tuesday?)
It's very sad and very somber, about his failed marriage, and yet he still manages to make it sound like it's out of a magical fairy tale. One of the great singer, songwriters of the 70's. Another amazing song from this genre is "Time in A Bottle" by Jim Croce. So beautiful.
No autotune. No backing dancers. No excessive production values. Just a singer-songwriter using his voice, his words, and a simple arrangement to make you feel whatever he wants you to.
It's May 1, 2023 & every Canadian station is announcing the death of this beautiful man. Thank you Gordon for your beautiful words & music. You are a true Canadian treasure. Be at peace
If you do 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald', be aware that it's of a true shipwreck from the early 1970s. One of the women at our church in Ohio lost her son in the accident (I never knew her). It's a long song, and it's sad, but it's a beautiful tribute.
@@pauld6967 I think it was a huge story on the news for any Great Lakes city on either side of the border. It's the first big news event that I can remember seeing on TV.
@@heatherk1200 It became a big story again when they found the wreck. My recollections go back a bit farther that this story but now you have me hard-pressed to sort out which is one of those was first. 🙂
I agree- would love to see a reaction to The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald. I was living on Lake Michigan when the tragedy happened and I remember the shock and sadness vividly. The song was a beautiful tribute to that event.
When the ship, the Big Fitz set sale with the Arther Anderson on Lake Superior, the day started out as a beautiful, cloudless early to mid 70 degree temperature day. Under the command of Captain Earnest McSorley, he also was on the lake, as mentioned with Captain Bernie Jesse Cooper of the Arther Anderson. Both ships recieved a gale warning as two volatile air masses were on their way towards the lake, Lake Superior that reeked havoc on both ore freighters and as you know, only one ship lasted throughout the storm. Gordon Meridith Lightfoot was reading about the tragedy in either Time or Newsweek magazine and was asked to pen the words along with apply the approprate music to thell the story of this terrible catastrophe/tragedy. An accomplished sailor himself, Gordon Meridith Lightfoot knew exactly how and which way to capture the proper words and music in essence in order for each listener to be able to know and feel the tragedy and dangers involved while those guys were sailing on the Big Fitz. Gordon Meridith Lightfoot knew the very best way to capture the deep hurt, and pain that each family member had in his story of this tragic loss of all hands on board the Edmund Fitzgerald.
I think this song is such perfection! It is poetic, romantic and heartbreaking at the same time. It was inspired by his divorce and the pain of that breakup. His beautiful voice and the violins that fill the empty musical space create an emotional, heartbreaking song. His reference to be a failing hero is so sad. Really listen to the song again and pay attention to the lyrics...poetic perfection.
I agree about the lyrics. It's been so long that I can't remember the story about the ghost from the wishing well. It references an old classic story or poem but I just can't remember the name. It has been retold over the years and was even the subject of one of the old Abbott and Costello movies.
I assumed it was about his experience with divorce. I'd heard it thousands of times and always liked the song but I never truly understood it, until one day I found myself living it... I always say this is the saddest song in the world...
@@jonahprophet4483 totally this is the same as me! I always heard it and enjoyed it in my youth without even knowing the lyrics. Now while going through a divorce this year it hits me hard 😥
Someone mentioned Jim Croce - Time in a Bottle. That's a good song, but if you're in the mood for something more up tempo, Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, You Don't Mess Around with Jim, Rapid Roy (the Stock Car Boy), Workin' at the Car Wash Blues, One Less Set of Footsteps, Roller Derby Queen......so many great songs by Jim Croce. Another artist who left us much too soon.
YES PLEASE - STILL LOVE JIM!! TIME IN A BOTTLE WAS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE!! ❤ If I had a dollar for everytime I've listened to it since it came out...WOW, what a vacation I could take!!
One of the most heartbreaking falling-out-of-love songs ever. That line, "if you read between the lines, you'll know that I'm just trying to understand the feelings that you lack...I don't know where we went wrong, but the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back." Just damn.
Singing about the end of his marriage. There were a lot of metaphors, but you can figure it out just from a couple of the more direct lines. Its pretty sad and beautiful at the same time.
Oh, Gordon Lightfoot! As a Canadian, I am extremely proud of this man. He is a real national treasure up here. He's someone I've listened to my whole life since my parents played his records my whole life. This song always gives me the shivers and brings tears to my eyes. :) I'd recommend any of his songs, but as Matthew Teague suggested, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald is a must. As he said, it's based on an actual event, a real shipwreck in one of the Great Lakes. As he also said, it's for a day when you're prepared to have some emotion.
He truly is a an amazing singer and performer. He has a wonderful way of taking you into and through the story. I still tear up when I here this song, i can’t help but let it transport me to a time and place decades ago.
I heard it first as a 13 yr old Brit on holiday in some useless seaside hotel in Great Yarmouth, UK, waayyyy back when it was no.1 (or 2?) here. 50-odd years later I've ever recovered and never forgotten how GL introduced me to music and rich, deep emotions. Bless him.
He Was. I was sad to hear he passed May 1, 2023. We have lost our trio of Gordons... Gordon Downey (Tragically Hip), Gordon Pincent, and now Gordon Lightfoot.
"Tapestry" is one of those masterpiece albums that basically is the music of my young adulthood. "So Far Away," "Home Again," "Beautiful" - all of them are just songs that you can sing over and over again and never get tired of them.
He is telling a story that means everything to his heart. The stress is not delivered by drums, electric guitars, but just by his pauses and the sharp violin. Amber, his voice was trembling. But, I think you may have looking for word "vibrato," which is a technique singers use to add texture and to help them stay on the right note. Gordon Lightfoot is still touring. My younger sister and her boyfriend just discovered him about two years ago and said he gave one of the best concerts they'd ever seen.
It is a break up song and a love song. We can break with the ones we love and it can create this....a song of true love and remorse. Absolutely brilliant. I still love the ones who broke up with me and I broke up with. "Let's be real". Turn the page and live is what this song is about. He doesn't want to be chained in a castle deep nor does he want her to suffer. He loves her. Real emotion and reality we have all gone through....If we were a caring person.
@@thecosmicsnail here's the club/dance cover version, which was kind of mind blowing for someone who knew the original ;-) ruclips.net/video/97ZbiemJ1KU/видео.html
He sings of how he lost his woman (Wife?) to another. Another song of this type was Jim Croce's "Operator" and George Strait's "You Look So Good in Love." In these songs you should glean that real men have hearts as fragile as anyone's although we hide it.
Lightfoot and Jim Croce…two stellar examples of story telling composers singers who’s singing style along with a superb backing guitarist made music so unique and intimate. They both rank as my fav folk pop singers.
Lightfoot was a favorite songwriter of Bob Dylan. A Canadian superstar. The imagery conjured up by his lyrics is phenomenal. Gordon passed May 1st, 2023. Gone but never forgotten.
This ballad is one of his most soulful and sad songs. Whenever I hear it I just want to cry…it’s very sad how he has lost everything. The love is gone and how he feels that he is nothing…just a ghost in a wishing well. He wanted to be the hero but she didn’t see him that way. Another great song from a great Canadian…Blessings 😘❤️✝️🇨🇦
Gordon Lightfoot is now 83, and is doing three nights of shows this week to celebrate the re-opening of Massey Hall here in Toronto, which has been closed for many years due to renovations. I can almost guarantee this song will be on his set list.
One of the most perfect tunes ever written. Perfect orchestration and arrangement, perfect 12 and 6 string guitars, subtle bass line, beautiful lyrics and sentiment of a relationship ending. Bob Dylan said Gordon didn't know how to write a bad tune. Gord was THE inspiration for tons of singer/songwriters from Billy Joel to Jimmy Buffett and many more. Gord deserves a deep dive for you two.
Sundown: "some times I think it's a shame when I get feeling better when I'm feeling no pain" one of the most iconic lines I've ever heard. The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is based on a true story RIP to the 29 souls lost 🙏✌️♥️
Gordon Lightfoot is one of Canada's greatest treasures. I'm guessing most people will suggest you listen to, "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald," next - it's one of his most well known epic story-songs about an actual tragedy. That's definitely a great song to react to at some point, but may I suggest trying a faster song next, "The Circle Is Small."
“Canadian Railroad Trilogy” is a great song. Gordon was commission by the Canadian Government to produce a song for the Canadian centennial celebration. He wrote the song about construction of the trans-continental railway through Canada, but the point of the song was about the mistreatment of the thousands of immigrants that worked on the railway, often resulting in their death. Beyond the underlying message the way his voice at times in the song mimics the sound of a train rolling down the rails is great. It is worth checking out..
Don’t be afraid to listen to Gordon Lightfoot! He’s a Canadian icon. He’s now 83 years old and he will actually open this year at the newly renovated Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario. He has had many live concerts there.
This song is in my top 5 of all time. Back in 1992 i had a major crush on a girl. I worked up the nerve to ask her out. She said in a loud clear voice " What the hell made you think I would go out with you" I wept for days. The lines in the song that gets me all the time and causes the water works is, " You know that ghost is me. And I will never be set free as long i'm a ghost you can't see". I was a ghost to her. Nothing to see. Yep, all teary eyed. lol
That’s a pretty sad story that I can relate to. I learned to read womens’ faces and recognized the “ don’t even think about hitting on me” look, and the “you’re almost good enough, but not quite” look ; which saved me from a lot hurt in my younger days.
@@beverlydickerson7141 Thanks!! For all I know she married her soulmate. I hope she did. She was a good kid. Just wasn't in to me. She was rude to me but she was only 22 and she was known to be a bit of a tough Jersey girl. lol. Just for clarification I was 23 at the time. a big dork. lol
Yes. I think of Gordo as the adult in the room when it comes to ballads. Affair on 8th Street, Softly, and many more. Canadian Railroad Trilogy is one of the classics.
Gordon is among the premiere singer songwriters...I saw him live three times...This is one of his best..You are being treated to pure talent...Pure Gold.......Bravo Gordon...Bravo..
I was thinking warm, smooth gravy but rich smoky wood is a lot better. I love doing his songs on karaoke since I apparently have a very similar singing voice to Gordon. He's awesome.
As others have mentioned -- "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a Gordon Lightfoot must. That said, my personal favorite song of his was never a huge hit like the ones you've been doing. I may be just tilting at windmills, but I recommend you react to "Don Quixote."
Don Quixote may be my personal favorite Lightfoot song too. The guitar work in it is amazing. Sad to me that it doesn't get the recognition that some of his hits do.
The arrangement of this song -what the different instruments do and when- is masterful. The bass guitar coming in when it does really adds some subtle momentum to the song at the perfect spot. And the way the strings get bigger and higher in pitch as the song progresses adds emotional energy to it. To me it’s one of the best arrangements ever for a pop song.
Gordon Lighfoot's voice is epic. Other artists I think you will like are Jim Croce (Time in a Bottle; I've Got a Name; Operator), James Taylor (Fire and Rain), and Bread (Everything I Own). You can't go wrong with any song by Bread. Really enjoying your channel!❤
@@joiedevivre2005 Absolutely! The song "If" is a must. My other favorites are "Make it With You," "Diary," and "Baby I'm - a Want You." I love the entire Best of Bread album, really. 😄
@@greybeard2280 Bread is like Abba and the Carpenters, it isn't considered hip to listen to them, but you've got their Greatest Hits albums stashed away and somehow they always make there way to your turntable.
@Maya Nightwolf John Denver. What great music. I saw him in concert in Lake Charles, Louisiana during his “Sunshine on My Shoulder” tour. Back when venues were small and you could see the musicians’ faces clearly without a big screen.
I know you do you songs a day in advance. So for Female Friday I have a couple bangers to suggest a little ahead of time. You need to do Melissa Etheridge- I'm the only one (powerful like Joan Jett) and also do Jewel- Who will save your soul (she hits insane high notes) or Foolish Games (piano and vocals to die for)
I've been requesting Pretenders for weeks. Since Chrissy Hynde turns 70 next week, I think the time is right. Also Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, and Within Temptation.
I was about Six when this song was a big radio hit in Montreal, and I am still moved by the haunting imagery, matched by Gord's haunting voice and the gorgeous melody. To us Canadians, Lightfoot is more than a popular entertainer; he is a national treasure, on the same level as Leonard Cohen.
"The Wreak Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" He wrote it of a real life tragedy, it's a haunting song you won't soon forget, it takes you through what happened...trust me you love it.
He's a master songwriter, singer, musician and storyteller. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and The Canadian Railroad Trilogy are prime examples as well.
He wrote the song "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" after reading about it in a magazine. He felt it wasn't getting the attention it deserved in the media. Lives lost and changed forever. At the time, they didn't know what caused the ship to sink so he speculated in his song. If you listen to Lightfoot, this song is a must in the playlist. 💞
Fun fact about If You Could Read My Mind? Enough of The Greatest Love of All (sung by Whitney Houston) was obviously inspired/lifted from it that the guy who wrote the melody apologized publicly. Listen to the verses leading up to "walking in anyone's shadow" and "I never thought I could feel this way". I didn't hear it until someone pointed it out, but I guess it's legit enough to stand up in court. ETA: This is a song you grow to appreciate more as you age. Try it again in a couple decades. 😂 But seriously? It's probably my personal favourite of his, so I hope you do. If you need a little drama, try Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. True story and a haunting song. For a little "he said _what_ now?" try For Loving Me. Other classic standards include Carefree Highway, Daylight Katy, Beautiful, Rainy Day People, The Circle is Small, Early Morning Rain, and Canadian Railroad Trilogy is a masterpiece of something, though it may depend on your mood. Side note? It was before my time, but GL had family in my hometown and I still run into people who will share stories of meeting him. One guy -- neighbour to GL's aunt, maybe? I think? -- received some impromptu guitar lessons as a kid, then grew up and found out he'd gotten a lesson from the great Gordon Lightfoot. Blew him away, lol.
Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran noted in a interview years ago that the chorus in their hit song Save A Prayer was heavily influenced by Lightfoot's singing style in If You Could Read My Mind
This song was written by Gordon about the breakup of his first marriage. It is a classic, and you can feel his pain. There is a truly magnificent documentary on Amazon Prime if you'd like to know more about him. He is considered one of Canada's greatest songwriters. Bob Dylan said he was one of the best songwriters ever
Thanks for sharing this info. I really Iike the documentaries about the artists, because it truly enriches the listening experience. It’s like people snerk when they think about taking art history, but once they learn, they see so much more than just a painting or sculpture, etc.
At the request of his children (who lived through the breakup), Lightfoot changed one of the lyrics: the line, "the feelings that you lacked", became "the feelings that we lacked". The kids felt that the original put all the blame on their mother, when the truth was it was much more mutual.
In 1993, my husband and I were vacationing in MN. We spent some time in Duluth and visited the Great Lakes museum. It has a large room dedicated to the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. As we walked around looking at the exhibition, Gordon Lightfoot’s song played continuously on a loop. I love his music.
Yes, Erin B.!!! As they were trying to describe the ups n downs of his beautiful voice, I was just whispering. It's called vibrato....it's a vibrato...lol🥰 And might I add, Mr. Lightfoot possesses one of the most beautiful of vibratos🥰...His songs just makes me so emotional and I just fall in love all at the same time, even though they are sometimes songs about heartache...🥰🥰🥰🎵🎶
I'm not sure they're talking about vibrato -- that is slight changes in pitch. I think they're referring more to the dynamic changes. I could be wrong. But the way he comes in quiet, gets a bit louder as the word or phrase goes on, and then brings it back quieter as the word ends. That's not vibrato, and to be honest, as a lifelong musician and music teacher, I'm not sure what you'd call that either -- it's not a standard thing, but it is unique to Lightfoot's style, with occasional others. And it's a great technique for storytelling and making singing seem conversational. The words "low" and "high," for musicians, refers to pitch. However, for those who don't study music, the terms are often used to refer to dynamics as well, and I think that's what they mean here.
@@roberttravis1399 Robert, as a singer in the 80’s, my voice coach had told me when I had asked her after finishing the song White Rabbit and making my voice “ almost vibrate as Grace Slick does in the original “ what that was called, she had told me vibrato. So I believed her since she was a voice coach with 20 plus years of instruction and taught at some great places. I just assumed she was correct. Sorry if that offended you and was incorrect in your field.
@@erinb.5103 No offense at all, nor, I think, are you incorrect in any field. Gordon Lightfoot certainly has vibrato in his voice as well. I was just pointing out that, I think, the part they were talking about was something different than that. He (Lightfoot) certainly sings with vibrato, but he also has a dynamic shift in his voice that I'm not sure of a word for. And it was my impression that they (i.e. Jordan and Amber) were referring more to that dynamic shift than his actual vibrato. I wasn't saying you were wrong about vibrato in his voice, but rather I was under the impression that there were two things going on, and I think they were referring to the other one -- not the constant effect that sounds like a vibration, but rather how he gradually comes into some notes at the beginning of a word or phrase and then comes back out (as in quiet to loud and vice versa) rather than the effect on a longer held note, going in an out repeatedly. I'm not sure if I'm expressing that clearly, but vibrato can happen within one note (as it does in White Rabbit and many others), whereas the effect I'm referring to is more within an entire word or phrase -- one time coming in and one time coming out -- and not repeatedly on one note or syllable. And of course, I'm not sure if I'm right about what they were referring to anyway. As is appropriate with the song title, I cannot read their minds, lol. But I'm not criticizing or questioning your definition of vibrato. I'm just questioning whether that is what they were referring to.
@@northof4912 Hehe, I wonder how many people (especially non-Canadians) will get the reference without Professor Google... I was eleven years old at the time and living in central Alberta when the ground shook that day.
One of the most beautiful songs every performed. This is a painfully exquisite performance by Gordon Lightfoot. It is like a classic jewel from him. There was a whole genre that existed in the 2nd half of the sixties before the hard rock stuff called "Folk music or Folk/Rock music. This is more in that style.
Gordon Lightfoot is one of the last of the great story-tellers of the 20th century. In another time and place Gordon would have been a traveling minstrel who would have entertained people in taverns in between stops at the courts of kings and aristocrats. I'm proud to say that his music is interwoven into the fabric of my life. Dive into the album GORD'S GOLD ....you won't be sorry. 😉
Watching the two of you, I can't help but think of (a lesser known song) Gordon Lightfoot's song "Beautiful". I had it played at my wedding, because it said everything I wanted to say that day. Please consider reacting to this 'beautiful' song. It may become your song!
You MUST react to Gordon’s song called “The Wreck of the Edmunds Fitzgerald”! Look for the video that has the words. He is a master with words…it is a TRUE story about a ship on the Great Lakes that traveled between Canada and the US. Be sure to have a box of tissues Amber!!! 😭❤️
One of the greatest songs ever written . Extremely compact and to the point . Full of knowledge of how lost you can feel about a romantic missed off ramp exit . Gentle . It paints pictures in your mind about regret . The guy has lived what he describes . And if he never cared , it wouldnt feel like this .
"Singer/Songwriter" genre has SO many amazing artists and songs. You guys could spend a solid YEAR covering these artists, and barely scratch the surface. Jim Croce (Crow-chee), James Taylor, Carole King, Harry Chapin, Jackson Browne, Jon Prine, Van Morrison....just to name a few.
I live just down the road from his hometown of Orillia, Ontario. I got to see him a few years ago at Casino Rama. Front f***ing row kids! The man never missed a beat! His most beautiful song, by far...is "BEAUTIFUL" It makes me cry every single time I hear it.
Sometimes we get caught up in what we think a beat needs to be to make our head bop. Some songs like this one are much more important as a poetic message that many people, as we age and experience life’s ups and downs, deeply relate to and ponder. The result can be a deep fondness for the emotion the song gives us.
Rest in peace, Gordon. 5/1/2023. Thank you for the amazing music and here's to an eternity of singing with the heavenly band on the 'Carefree Highway'. 😢
When this song was on the radio all the time, I was only 11 -- too young to grasp its meaning. Now, at 61, I find these lyrics absolutely heartbreaking. Imagine living with your spouse yet feeling like you're nothing more than a ghost to that person -- entirely invisible. How painful. Sad but brilliant lyrics.
![Megan Thee Stallion - Neva Play (feat. RM) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TpYTyAaTRts/mqdefault.jpg)
You've done "Sundown"", and "If You Could Read My Mind". You're now kind of obligated to do "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". You will NOT regret it. But save it for a day you want a kind of heavy song. It's based on a real shipwreck.
And "Time in a Bottle"
@@jimcalhoun361 That's Jim Croce though.
I don't know if they can deal with the sadness and heartbreak of THE WRECK OF THE EDMOND FITZGERALD. They are so upbeat that it may ruin their day. I have seen reactors break down in tears listening to it.
Jim Croce is a good suggestion many great tunes
@@orbahumphrey8329 A lot of us dealt with "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" as teenagers when it was released so I think they will be able to take it. Good songs are capable of breaking your heart and mending it back stronger than before. That mending is when the tears leak out.
Try his Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
I agree.
Absolutely! My favorite song from him
I remember the tragedy well. November 9f ‘75. So sad. And those search tapes are something to listen to.
Yesssssssssssssssss!!!!
I agree as well. if you listen to it, you can hear him for what he is. A Storyteller. That is what is voice is. He would make a great narrator.
Vibrato is what it's called with the voice.
Bob Dylan called Lightfoot his favorite composer...Dylan actually inducted Gordon in to the rock and roll hall of fame.
Awesome tidbit there. High praise coming from Dylan. Wonder if anyone has suggested Bob Dylan? I suggested Traveling Willbury's to them couple times.
I would consider his voice displaying tremolo, not vibrato, which is a sharp and return to normal in pitch. Tremolo is a slight change in volume in the note and returning to the original volume.
Look up vibrato...
@@guitarkis4969 and school is out. Been educated!
@@guitarkis4969 It was definitely his vibrato that she referred to as "shaky." In other words, it was his pitch changes, not volume changes, that got her attention.
You guys need to listen closely to the lyrics, because this is what songwriting is all about. The man in the song has gone through the beauty, joy, disappointment, and anger of a once fierce love that has died. Even his grief is now played out, and the calm but tragic surrender in his soul is palpable. A truly great work of art.
What we know now is that Gordon Lightfoot was a drunk and a philanderer. This song was written at the end of his first marriage. His wife was finally tired of his cheating ways, and threw him out. Consequently, the woman he was cheating with was one of his backup singers. In the song, he sings: "Enter number two..." referring to this new woman, who inspired him. However, she was also a drunk and a philanderer, so their pairing didn't last long. We found out years later, that this "backup singer" was the same woman who killed the actor, Chris Farley, by shooting him up with an overdose of drugs, and then left him facedown over a broken coffee table in a hotel room. These two were not good people.
Yes sir. What a great comment. So insightful. You nailed it. I had the pleasure of watching Gordon Lightfoot sing in concert, back in about 1968. It wasn't anything like seeing Three Dog Night, or Chicago, or Jefferson Airplane or The Beach Boys. It was more like hearing one of the greatest storytellers of all time come into your home and just talk to you... with his music.
What you know. @@laidoffjournalist
@@laidoffjournalist - the lady in question was Cathy Smith, and it was John Belushi she injected with heroin, causing his death. Lightfoot nearly died of an aneurysm in 2002. When he recovered, he completely reformed himself - quit drinking and smoking, quietly remarried, and reinvigorated his career. The description here has some truth to it but only to GL’s earlier years. The man who died earlier this year was a very different one from the dame guy in his earlier years.
One of my favorites..got to see him a few months before he passed.
Gordon Lightfoot wrote this song about the painful divorce from his wife. The emotions you hear in his voice are very real.
He left her for the woman he was cheating with.
@@andreawalbridge950 Ouch.
You guys love story songs. The ultimate story is Lightfoot's "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
Just listened to that the other day. Great song.
YES
My fave and my dad's. Bought him the album one year for his birthday. All present-opening stopped immediately so he could play that one song. ❤ That was almost 35 years ago. He and I still laugh about it. My hubby bought me a shirt from Great Lakes Brewing because they have a porter labeled as Edmund Fitzgerald.
Don Williams is another great songwriter.
Jim Croce also had that story telling voice. Time in a Bottle is mellow side. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown is my go to. What a legend and also lost in his prime.
Lightfoot is a great storyteller and this song is about his painful divorce! Bob Dylan is one of his biggest fans!
I did not know that this is what the song was about. Knowing that makes the song all the more heartbreaking.
Favorite story tellers:
John Prine - “Sam Stone”, “Hello in There”, “Souvenirs”, “Donald and Lydia”
Harry Chapin - “Cat’s in the Cradle”, “Taxi”, “Sequel”, “A Better Place to Be”
Jim Croce - “Time in a Bottle”, “Operator”, “Photographs and Memories”
(Story Teller Tuesday?)
@@kevinvanderwende6298 omg if they do John Prine I'd be so happy...i don't think he had a bad song.✌
@@kevinvanderwende6298 Agree with all 3, but gotta add; being from Chicagoland always love to hear appreciation for John Prine!!
@@kevinvanderwende6298 Oooooo, Cat's in the Cradle is a must.
It's very sad and very somber, about his failed marriage, and yet he still manages to make it sound like it's out of a magical fairy tale. One of the great singer, songwriters of the 70's.
Another amazing song from this genre is "Time in A Bottle" by Jim Croce. So beautiful.
@Mary Vallas, I was just thinking of "Time In a Bottle."
Jay and Amber, please react to "Time In a Bottle" by Jim Croce!!
I was going to mention Jim Croce, too. Time in a Bottle.
Time in a Bottle - YES!
I felt it then and to me it still hurts now.
I LOVE Jim Croce, and I agree that "Time In a Bottle" should be the first. It will guarantee that Amber will love him.
No autotune. No backing dancers. No excessive production values. Just a singer-songwriter using his voice, his words, and a simple arrangement to make you feel whatever he wants you to.
Absolutely. Us older folks grew up in the best era for music.
It's May 1, 2023 & every Canadian station is announcing the death of this beautiful man. Thank you Gordon for your beautiful words & music. You are a true Canadian treasure. Be at peace
And the "bell rang 30 times....."
If you do 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald', be aware that it's of a true shipwreck from the early 1970s. One of the women at our church in Ohio lost her son in the accident (I never knew her). It's a long song, and it's sad, but it's a beautiful tribute.
It was a local story and I remember as a child watching the coverage on the 6 o'clock news.
@@pauld6967 I think it was a huge story on the news for any Great Lakes city on either side of the border. It's the first big news event that I can remember seeing on TV.
@@heatherk1200 It became a big story again when they found the wreck.
My recollections go back a bit farther that this story but now you have me hard-pressed to sort out which is one of those was first. 🙂
This is inevitably the one they should do next. 100%.
@@muffinamy83 agree totally!!
His song The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a great story song! True story about a shipwreck on the Great Lakes!
I agree- would love to see a reaction to The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald. I was living on Lake Michigan when the tragedy happened and I remember the shock and sadness vividly. The song was a beautiful tribute to that event.
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald- one of the most haunting songs ever written
I do so agree although a sad song what a story it is written by him. The best storyteller
They should do Jim croche time in a bottle
When the ship, the Big Fitz set sale with the Arther Anderson on Lake Superior, the day started out as a beautiful, cloudless early to mid 70 degree temperature day. Under the command of Captain Earnest McSorley, he also was on the lake, as mentioned with Captain Bernie Jesse Cooper of the Arther Anderson. Both ships recieved a gale warning as two volatile air masses were on their way towards the lake, Lake Superior that reeked havoc on both ore freighters and as you know, only one ship lasted throughout the storm. Gordon Meridith Lightfoot was reading about the tragedy in either Time or Newsweek magazine and was asked to pen the words along with apply the approprate music to thell the story of this terrible catastrophe/tragedy. An accomplished sailor himself, Gordon Meridith Lightfoot knew exactly how and which way to capture the proper words and music in essence in order for each listener to be able to know and feel the tragedy and dangers involved while those guys were sailing on the Big Fitz. Gordon Meridith Lightfoot knew the very best way to capture the deep hurt, and pain that each family member had in his story of this tragic loss of all hands on board the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Picture it, America, February 1971 and playing on the radio "If You Could Read My Mind" by Gordon Lightfoot. Priceless...
I think this song is such perfection! It is poetic, romantic and heartbreaking at the same time. It was inspired by his divorce and the pain of that breakup. His beautiful voice and the violins that fill the empty musical space create an emotional, heartbreaking song. His reference to be a failing hero is so sad. Really listen to the song again and pay attention to the lyrics...poetic perfection.
I agree about the lyrics. It's been so long that I can't remember the story about the ghost from the wishing well. It references an old classic story or poem but I just can't remember the name. It has been retold over the years and was even the subject of one of the old Abbott and Costello movies.
I assumed it was about his experience with divorce. I'd heard it thousands of times and always liked the song but I never truly understood it, until one day I found myself living it...
I always say this is the saddest song in the world...
@@jonahprophet4483 totally this is the same as me! I always heard it and enjoyed it in my youth without even knowing the lyrics. Now while going through a divorce this year it hits me hard 😥
I’ve played it dozens of times through my divorce pain, it doesn’t soften the blow but supports my thoughts and emotions a great deal.
RIP Gordon . The most beautiful heartbreaking description of the end of a relationship 💔
Someone mentioned Jim Croce - Time in a Bottle. That's a good song, but if you're in the mood for something more up tempo, Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, You Don't Mess Around with Jim, Rapid Roy (the Stock Car Boy), Workin' at the Car Wash Blues, One Less Set of Footsteps, Roller Derby Queen......so many great songs by Jim Croce. Another artist who left us much too soon.
"He got a tattoo on his arm that say baby, he got another one that just say 'hey' " . I threatened to do that several times in my life, still might.
YES PLEASE - STILL LOVE JIM!! TIME IN A BOTTLE WAS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE!! ❤ If I had a dollar for everytime I've listened to it since it came out...WOW, what a vacation I could take!!
He loves "story" songs and instrumentation...so definitely needs Croce and another of my faves Steve Goodman.
@@ChicagoDB or Harry Chapin!
@@rickwelch8464 my favorite line in that song
Canadian Icon. Gotta go way back into his library with "Early Morning Rain"
One of my favorites.
I absolutely love EARLY MORNING RAIN!! You should check out Ray LaMontagne's song JOLENE......very similar storylines.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitgerald is a must listen.
That was the first song by him that I heard on the radio when I was a little kid
Especially with the Lyrics.
Wow She WENT DOWN WITH HANDS ON DECK BLESS YOU STAY WELL AND HEALTHY
This song is lyrically genius, speaking of lost, fading love…which many of us have experienced! Friggin’ tremendous!
The lyrics give me goosebumps every time. It's so haunting.
I don't think I have ever heard this song without crying.. Just touches the heart
Well said and especially one that you lost and can't get it back. Right?
One of the most heartbreaking falling-out-of-love songs ever. That line, "if you read between the lines, you'll know that I'm just trying to understand the feelings that you lack...I don't know where we went wrong, but the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back."
Just damn.
He wrote "The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald" not long after the tragedy and donated all proceeds from the record sales to the families of the crew.
Thanks for acknowledging a great Canadian. He is 82 and still singing at Toronto Massey Hall. Beautiful story teller.
He was born in Orillia Ontario and played the Mariposa Folk Festival or attended every year
Jeez, tell him he can go home, no one can go there right now! Lol
@@loadedorygun especially while under construction lol. Maybe he will be first to sing when they finally open. Haha
Singing about the end of his marriage. There were a lot of metaphors, but you can figure it out just from a couple of the more direct lines. Its pretty sad and beautiful at the same time.
You nailed it, Jeff. Gut-wrenchingly nailed it for any of us who have been there.
Just finished his biography and watched a documentary on him. One of my favourite all-time singer songwriters.
Absolutely love Gordon!!!
Oh, Gordon Lightfoot! As a Canadian, I am extremely proud of this man. He is a real national treasure up here. He's someone I've listened to my whole life since my parents played his records my whole life. This song always gives me the shivers and brings tears to my eyes. :)
I'd recommend any of his songs, but as Matthew Teague suggested, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald is a must. As he said, it's based on an actual event, a real shipwreck in one of the Great Lakes. As he also said, it's for a day when you're prepared to have some emotion.
He truly is a an amazing singer and performer. He has a wonderful way of taking you into and through the story. I still tear up when I here this song, i can’t help but let it transport me to a time and place decades ago.
@@True-crime-junkie same here. I never tire of his version - the original and best.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you, Canada 🇨🇦
For giving this Los Angeles boy a poignant, masterfully-written gem of a timeless classic.
I heard it first as a 13 yr old Brit on holiday in some useless seaside hotel in Great Yarmouth, UK, waayyyy back when it was no.1 (or 2?) here. 50-odd years later I've ever recovered and never forgotten how GL introduced me to music and rich, deep emotions. Bless him.
The lyrics are gut-wrenching. What a voice! Gordon is a national treasure of Canada.
He Was. I was sad to hear he passed May 1, 2023. We have lost our trio of Gordons... Gordon Downey (Tragically Hip), Gordon Pincent, and now Gordon Lightfoot.
"The lyrics are gut-wrenching."
It was a deeply personal song for him. It was inspired by the breakup of his first marriage.
Agree Lawrence. this record touches my soul like no other
One of the great singer-songwriters lamenting the break-up of one of his marriages.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a story he's telling. I think it's his best song.
I've been to that museum on Lake Superior.
Gordon Lightfoot agrees with you. He's said it in multiple interviews. Best song he's ever written.
Yes. That song. Summertime dream is good too.
That one just hurts my heart every time I hear it
Interesting song, but disagree
Man! Just realized has anyone suggested Carole King? "I Feel the Earth Move" or "It's too Late" would be good introduction tracks for Jay and Amber
"Tapestry" is one of those masterpiece albums that basically is the music of my young adulthood. "So Far Away," "Home Again," "Beautiful" - all of them are just songs that you can sing over and over again and never get tired of them.
Yes I did a while ago. Anything from her Tapestry album is fantastic!
Always loved when her and James Taylor worked together. Good Chemistry there.
I've suggested her a couple of times. Hoping she is on their list.
I have...SEVERAL TIMES 🤷♀️
He is telling a story that means everything to his heart. The stress is not delivered by drums, electric guitars, but just by his pauses and the sharp violin.
Amber, his voice was trembling. But, I think you may have looking for word "vibrato," which is a technique singers use to add texture and to help them stay on the right note.
Gordon Lightfoot is still touring. My younger sister and her boyfriend just discovered him about two years ago and said he gave one of the best concerts they'd ever seen.
It is a break up song and a love song. We can break with the ones we love and it can create this....a song of true love and remorse. Absolutely brilliant. I still love the ones who broke up with me and I broke up with. "Let's be real". Turn the page and live is what this song is about. He doesn't want to be chained in a castle deep nor does he want her to suffer. He loves her. Real emotion and reality we have all gone through....If we were a caring person.
@@thecosmicsnail This song is about his divorce.
@@barriekelley2241 What I said. A breakup song.
@@thecosmicsnail here's the club/dance cover version, which was kind of mind blowing for someone who knew the original ;-) ruclips.net/video/97ZbiemJ1KU/видео.html
He sings of how he lost his woman (Wife?) to another. Another song of this type was Jim Croce's "Operator" and George Strait's "You Look So Good in Love." In these songs you should glean that real men have hearts as fragile as anyone's although we hide it.
How anyone could listen to this song and not be blown away by his amazing voice, beautiful guitar and great lyrics is beyond me.
Crying ❤
A great song about a man being vulnerable that you will really like is Operator by Jim Croce.
Also Time in a Bottle
We need more Jim Croce reactions.
Lightfoot and Jim Croce…two stellar examples of story telling composers singers who’s singing style along with a superb backing guitarist made music so unique and intimate. They both rank as my fav folk pop singers.
Love Gordon Lightfoot. I would recommend "Rainy Day People" and "Carefree Highway"
Great suggestions. I love both of those. I'd pick Carefree Highway first.
Sofly and Affair on 8th Street are adult songs without being vulgar like modern Pimphop music.
This cat was a master of lyricism and melody. Every syllable flows to the next. Poetry in song.
Lightfoot was a favorite songwriter of Bob Dylan. A Canadian superstar. The imagery conjured up by his lyrics is phenomenal. Gordon passed May 1st, 2023. Gone but never forgotten.
This ballad is one of his most soulful and sad songs. Whenever I hear it I just want to cry…it’s very sad how he has lost everything. The love is gone and how he feels that he is nothing…just a ghost in a wishing well. He wanted to be the hero but she didn’t see him that way. Another great song from a great Canadian…Blessings 😘❤️✝️🇨🇦
This song is how I feel right now… it relates to what is going on in my life right not.. as much as I Love her , I have to leave her …
"Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is probably his biggest hit song.
Yes I love that song too
Yes this is the one
Canadians, so desperate for attention , always good for a little laugh ;)
S
And he donated 100% of that song profit to charity
Edmond Fitzgerald is a cargo ship that sank oct 10, 1975. There were no survivers. Sank in Canada territory. The song is quite accurate.
Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald is a must hear! It's a true story.
Oh yes Gordon Lightfoot one of my favorite Folk artists. Jim Croce "Time in a bottle" good for a next reaction video.
Yeah.
Gordon Lightfoot is now 83, and is doing three nights of shows this week to celebrate the re-opening of Massey Hall here in Toronto, which has been closed for many years due to renovations. I can almost guarantee this song will be on his set list.
One of the most perfect tunes ever written. Perfect orchestration and arrangement, perfect 12 and 6 string guitars, subtle bass line, beautiful lyrics and sentiment of a relationship ending. Bob Dylan said Gordon didn't know how to write a bad tune. Gord was THE inspiration for tons of singer/songwriters from Billy Joel to Jimmy Buffett and many more. Gord deserves a deep dive for you two.
I like his Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Ditto!
One of my favorite songs. Remember when it first came out.
Sundown: "some times I think it's a shame when I get feeling better when I'm feeling no pain" one of the most iconic lines I've ever heard.
The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is based on a true story RIP to the 29 souls lost 🙏✌️♥️
I love thatine.
They did Sundown 2 months ago.
Sundown, you better take care, if find you creeping around my back stairs
@@ChicagoDB Yeah I know but he said he couldn't remember it really when the line I mentioned jumped out on me the first time I heard it is All
Gordon Lightfoot is one of Canada's greatest treasures. I'm guessing most people will suggest you listen to, "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald," next - it's one of his most well known epic story-songs about an actual tragedy. That's definitely a great song to react to at some point, but may I suggest trying a faster song next, "The Circle Is Small."
when he was called Canada's greatest treasure by a reporter, he quipped, it was because of all the tax he paid
I love "The Circle is Small" too. One of his ultimate best!
Edmond Fitzgerald is a must. He has mastered the vibrato notes (shaking sounds)
Love Gordon Lightfoot
“Canadian Railroad Trilogy” is a great song. Gordon was commission by the Canadian Government to produce a song for the Canadian centennial celebration. He wrote the song about construction of the trans-continental railway through Canada, but the point of the song was about the mistreatment of the thousands of immigrants that worked on the railway, often resulting in their death. Beyond the underlying message the way his voice at times in the song mimics the sound of a train rolling down the rails is great. It is worth checking out..
I especially love the Trilogy, much as I love everything by Gordy.
Don’t be afraid to listen to Gordon Lightfoot! He’s a Canadian icon. He’s now 83 years old and he will actually open this year at the newly renovated Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario. He has had many live concerts there.
This song is in my top 5 of all time. Back in 1992 i had a major crush on a girl. I worked up the nerve to ask her out. She said in a loud clear voice " What the hell made you think I would go out with you" I wept for days. The lines in the song that gets me all the time and causes the water works is, " You know that ghost is me. And I will never be set free as long i'm a ghost you can't see". I was a ghost to her. Nothing to see. Yep, all teary eyed. lol
That’s a pretty sad story that I can relate to. I learned to read womens’ faces and recognized the “ don’t even think about hitting on me” look, and the “you’re almost good enough, but not quite” look ; which saved me from a lot hurt in my younger days.
Brave of you to take the chance !!!!! Shows your strength and her loss 😁😁😁😁😁
@@beverlydickerson7141 Thanks!! For all I know she married her soulmate. I hope she did. She was a good kid. Just wasn't in to me. She was rude to me but she was only 22 and she was known to be a bit of a tough Jersey girl. lol. Just for clarification I was 23 at the time. a big dork. lol
Give Gordon's "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" a must!
Yes. I think of Gordo as the adult in the room when it comes to ballads. Affair on 8th Street, Softly, and many more. Canadian Railroad Trilogy is one of the classics.
Agreed!
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a must hear song such a great true story, Gordon Lightfoot is a master.
One of Canada's best storytellers. A fabulous songwriter, and an amazing voice.
Gordon is among the premiere singer songwriters...I saw him live three times...This is one of his best..You are being treated to pure talent...Pure Gold.......Bravo Gordon...Bravo..
His voice is like rich, smoky wood. It’s a baritone that has so much expressiveness to it, like he was a tenor.
The best description I ever heard of his voice!😁
I was thinking warm, smooth gravy but rich smoky wood is a lot better. I love doing his songs on karaoke since I apparently have a very similar singing voice to Gordon. He's awesome.
I guess I would call his style crooning singing.
As others have mentioned -- "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a Gordon Lightfoot must. That said, my personal favorite song of his was never a huge hit like the ones you've been doing. I may be just tilting at windmills, but I recommend you react to "Don Quixote."
Now that's funny.
Don Quixote may be my personal favorite Lightfoot song too. The guitar work in it is amazing. Sad to me that it doesn't get the recognition that some of his hits do.
I always sort of considered him a
modern bard. He does these amazing epic journeys through song; just like the Bards of old.
Story teller♡ i can always place myself right in his lyrics and im kind if shocked that she wasnt that into it.
Always a masterpiece. RIP Mr. Lightfoot.
The arrangement of this song -what the different instruments do and when- is masterful. The bass guitar coming in when it does really adds some subtle momentum to the song at the perfect spot. And the way the strings get bigger and higher in pitch as the song progresses adds emotional energy to it. To me it’s one of the best arrangements ever for a pop song.
Gordon Lighfoot's voice is epic. Other artists I think you will like are Jim Croce (Time in a Bottle; I've Got a Name; Operator), James Taylor (Fire and Rain), and Bread (Everything I Own). You can't go wrong with any song by Bread. Really enjoying your channel!❤
Also "If" by Bread
@@joiedevivre2005 Absolutely! The song "If" is a must. My other favorites are "Make it With You," "Diary," and "Baby I'm - a Want You." I love the entire Best of Bread album, really. 😄
@@dv3507 - "If" and "Aubrey" are my faves...but every song on that album is superb!
Dang! Awesome to see some Bread fans. "Guitar Man" pretty sweet tune!
@@greybeard2280 Bread is like Abba and the Carpenters, it isn't considered hip to listen to them, but you've got their Greatest Hits albums stashed away and somehow they always make there way to your turntable.
easy listening - He is good chilled/relaxing singer - Harry Chapin is another good story teller singer too
Ooh yes! Harry Chapin. Now I have to go listen to some of his stuff!
@Maya Nightwolf John Denver. What great music. I saw him in concert in Lake Charles, Louisiana during his “Sunshine on My Shoulder” tour. Back when venues were small and you could see the musicians’ faces clearly without a big screen.
I know you do you songs a day in advance. So for Female Friday I have a couple bangers to suggest a little ahead of time. You need to do Melissa Etheridge- I'm the only one (powerful like Joan Jett) and also do Jewel- Who will save your soul (she hits insane high notes) or Foolish Games (piano and vocals to die for)
Those are awesome songs. Also add in Dawn Penn - No no no - Official Video
I've been requesting Pretenders for weeks. Since Chrissy Hynde turns 70 next week, I think the time is right. Also Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, and Within Temptation.
Please react to Rumer, any if her songs are great. She has such a beautiful voice. Reminds me of Karen Carpenter.❤
I was about Six when this song was a big radio hit in Montreal, and I am still moved by the haunting imagery, matched by Gord's haunting voice and the gorgeous melody.
To us Canadians, Lightfoot is more than a popular entertainer; he is a national treasure, on the same level as Leonard Cohen.
Gordon Lightfoot has great stories embodied in his music. His music is unique and legendary in the western world.
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, his best. He is a Canadian LEGEND !!
"The Wreak Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" He wrote it of a real life tragedy, it's a haunting song you won't soon forget, it takes you through what happened...trust me you love it.
He's a master songwriter, singer, musician and storyteller. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and The Canadian Railroad Trilogy are prime examples as well.
He wrote the song "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" after reading about it in a magazine. He felt it wasn't getting the attention it deserved in the media. Lives lost and changed forever. At the time, they didn't know what caused the ship to sink so he speculated in his song. If you listen to Lightfoot, this song is a must in the playlist. 💞
Fun fact about If You Could Read My Mind? Enough of The Greatest Love of All (sung by Whitney Houston) was obviously inspired/lifted from it that the guy who wrote the melody apologized publicly. Listen to the verses leading up to "walking in anyone's shadow" and "I never thought I could feel this way". I didn't hear it until someone pointed it out, but I guess it's legit enough to stand up in court.
ETA: This is a song you grow to appreciate more as you age. Try it again in a couple decades. 😂 But seriously? It's probably my personal favourite of his, so I hope you do. If you need a little drama, try Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. True story and a haunting song. For a little "he said _what_ now?" try For Loving Me. Other classic standards include Carefree Highway, Daylight Katy, Beautiful, Rainy Day People, The Circle is Small, Early Morning Rain, and Canadian Railroad Trilogy is a masterpiece of something, though it may depend on your mood.
Side note? It was before my time, but GL had family in my hometown and I still run into people who will share stories of meeting him. One guy -- neighbour to GL's aunt, maybe? I think? -- received some impromptu guitar lessons as a kid, then grew up and found out he'd gotten a lesson from the great Gordon Lightfoot. Blew him away, lol.
Simon Le Bon of Duran Duran noted in a interview years ago that the chorus in their hit song Save A Prayer was heavily influenced by Lightfoot's singing style in If You Could Read My Mind
This song was written by Gordon about the breakup of his first marriage. It is a classic, and you can feel his pain. There is a truly magnificent documentary on Amazon Prime if you'd like to know more about him. He is considered one of Canada's greatest songwriters. Bob Dylan said he was one of the best songwriters ever
Thanks for sharing this info. I really Iike the documentaries about the artists, because it truly enriches the listening experience. It’s like people snerk when they think about taking art history, but once they learn, they see so much more than just a painting or sculpture, etc.
At the request of his children (who lived through the breakup), Lightfoot changed one of the lyrics: the line, "the feelings that you lacked", became "the feelings that we lacked". The kids felt that the original put all the blame on their mother, when the truth was it was much more mutual.
the words to this song are sublime
This song is raw emotion. Who hasn't felt like a ghost in a relationship?
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a true story and a MUST listen.
Love You Two!
Vibrato is the word you’re looking for. Truly beautiful voice
In 1993, my husband and I were vacationing in MN. We spent some time in Duluth and visited the Great Lakes museum. It has a large room dedicated to the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. As we walked around looking at the exhibition, Gordon Lightfoot’s song played continuously on a loop. I love his music.
When a singer makes their voice go up and down I believe it’s called vibrato.
Yes, Erin B.!!! As they were trying to describe the ups n downs of his beautiful voice, I was just whispering. It's called vibrato....it's a vibrato...lol🥰 And might I add, Mr. Lightfoot possesses one of the most beautiful of vibratos🥰...His songs just makes me so emotional and I just fall in love all at the same time, even though they are sometimes songs about heartache...🥰🥰🥰🎵🎶
I'm not sure they're talking about vibrato -- that is slight changes in pitch. I think they're referring more to the dynamic changes. I could be wrong. But the way he comes in quiet, gets a bit louder as the word or phrase goes on, and then brings it back quieter as the word ends. That's not vibrato, and to be honest, as a lifelong musician and music teacher, I'm not sure what you'd call that either -- it's not a standard thing, but it is unique to Lightfoot's style, with occasional others.
And it's a great technique for storytelling and making singing seem conversational.
The words "low" and "high," for musicians, refers to pitch. However, for those who don't study music, the terms are often used to refer to dynamics as well, and I think that's what they mean here.
I dont really consider it a vibrato. Its more like a trembling of emotion.
@@roberttravis1399 Robert, as a singer in the 80’s, my voice coach had told me when I had asked her after finishing the song White Rabbit and making my voice “ almost vibrate as Grace Slick does in the original “ what that was called, she had told me vibrato. So I believed her since she was a voice coach with 20 plus years of instruction and taught at some great places. I just assumed she was correct. Sorry if that offended you and was incorrect in your field.
@@erinb.5103 No offense at all, nor, I think, are you incorrect in any field. Gordon Lightfoot certainly has vibrato in his voice as well. I was just pointing out that, I think, the part they were talking about was something different than that. He (Lightfoot) certainly sings with vibrato, but he also has a dynamic shift in his voice that I'm not sure of a word for. And it was my impression that they (i.e. Jordan and Amber) were referring more to that dynamic shift than his actual vibrato.
I wasn't saying you were wrong about vibrato in his voice, but rather I was under the impression that there were two things going on, and I think they were referring to the other one -- not the constant effect that sounds like a vibration, but rather how he gradually comes into some notes at the beginning of a word or phrase and then comes back out (as in quiet to loud and vice versa) rather than the effect on a longer held note, going in an out repeatedly. I'm not sure if I'm expressing that clearly, but vibrato can happen within one note (as it does in White Rabbit and many others), whereas the effect I'm referring to is more within an entire word or phrase -- one time coming in and one time coming out -- and not repeatedly on one note or syllable.
And of course, I'm not sure if I'm right about what they were referring to anyway. As is appropriate with the song title, I cannot read their minds, lol.
But I'm not criticizing or questioning your definition of vibrato. I'm just questioning whether that is what they were referring to.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a must listen. So many great songs. He's a true Canadian legend.
Agreed. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a beautiful song.
Paul Henderson is a true Canadian legend!
I like the group "bare naked ladies" from Canada there are pretty big popular band and have been around for 20 years or more I guess
@@northof4912 Hehe, I wonder how many people (especially non-Canadians) will get the reference without Professor Google... I was eleven years old at the time and living in central Alberta when the ground shook that day.
Yup that is a great song. I loved Sundown as well.
"Carefree Highway" is another hit by Lightfoot. This song, "If You Could Read My Mind" ... is just so perfect. What would you change? Nothing.
Heart wrenching. One of the most beautiful songs ever.
Song was covered by Johnny Cash, Barbra Streisand, Andy Williams and others.
One of the most beautiful songs every performed. This is a painfully exquisite performance by Gordon Lightfoot. It is like a classic jewel from him. There was a whole genre that existed in the 2nd half of the sixties before the hard rock stuff called "Folk music or Folk/Rock music. This is more in that style.
"Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald" is another awesome song from Gordon.
It's a deeply personal song from his real life. Really quite amazing.
Gordon Lightfoot is one of the last of the great story-tellers of the 20th century. In another time and place Gordon would have been a traveling minstrel who would have entertained people in taverns in between stops at the courts of kings and aristocrats. I'm proud to say that his music is interwoven into the fabric of my life. Dive into the album GORD'S GOLD ....you won't be sorry. 😉
One of the most painful yet beautiful songs. Mr. Lightfoot is one of Canada's national treasures.
Watching the two of you, I can't help but think of (a lesser known song) Gordon Lightfoot's song "Beautiful". I had it played at my wedding, because it said everything I wanted to say that day. Please consider reacting to this 'beautiful' song. It may become your song!
This is a conversational song, so it wouldn't be a fast paced song. The melody and orchestra are beautiful.
Why is this a controversial song I actually have no idea and I absolutely love this song I always have
@@LA-fz5qw Better re-read that comment again.
@@thorfinsky1427 Thank you reading stuff on my phone you know the eyes are old lol
Wreck Of The Edmond Fitzgerald is one of his great songs. True story.
You MUST react to Gordon’s song called “The Wreck of the Edmunds Fitzgerald”! Look for the video that has the words. He is a master with words…it is a TRUE story about a ship on the Great Lakes that traveled between Canada and the US. Be sure to have a box of tissues Amber!!! 😭❤️
One of the greatest songs ever written . Extremely compact and to the point . Full of knowledge of how lost you can feel about a romantic missed off ramp exit . Gentle . It paints pictures in your mind about regret . The guy has lived what he describes . And if he never cared , it wouldnt feel like this .
"Singer/Songwriter" genre has SO many amazing artists and songs. You guys could spend a solid YEAR covering these artists, and barely scratch the surface. Jim Croce (Crow-chee), James Taylor, Carole King, Harry Chapin, Jackson Browne, Jon Prine, Van Morrison....just to name a few.
"Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald".........is THE Gordon Lightfoot song. The very emotional and real tale of a tragic shipwreck.
Everyone should listen to the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a true story in a beautiful song one of my all time favourites
Gordon is one my all-time favorite artist. He's a real troubadour. Gordon's Gold is full of fabulous storytelling and melodies.
So,so many songs, Gordon Lightfoot has a treasure trove of beautiful melodies and words.
I live just down the road from his hometown of Orillia, Ontario. I got to see him a few years ago at Casino Rama. Front f***ing row kids! The man never missed a beat!
His most beautiful song, by far...is "BEAUTIFUL" It makes me cry every single time I hear it.
Sometimes we get caught up in what we think a beat needs to be to make our head bop. Some songs like this one are much more important as a poetic message that many people, as we age and experience life’s ups and downs, deeply relate to and ponder. The result can be a deep fondness for the emotion the song gives us.
Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian icon. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is based on a true story .
Also would love to see you do U2, The Cars, Depeche Mode, INXS and Bush. So many hits and you haven't touched these epic bands yet.
+1000!!!
Michael Hutchence and had one of the smoothest sexiest Rock voices.
His song writing ability is top notch and his guitar playing and singing right along with it....
Rest in peace, Gordon. 5/1/2023. Thank you for the amazing music and here's to an eternity of singing with the heavenly band on the 'Carefree Highway'. 😢
When this song was on the radio all the time, I was only 11 -- too young to grasp its meaning. Now, at 61, I find these lyrics absolutely heartbreaking. Imagine living with your spouse yet feeling like you're nothing more than a ghost to that person -- entirely invisible. How painful. Sad but brilliant lyrics.
Oh you will love the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald! It's classic Gordon Lightfoot!
Gordon is a fantastic songwriter and singer, any of his songs is a keeper.
The strings arrangement in this song is perfection. Arrangement by Nick DeCaro.
Gordon Lightfoot is an amazing singer/songwriter... Love him to death. Never another like him, ever..