My father was Gords manager for 25 years and I will say that even though I’ve seen him play live front row and centre 20 plus times mostly at Massey hall in Toronto he always delivered the goods live. A true perfectionist. A man who treated us kids nicely even during halftime intermissions. I’m only 40 but must say his music forever will hold a place in my heart. When my father passed Gord sang at his funeral. An original piece he wrote for my old man. The world truly lost one of the greatest song writers and storytellers in modern music
What great memories for you to have. Sadly I missed out - he was going to play here in Victoria and I had the ticket many months in advance. Unfortunately the date of the concert was October 2020 and so due to Covid it was cancelled so I missed out. Now I won't get the chance, but fortunately there are all the wonderful recordings to go back and listen to. A number of artists from when I was younger (Christine McVie, Olivia Newton-John) have passed away recently which was sad, but this - this hits hard. Maybe that's because being from Canada his music was just...there for so much of my life. Or maybe it is because anyone who could turn a more than six minute long song about a historical event into a hit that somehow resonates with people is exceptionally special. Probably it is both.
Hey Rick, I’m a musician and also play an acoustic show and as a singer, and each time I play this song IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND I get so choked up with his lyrics that sometimes I have a difficult time getting through the song. The other song that gets me too is Carefree Highway. And I love performing it and people always come up and thank me for playing Gordon Lightfoot songs.
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald has probably the greatest line ever written, IMO. "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours". That gets me every time I hear it. Thank you Rick for this awesome tribute to one of the greatest songwriters ever
I agree. But the lyrics of the song “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” has incredibly emotion rendering, dramatic impact from start to finish. Greatest song ever written.
I had to stop listening to his music after my divorce. I learned he died in a text message from my estranged daughter, who I hadn't heard from in 11 years. She said she heard he died and she broke down crying. She remembered me singing his songs when she went to work with me. We are due to meet up to get reacquainted this Summer.
I learnt to play If You Could Read My Mind when I was 18. I'm 67 now and recently played it live for my wife. I could remember all the words and chord changes even though I hadn't played the song in nearly 40 years. That's the mark of a great song for me; a song that becomes imprinted on your memory that you couldn't forget if you tried. I had to play the song in G rather than A because I didn't have a capo handy and didn't fancy tackling the barre chords. Folk singers will be discovering Gordon's songs a century from now. His music will become part of the standard folk repertoire
I'm a music teacher in Canada. Monday May 1st was Music Monday in Canada, where hundreds of thousands of students and educators across the country celebrate the importance of music education in our schools. It's somehow fitting that he left us on this day. His impact on music in our country, and apparently the world, will live on starting on this day! I love that you are such a fan. This was a nice tribute Rick. Thank you!
I coined the phrase Music Monday for my facebook posts, and I'm from Toronto. Just sayin'... Canada is just a little bit of heaven, especially the Mariposa Folk Festival on the Toronto Islands.
I am 73 , Canadian, and been sad all day. Spent the morning playing, singing and listening to Gord. A Canadian national treasure. Thank God we have his music to remember him.
For me, what makes Lightfoot so wonderful is that every song is a rich, detailed story that you can visualize in your mind's eye. An incredible man. Skills that not only play musical instruments, but also play our emotions.
50 years ago (1974) anchored in Silver Bay, my shipmates and I on the Cleveland Cliffs S.S. Cadillac waited for the Edmond Fitzgerald to finish fully loading before we could dock and pick up 16,500 tons of iron ore (taconite) to haul to the mills in Cleveland. The next year (11/10/1975) the Fitzgerald... While I have emotional resilience, some things, like Gordon Lightfoot's ballad and the memory my fellow sailors, still bring a tear to my eye. The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times.
Last concert I took my Mom to before she died at 60 of Alzheimer’s. Amazingly she was singing along remembering the words even though she could barely talk. Never forget it. RIP Gordon.
My mum passed to of Alzheimer’s/ dementia.. music has apparently always been a trigger for the those suffer with it.. music carries us all away in some way ❤️
I was 20 years old (1973 or 1974) and he played a concert at Emory University in Atlanta. It was just him and a sound guy. No retinue. No stage or risers. He sat on a chair in the middle of the gym floor and about 250 of us sat on the floor all around him. He played for 3 hours or so. Just him and his guitar. It was amazing.
I met Gordo exactly 10 years ago to today (5/2/13). He is such a class act, he signed my copy of "If you Could Read My Mind" LP that I gave to my Dad who was also there to meet him. My wife was pregnant and Mr Lightfoot rubbed her belly. We tell our son that he was blessed by Gordon Lightfoot. He was the nicest guy I've ever met! RIP Gordo!
Yeah he was as nice in person as you could imagine. I wrote him note once to add a particular song to his setlist and did. Blew me away. Talked to him after the show. He will be missed by all.
I'm from Brazil, City of Curitiba, State of Paraná, and the day he passed away, without even knowing that he had passed away, I was listening to his songs. I'm very sad! I really like his songs, and some are special, like: Daylight Katy, If You Could Ready Mind, That's Whats You Get for loving me, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgeral, Sundown .... and many others that are wonderful! A great singer and a music giant!😢😢
Great tribute Rick. I heard they rang the bell at the Maritime Sailors Cathedral 30 times after his passing - 29 for the men of the Edmund Fitzgerald and one additional for Gordon.
Thank you Rick for the great tribute! Love Wreck Of The Edmond Fitzgerald, with the seafaring vibe and mostly because it chronologically tells the story of that disaster so artistically and reverently. The families of the sailors loved the song and how it paid tribute to their men.
Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce, and Harry Chapin three of the greatest story tellers and musicians. To people who love music Gordon's death is such a huge loss.
“Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours…” That lyric always rips my heart out of my chest and throws it into Lake Superior. Another perfect story telling song.
One summer, between my Junior & Senior year I was driving a cab in NYC to make money for school, but I parked the car when I saw that Gordon Lightfoot was playing at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village. As usual he was phenomenal, a poet, a consummate performer and after it was over I got to my cab. I drove down McDougal and was hailed by Mr. Lightfoot and his girlfriend/wife? I drove them to the upper west side. We talked about his music. He was such a nice, down to earth guy, great tipper too. His music WAS perfect. RIP
Every time I listen to a Lightfoot song, I am struck that there are NO wasted words in his lyrics. Every word matters, every word has a meaning. Great writer, obviously, but maybe an even greater editor of his own words.
My grandpa was a huge fan of Gordon Lightfoot, I grew up hearing his music. The Railroad Trilogy was one of his favourites because he was a rail man for CN. Canada lost a treasure when we lost Gordon Lightfoot. I could listen to him all day long, so many memories attached to his music. Thank you for this tribute to him.
Think about the fact that Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Croce, and numerous other greats were all filling the 70’s airwaves with the classic tunes. I was born in 1972, but I remember hearing all of these phenomenal tunes due to my parents and older brothers. Man those were beyond great times.
The great soft rock/folk greats from the 70's cannot be rated too highly. Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce, John Denver... musicians like that are true legends. Gordon Lightfoot's recordings have something that The Beatles have- everything is just perfect, you couldn't pull a note or a syllable out of place. Just so perfect.
The way Edmund Fitzgerald builds intensity from one verse to the next is like a blockbuster hollywood film. Epic storytelling like no other songwriter of our time.
Fantastic! Being from Michigan, we have “lived” with Gordon Lightfoot and The Edmund Fitzgerald in our hearts always and forever. Yes, what a great song writer and performer. Thank you for popping up in my feed today. Enjoy our blessings each and every day.
Gordon Lightfoot was one of those rare musicians who everyone seems to love, no matter what genre they're into. I come from a more "hard rock" background, but Gordon's music always had a way of digging its way into my heart. When I heard someone playing "Sundown" as a tribute to him, tears came to my eyes. 😢
Rick, so many of us in Canada greatly appreciate your musical contribution and beautiful commentary. Gordon Lightfoot was a musical poet and one of a kind.
This morning The Mariner's Church in Detroit rang its bell 30 times -- 29 times for the Sailors on The Edmund Fitzgerald and once for Gordon Lightfoot. Hearing that made me cry the way I really needed to. THANK YOU for this Rick!
Growing up in Canada during the '60s it was impossible not to be captivated by Gordon's records. They were all so perfect. God bless you, Gordon Lightfoot, for sharing your thoughts and talent with the world.
I thought I was the only one who listened to Gordon a million times. Been 53 years of listening my kids grew up on Gordon. Saw him in 96. God bless his soul!
Today was the first time I watched the show on Goron Lightfoot. He was and is one of my favorite Artists, whom I think still doesn't get the proper attention and credit he deserves as an Artist. Thank you so much for showing the love and respect for hie imagination and creativity. So thank you so much for keeping Goeon Lightfoot, alive in this day of lacking for great music. Again THANK You!!!
My favorite Gordon Lightfoot song is Canadian Railroad Trilogy. To me, it encapsulates his musical genius, as well as his phenomenal storytelling. The fact that he wrote it in basically three days when he was commissioned to create a song to commemorate a 100 anniversary celebration that CBC TV was producing is amazing.
I agree. He was an extraordinarily gifted songwriter. I heard they are adding an additional ringing of the bell recovered from the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald during the memorial service in Grand Marais, MI in November, starting this year. They rang it 30 times on the day he passed away, 29 for the crew plus one, for Gordon Lightfoot. God hold and keep you, Mr. Lightfoot. Your music will live forever. ❤❤🥰😇
OMGoodness. Gordon would have been so pleased, and yet…I think he would have said no, don’t. He was so honorable and unassuming. I miss you already, Gordon Lightfoot.
How could this song be so good without auto tune , fowl language, and programmed drumbeats? Easy, it’s called total musicianship and talent. He will be missed.
Gordon Lightfoot will forever be a Canadian National Treasure. Thank you so much for this beautiful tribute to him. Much love and light to you and yours always from the beautiful east coast of Canada! ♥️🕊🇨🇦🕊♥️
I saw Gordon Lightfoot, when I was in college at Illinois State University’s auditorium. I was totally blown away with his talent & his performance. He was so relatable to the audience, too. It was so quiet while he was singing. “If You Could Read Your Mind” got a standing ovation! Chills & tears come my mind. We lost a GREAT & GIFT talent when Gordon passed. Loved “Sun Down”, also. There are hardly any songs that Gordon wrote/sang that I didn’t live or live. I don’t know, if anyone comes close to Gordon’s songs for me. Thank you for this trip with Gordon.😂❤
As a Canadian music teacher, he was always an icon to me. He wrote musical poetry. I taught “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” to my Grade 8 and 9 English students as fantastic examples of ballads. His passing has me grieving.
Fellow Canadian here, my dad died just last year and he was the same age. Kinda feels like a second icon died to me. He was great, that year produced a couple of them.
Gordon performed at North Central College in Naperville Illinois and was in town several days before the concert. He would sit in the local diner, nursing a cup of tea for hours, and talking to anyone who approached him. At the concert he invited about 25 students to sit around him on stage while he performed. The Renaissance had DaVinci, Raphael, Michaelangelo. We had Gordon Lightfoot who sculpted music better than any of those masters could with a brush. He brought tears of hope to all who listened.
I was fortunate enough to see Gordon live several times in the late 1970s. Not only was he wonderful, but the musicianship of his band just blew me away. I was a live band junkie at the time, and have seen about 200 groups from the 70s through the 90s, but I have NEVER heard a band play live with such perfection. I remember to this day how impressed I was.
Gordon was the pride of Orillia Ontario, my hometown... My Grandmother was a huge fan, and in turn so was my father, and then me as well. We were playing Gordon Lightfoot all day at work the other day... They've been leaving flowers by his statues at both the Orillia Opera House, and Tudhope Park both in the heart of Orillia. Rest in Peace Gord... Thank you so much Rick! This was fantastic!
Thank you Rick Beato for giving a wonderful tribute to Lightfoot. I have been in love with Gordon Lighfoot since I was 17. I walked into a sears roebuck and was browsing the albums. I came across this album with a picture of a gorgeous man and fell in love. I bought the album on a whim and that was it. It was Don Quixote, and he and that album have been my all time favorites. His music inspired me to take a train from Vancouver to Quebec and I had to see Alberta. I was a folk singer in the 70's and played alot of his music. Forty five years later I am trying to play again and can't remember how I played them. Sorry I never met him, he was on my bucket list. His Canadian Railroad Trilogy is a masterpiece combining 3 different themes. I will miss him terribly, but thank God we have his music.
Rick, my brother. You, just like Gord, have such a beautiful set of music skills, which made you the consummate American commentator on what made Gordon Lightfoot so distinctive. So unique. He had many struggles throughout his career, his lifetime. And despite that, he pursued his best craft to his best ability. After his Aneurysm ruptured and he spent two years in hospital, robbed of his golden baritone vocal, he continued to work with Red Shea and Terry Clemons to lay down useable tracks for songs he had been working on. They would take guitar and vocals that he threw down before that tragedy, and work piece by piece together and imagine what Gord would do. When he was healthy enough, he would critique their work and they would return to the studio. What teamwork! John Prine has a live performance in Nashville at a performance hall, and Gord showed up with his daughter to listen. But John wasn’t having any of if. He dragged Gord into performing vocal parts, and you could just she Gord light up. I was born and raised in metro-Detroit where we had Canadian Radio CKLW/800 AM, where Gord was a standard. At the same time Joni Mitchell was living in Detroit writing what became 3 masterful albums. When I was 12 years old, my older brother John gave me his used Epiphone D, and taught me 4 chords. I listened to Gordo and learned my introduction to Guitar master, in the key of humility. Thank you for sharing your program. Your experience and your love of music. I am turning 65y, and I am rehabbing my chops. Got to get ready for what I hope will be eventual Grandkids! Peace brother. Take best care of your self. Jim Riesterer.
Living in Ontario I was fortunate to meet Gordon Lightfoot at two different times in my life, in Port Mcnicoll Ontario in my teens, while working for a summer restoring a sail boat docked next to his. He’d always stop to chat. Celebrity stature was totally in check, he was always just a nice guy. 30 years later I found myself seated next to him at a comedy show at the Masonic Temple in Toronto. I remembered the name of his sail boat, The Golden Goose. During the intermission I asked him if he still had her, he lit up, and for the next twenty minutes regaled me with stories of his Georgian Bay sailing adventures. The boat later became Jimmy Buffet's for a time down in the Florida Keys he told me. That was an unforgettable experience. I attended Gord’s service Sunday at the Orillia Church he sang in as a young choir boy. Perhaps only the Beatles have made such an impact over so many generations in an artist's lifetime. He will live on for generations through his music.
Great tribute. My first concert ever was Gordon Lightfoot at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago when I was 11 years old. This was the Summertime Dream tour, and he brought out wives of some of the crewmen from the Edmund Fitzgerald and had them ring a bell in honor of them. I'm 56 now, and I'll never forget it. He is by far my favorite songwriter. And kudos to my Dad for dragging us out for it ❤️
I've been a folk singer for 55 years, and Gordon Lightfoot's songs have always been my favorite due to the 12-string adaptations and the inspiring lyrics. My heart aches that I will now never hear another new masterpiece from that gifted musician. RIP, Mr. Lightfoot, and thank you for the themes of my life.
I grew up on Gordon Lightfoot.... In Canada he's a national hero. His brilliant lyrics and melodies will live on forever. His musical story telling is unique and will bring joy to all who investigate. Like the Ontario 1980 commercial. His musical genius is 'yours to discover'.
Gordon Lightfoot was our private songwriter. Regardless of top 40 hits, I always thought he was only speaking to me , that I was the only one listening to him. He was mine to appreciate. Late night, early mornings, long car rides. Gordon was my sidekick. My friends weren’t listening like me. We shared The Beatles, Stones, CSNY but I thought I was Gordon ‘s only fan. Hearing the tributes today by friends and famous alike, I realized we all felt that way. So many of us kept him private and personal. I’m glad I got to see him in 2013 at BB Kings. RIP, Gordon our Minstrel of the Dawn.
I loved the documentary, too. A Must See. The 70s were my era of music and I loved Gordon’s music. I grew up on Lake Superior and always loved The Edmund Fitzgerald.
Another Canadian music teacher here. Beautiful tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. Thank you for this. He's been a legend for decades in Canada, but I never realized that he was this much of a legend south of the border as well. "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" are my favourites, but the power of the Wreck is phenomenal. I was only 10 when it was written so I really didn't understand. Now, I can only imagine the emotions of the people who had friends and family on the Edmund Fitzgerald listening to this folk song for the first time. It truly has the potential to last centuries as a Canadian folksong. Thank you for the reflections.
*Sundown* has to have one of the greatest opening lines of any song ever written. It's an incredible hook for one of the best songs ever written. *I can see her lying back in her satin dress, in a room where you do what you don't confess.* Most adult music that truly resonates with people of all ages, and from all cultures & countries, is about loss, love, longing, betrayal, etc. Sundown has *everything* a great song needs in order to be considered great. One of my top 5 songs that I have ever listened to.
So in the early 70’s, I treated my mother and sister to third row seats at the Philadelphia Academy of Music for a Gordon Lightfoot concert. They were both fans and had birthdays a few days apart. My mother raved about it for decades. Now all three of them are gone. It remains my favorite concert I never went to. And since I never saw him myself, has supplied decades of vicarious memories for me still. Thank you Gordon.
Thank you Rick for this incredible tribute to a Canadian Legend. As a Canadian we don’t think our artists get much attention outside Canada so to watch this video was incredibly moving.
Don't worry Mate. Some of us in Aust always appreciated Gordon's great talent. A great Canadian musician and lyricist. ( Loved my time in Canada in 84!!)
Sorry you are very worng. I spanish, now 75, I knew Gordon since I was 22. At that time I lived in West España, we already used to here and admired Gordon
I am not an expert in the music field but Gordon Lightfoot was my father’s favorite artist. I lost dad in a car accident in 1980 when I was 6 years old. Gordon Lightfoot’s music was a way that I could connect with dad over the years. Sad to say that Mr. Lightfoot’s passing yesterday was like losing dad all over again. I know that he is making the angels tap their toes and letting them know about what the human experience is all about. R.I.P. Gordon and thank you for the gifts that you have left behind.
Same story here, my dad and I shared this love and when my dad passed it was so hard to listen to Lightfoot. But over time it became my therapy and a way to bring back great memories. We’ll always have the music and the memories
Grew up near Lake Michigan, I always thought that's what an ocean looks like. I'm 68, and every single time I hear Edmond Fitzgerald, I still get a tear in my eyes. Have loved Gordon forever. Wonderful tribute, Rick, thank you.
When you're out on the lake it makes no difference that it isn't an ocean. It is a monstrously big, deep lake. It behaves like an ocean so it may as well be one.
I agree. I live near Chicago Illinois. This song always gives me chills. I am 57 years old. And after hearing it I did research to find out what happened to the Big Fitz. I can't help but to sing along .
I'm so happy you created this video honoring someone who is tragically underrated by the American audience at large. Very few singer/songwriters have the ability to bring me to the verge of tears, be the song sad or ecstatic. Gordon Lightfoot was one of the very rare musicians who could do this. Everyone knows the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and perhaps If You Could Read my Mind, but my favorites have always been Old Dan's Records (so uplifting and today one can imagine Lightfoot himself as Dan in the song), the Canadian Railroad Trilogy (a masterpiece that brings the Canadian wilderness and the rough life of railroad workers in the 1800's to life. The opening lines are pure poetry: "There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run, when the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun. Long before the white man and long before the wheel, when the green dark forest was too silent to be real." That last line still gives me shivers.) and , my personal all time favorite: Early Morning Rain. That song still brings tears to my eyes. Damn, one of the tragedies of growing old is losing the people who brought pleasure to living, and Gordon Lightfoot was one of the finest and least assuming of them all. Rest in peace Gordon and thank you, Rick, for this.
I discovered Gordon in my 30s, couple decades ago. My ex wife and I loved his classics. In 2009 he performed in Boulder, much to my surprise, and there was no way I was going to miss it. I went alone. He seemed frail but it was amazing to have those songs come to life before my eyes. I’m so happy I had the chance to at least see him once.
As a proud Canadian, I can say that Gordon Lightfoot stands FAR above most famous Canadians. Nobody in our Home and Native Land can LIVE properly without hearing at least one of his songs. RIP Gordon. No one will ever let you be forgotten!
You touched on the thing that truly makes Gordon Lightfoot’s music great. You can listen to it a million times and every time the music and the lyrics will have the same effect on you as if you were hearing it for the first time. Each time you listen to a song you notice some tiny element that you never noticed before. Gordon Lightfoot truly was one of the best songwriters and story tellers this world has ever seen.
I think you are absolutely right. I have been listening to this man, (consciously) since I was 12. As a Detroit child I’ll bet anything I had heard Gordon Lightfoot before… But, what I know for sure is the lyrics and the music have shaped a lot of people’s lives. We know what we know about some life and love from Gordon. Plain talk about hard subjects. I always fell sideways right into his lyrics and music. He was perfection. Always will be to me.
I can see in Rick's face how deeply he appreciated and was impacted by Gordon Lightfoot's music and his passing, to the point were I found myself looking so intensely at Rick that I wasn't even listening. I had to go back and play this again to listen. Coming from someone as accomplished as Rick Beato, that says it all. I'm right there with you, Rick. I had a little crappy cassette player too, and would spend hours noodling out Lightfoot tunes recorded off the radio on the cheap acoustic guitar I learned on. The songs, the arrangements, his and Red's playing and of course his unique voice... well I don't know if perfection exists but I sure as hell wouldn't change even a single thing about any of his music. Thank you for this video.
I had a chance to meet Gordon back stage at an L.A. concert where he signed my Summertime Dream album. I told him that Shadows was my favorite album. He told me his record company was shafting him by refusing to ship albums to record stores.
I grew up in Detroit, MI and I always had the same feeling as you that because we were so close to Canada their artists were somehow more ours than the rest of the States. Gord was always one of my favorites. Such an amazing storyteller. A modern troubadour that will be remembered forever. RIP Gord. You brought a lot of love and joy to this world.
I used to sing "Care free highway " at my gigs back in the 70's and really appreciated the lyrics, guitar fills and structure of this song. I'm sure he influenced my songwriting for many years to come and love the story telling aspect or all his songs, especially " If you could read my mind", it painted such a moving picture of love and loss.
Oh, man... Gordon seemed to combine a crusty, hardened, very manly exterior with a sensitive and feeling soul. Incredible songwriter. Very thankful I was able to be alive while he was around giving his songs to us. RIP Gordon Lightfoot. What a man.
You guys have all nailed it with these remarks. What a magnificent concept -- exactly the type of Man we need to return to society in this day and age.
We loved him here too in Wales the UK Rick. So sad. "If I could read your mind" could have been written yesterday. I was 13 years old when thiis hit the UK charts in 1970. Beautiful beautiful beautiful! Always will be. Hat off to you Rick for this touching tribute. Thank you so much!
I have cried for a week. I had a violent non communicative childhood and Gordon Lightfoots music was my escape into another world to imagine emotions and love. Thank you GL I hope I meet you in heavenly musical places ♥️🙏
I'm Australian. My Canadian boyfriend introduced me to G Lightfoot in '69. We courted to his music. We married with his music, his stories. His music has been the soundtrack of my life since then. I travelled across Canada to his music - a beautiful road trip I never wanted to end. I know the words to so many of his songs [even the Edmund Fitzgerald!]. Those stories - a conxummate musician, an unparalleled story teller. Vale the troubador
"If You Could Read My Mind" is just sublime. A Masterclass in songwriting, arrangement, recording, etc. Phenomenal lyrics sung by a voice equal parts gold and honey.
"Read my mind" is a song that touches me like no other I've ever heard. Even today, it made me cry, uncontrollably, it's haunting. Words unbelievably original and special. Voice with timber like no other. What a gift to the world. I had no idea he was so prolific, and could write his own charts. What a gift from God, truly.
Maaaan......I am 64 and I am Jamaican. I thought something was wrong with me for a while when I first heard this song in the 70s. To this day that song makes me want to cry like a baby. He was definitely one of the greatest song writers and singers ever. RIP Gordon.
I thought I was the only one. It’s not even the lyrics for me; the melody just destroys me every time. Thank you Rick for this video, and for those of you who made me realize I was in good company.
If you're interested, the Headstones (a legendary Canadian band) did a cover of it a few years ago. Faster tempo. It might even be in the documentary Rick was talking about.
We have lost so many genius musicians in the last several years. Gordon Lightfoot is right there at the top. His music is just so wonderful to listen to. At 65, it makes me sad to lose these people. But, we will always have their music and I get comfort from that. Thank you for this video honoring Gordon Lightfoot.
I'm Australian. I've loved Sundown and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald since I was a kid, but about 20 years ago I went thru a Lightfoot phase and discovered so many other beautiful songs. For Lovin' Me, Carefree Highway, Early Morning Rain, Beautiful ... so many gorgeous melodies, with his characteristic lilt skipping across the top of the instruments like sun sparkling on water. RIP Gordon ❤
This Australian always loved Gordon Lightfoot, his beautiful poetic songs, guitar and unique instantly recognisable voice. My favourite song among many has always been The Last Time I Saw Her followed closely by If You Could Read My Mind. His songs are timeless, I play them now and will always love them.
Thank you for this tribute to the music of Gordon Lightfoot. My introduction to his music was "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". The freighter went down when I was in 5th grade. I grew up on Lake Erie in Conneaut Ohio. Our parents used to take us down to the harbor to watch the ships being loaded and unloaded, the Edmund Fitzgerald among them. The wreck was a sober reminder of how quickly a storm can turn a beautiful lake into something so fierce and deadly. The haunting melody of the song always takes me back to the day we learned about the wreck and all the lives lost. It is wonderfully written and performed, one heck of a tribute.
As a young guy growing up in the UK, I was aware of Gordon from a comedy series on tv in the 90's featuring a guy called Dom Jolly. When I first heard "if you could read my mind" , I was blown away. What a powerful song. Also went on to explore his work and found "Sundown", another masterpiece. Another legend gone.
His talents defy words. Poet-supreme. A brilliant ❤CANADIAN❤raised in small-town Ontario, Canada. From small-town to the world's most important stages. His songs were recorded long before auto-tune. Everything note you hear is all Gordon, singing, playing guitar, He had it all! The sound track of our lives, every song we carry in our hearts. He touched our lives in so many meaningful ways. ❤
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is so beautifully haunting. It's like you feel the atmosphere of what's happening. Such talent will never be matched. R.I.P. Gordon
We were in that same storm, it was a night you never forget, and I was hundreds of miles south. When Gordon did the song, I took it as a personal tip of the hat to all of those that suffered, but also to all of us who remembered that night.
Gordon Lightfoot has a big following here in the UK. I hope many young people will be checking out his songs for the first time today. May he rest in peace.
I'm from Minnesota, and Gordon became HUGE here after "The Edmund Fitzgerald" came out. It was as though he became Minnesota's adopted son. And to this day I love going to Duluth or Ely or Grand Marais, and listen to Gordon's songs. All his songs scream Minnesota! As you drive along the North Shore of Lake Superior and listen to his songs you are on "Carefree Highway", or take a break at a rest stop on a cool rainy day wearing a sweatshirt and walking with a close friend, you become "Rainy Day People". Or the BEST, watching a sunset on Lake Superior while listening to "Sundown". You are right Rick. This man was one of a kind.
![Gordon Lightfoot Greatest Hits (Full Album) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kqA-RLkHLlk/mqdefault.jpg)
My father was Gords manager for 25 years and I will say that even though I’ve seen him play live front row and centre 20 plus times mostly at Massey hall in Toronto he always delivered the goods live. A true perfectionist. A man who treated us kids nicely even during halftime intermissions. I’m only 40 but must say his music forever will hold a place in my heart. When my father passed Gord sang at his funeral. An original piece he wrote for my old man. The world truly lost one of the greatest song writers and storytellers in modern music
What great memories for you to have. Sadly I missed out - he was going to play here in Victoria and I had the ticket many months in advance. Unfortunately the date of the concert was October 2020 and so due to Covid it was cancelled so I missed out. Now I won't get the chance, but fortunately there are all the wonderful recordings to go back and listen to. A number of artists from when I was younger (Christine McVie, Olivia Newton-John) have passed away recently which was sad, but this - this hits hard. Maybe that's because being from Canada his music was just...there for so much of my life. Or maybe it is because anyone who could turn a more than six minute long song about a historical event into a hit that somehow resonates with people is exceptionally special. Probably it is both.
Hey Rick, I’m a musician and also play an acoustic show and as a singer, and each time I play this song IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND I get so choked up with his lyrics that sometimes I have a difficult time getting through the song.
The other song that gets me too is Carefree Highway. And I love performing it and people always come up and thank me for playing Gordon Lightfoot songs.
And yes I love his lyrics too
Carefree Highway is definitely pure poetry !!
These songs you’re playing here Rick are definitely some off my all time favorite songs !
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald has probably the greatest line ever written, IMO. "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours". That gets me every time I hear it. Thank you Rick for this awesome tribute to one of the greatest songwriters ever
That is an awesome line!!
Thankyou for pointing this out. Beautiful.
I agree. That is the most haunting lyric in music.
I agree. But the lyrics of the song “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” has incredibly emotion rendering, dramatic impact from start to finish. Greatest song ever written.
Yes, I was waiting for Rick's reaction to that very line, but he stopped just short.
I had to stop listening to his music after my divorce. I learned he died in a text message from my estranged daughter, who I hadn't heard from in 11 years. She said she heard he died and she broke down crying. She remembered me singing his songs when she went to work with me. We are due to meet up to get reacquainted this Summer.
Even in death Gordon brings love to the world .
💔Good luck Phillip
Made me cry. I hope everything works out. How precious.
@@lindamcd1217 Thank you. It was the best day I had in years.
How did it go? Please tell me it went well.
I learnt to play If You Could Read My Mind when I was 18. I'm 67 now and recently played it live for my wife. I could remember all the words and chord changes even though I hadn't played the song in nearly 40 years. That's the mark of a great song for me; a song that becomes imprinted on your memory that you couldn't forget if you tried. I had to play the song in G rather than A because I didn't have a capo handy and didn't fancy tackling the barre chords. Folk singers will be discovering Gordon's songs a century from now. His music will become part of the standard folk repertoire
I'm a music teacher in Canada. Monday May 1st was Music Monday in Canada, where hundreds of thousands of students and educators across the country celebrate the importance of music education in our schools. It's somehow fitting that he left us on this day. His impact on music in our country, and apparently the world, will live on starting on this day! I love that you are such a fan. This was a nice tribute Rick. Thank you!
Amazing.
❤
Musical poet Canadian treasure
I coined the phrase Music Monday for my facebook posts, and I'm from Toronto. Just sayin'... Canada is just a little bit of heaven, especially the Mariposa Folk Festival on the Toronto Islands.
As a musician I'm sorry that I'm unaware that it was Music Monday. Now that I'm aware ,I think May 1st should be a national holiday..🤔👍🎶🇨🇦
I am 73 , Canadian, and been sad all day. Spent the morning playing, singing and listening to Gord. A Canadian national treasure. Thank God we have his music to remember him.
Just heard of his passing an hour ago. I’m not sure when the sadness will end. 💔😥
And Ian Tyson gone, too.
@@user-qr8ki8ue4i He was a great boxer. "Iron Mike" is a legend.
He truly was Canadian Gold 🥇😥
What a legacy he leaves! 28:05
For me, what makes Lightfoot so wonderful is that every song is a rich, detailed story that you can visualize in your mind's eye. An incredible man. Skills that not only play musical instruments, but also play our emotions.
Absolutly agree
Well said
Yes, you put that perfectly.
50 years ago (1974) anchored in Silver Bay, my shipmates and I on the Cleveland Cliffs S.S. Cadillac waited for the Edmond Fitzgerald to finish fully loading before we could dock and pick up 16,500 tons of iron ore (taconite) to haul to the mills in Cleveland.
The next year (11/10/1975) the Fitzgerald...
While I have emotional resilience, some things, like Gordon Lightfoot's ballad and the memory my fellow sailors, still bring a tear to my eye. The church bell chimed 'til it rang twenty-nine times.
Gordon wrote stories. They were given to us with music. RIP Gordon.
Brilliantly put.
Told stories and painted pictures..rip indeed
I think God gave Gordon stories to write for us. His music could not have come from anywhere but Heaven.
How the words seemed to come so naturally, like the words were made for his songs. He was so real.
Well said. Thank you.
Last concert I took my Mom to before she died at 60 of Alzheimer’s. Amazingly she was singing along remembering the words even though she could barely talk. Never forget it. RIP Gordon.
Awesome!
I am so so sorry to hear about your mother! I lost my Father in Law to that horrible disease !!
That is so great! So glad she enjoyed that evening before she passed.
My mum passed to of Alzheimer’s/ dementia.. music has apparently always been a trigger for the those suffer with it.. music carries us all away in some way ❤️
@@752brickie I lost my Dad as well.
I was 20 years old (1973 or 1974) and he played a concert at Emory University in Atlanta. It was just him and a sound guy. No retinue. No stage or risers. He sat on a chair in the middle of the gym floor and about 250 of us sat on the floor all around him. He played for 3 hours or so. Just him and his guitar. It was amazing.
wow!
That was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Doc!
I'm 73 and will always listen to his music as long as I can hear. He truly was special. He will be sorely missed.
I met Gordo exactly 10 years ago to today (5/2/13). He is such a class act, he signed my copy of "If you Could Read My Mind" LP that I gave to my Dad who was also there to meet him. My wife was pregnant and Mr Lightfoot rubbed her belly. We tell our son that he was blessed by Gordon Lightfoot. He was the nicest guy I've ever met! RIP Gordo!
kool story
THAT is an awesome story!!!
Yeah he was as nice in person as you could imagine. I wrote him note once to add a particular song to his setlist and did. Blew me away. Talked to him after the show. He will be missed by all.
Looking at the Rain. Another great
Amazing 💔
I'm from Brazil, City of Curitiba, State of Paraná, and the day he passed away, without even knowing that he had passed away, I was listening to his songs. I'm very sad! I really like his songs, and some are special, like: Daylight Katy, If You Could Ready Mind, That's Whats You Get for loving me, The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgeral, Sundown .... and many others that are wonderful! A great singer and a music giant!😢😢
I was born in 68 and never knew a day without Gord on the radio growing up.
My wife and I started our life together at 20, and the first album we bought was Gordon Lightfoot. We are now 73 and miss him terribly.
For me it was also when John Denver & Steve Irwin were killed. Something you never get over!😢😢
@@JeanGillespie-fp7rs Steve Irwin? 😵💫
Great tribute Rick. I heard they rang the bell at the Maritime Sailors Cathedral 30 times after his passing - 29 for the men of the Edmund Fitzgerald and one additional for Gordon.
That’s is a goosebump piece of information about the bells, the last one tolling for GL. Thank you for sharing. How fitting.
Indeed, got the chills reading that. ❤
That is a bigger tribute than perhaps the average person might realize. It hadn’t heard that they did that. Amazing.
Beautiful tribute. Thank you for sharing. 💙🙏
That is one of the most wonderful things I have heard in a long time. ❤
Garden Lightfoot, grossly underrated by everyone other than his fellow musicians. Thank you for this, Rick
What do you mean? Who "rates" him poorly? If you mean some dumb mags list, those are hype to get ppl to buy. Lists make ppl emo
No. Not "underrated". That is so distant from reality, it's nuts.
Garden??
I know what you mean
Thank you Rick for the great tribute! Love Wreck Of The Edmond Fitzgerald, with the seafaring vibe and mostly because it chronologically tells the story of that disaster so artistically and reverently. The families of the sailors loved the song and how it paid tribute to their men.
Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce, and Harry Chapin three of the greatest story tellers and musicians. To people who love music Gordon's death is such a huge loss.
OMG, YES, YES, and YES!!!!!
Croce and Lightfoot were two sides of the same coin, one American, one Canadian. Fantastic comparison.
I hope we can find some room for John Prine in there.
I’d add cat Stevens and James Taylor to that list. And maybe Richie Havens
I’d add John Denver to this list as well. Maybe Paul Simon. Bob Dylan goes without saying.
“Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours…” That lyric always rips my heart out of my chest and throws it into Lake Superior. Another perfect story telling song.
A Canadian kid , I got his Bitter Green album for Christmas. Taught myself guitar listening to those tracks . LOVED him …. RIP
I was fortunate to see him live twice. It was a blessing
Greatest songwriter of the 20th Century. And no one in the 21st Century has yet matched him.
One summer, between my Junior & Senior year I was driving a cab in NYC to make money for school, but I parked the car when I saw that Gordon Lightfoot was playing at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village. As usual he was phenomenal, a poet, a consummate performer and after it was over I got to my cab. I drove down McDougal and was hailed by Mr. Lightfoot and his girlfriend/wife? I drove them to the upper west side. We talked about his music. He was such a nice, down to earth guy, great tipper too. His music WAS perfect. RIP
Wow!
Thank you for celebrating such a favored and special artist! His music lives on!
Every time I listen to a Lightfoot song, I am struck that there are NO wasted words in his lyrics. Every word matters, every word has a meaning. Great writer, obviously, but maybe an even greater editor of his own words.
My grandpa was a huge fan of Gordon Lightfoot, I grew up hearing his music. The Railroad Trilogy was one of his favourites because he was a rail man for CN. Canada lost a treasure when we lost Gordon Lightfoot. I could listen to him all day long, so many memories attached to his music. Thank you for this tribute to him.
Think about the fact that Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Croce, and numerous other greats were all filling the 70’s airwaves with the classic tunes. I was born in 1972, but I remember hearing all of these phenomenal tunes due to my parents and older brothers. Man those were beyond great times.
The great soft rock/folk greats from the 70's cannot be rated too highly. Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce, John Denver... musicians like that are true legends. Gordon Lightfoot's recordings have something that The Beatles have- everything is just perfect, you couldn't pull a note or a syllable out of place. Just so perfect.
The way Edmund Fitzgerald builds intensity from one verse to the next is like a blockbuster hollywood film. Epic storytelling like no other songwriter of our time.
the song is epic and top 10 songs of all time IMHO
Fantastic! Being from Michigan, we have “lived” with Gordon Lightfoot and The Edmund Fitzgerald in our hearts always and forever. Yes, what a great song writer and performer. Thank you for popping up in my feed today. Enjoy our blessings each and every day.
Gordon Lightfoot was one of those rare musicians who everyone seems to love, no matter what genre they're into. I come from a more "hard rock" background, but Gordon's music always had a way of digging its way into my heart. When I heard someone playing "Sundown" as a tribute to him, tears came to my eyes. 😢
Rick, your ability to recognize the genius of people like Gordon Lightfoot -- AND explain it -- is a gift. Thank you!
I agree.
Rick, so many of us in Canada greatly appreciate your musical contribution and beautiful commentary. Gordon Lightfoot was a musical poet and one of a kind.
This morning The Mariner's Church in Detroit rang its bell 30 times -- 29 times for the Sailors on The Edmund Fitzgerald and once for Gordon Lightfoot. Hearing that made me cry the way I really needed to. THANK YOU for this Rick!
🇨🇦 + 29🇺🇲.
"Fellas, it's been good to know ya..."
Omg I'm crying reading this secondhand. He did such a good thing honoring those hardworking men with such a beautiful unforgettable song.
Of all the comments I found this on the most touching
Growing up in Canada during the '60s it was impossible not to be captivated by Gordon's records. They were all so perfect. God bless you, Gordon Lightfoot, for sharing your thoughts and talent with the world.
No one writes music like this anymore. So well written and performed. One of the greats.
Totally under rated.gonna miss him.r.i.p Gordon lightfoot.
But many of us writers who really love Gord's style are & will be forever influenced by him.🎶🎸🙏
Been a fan since the 70s.
I thought I was the only one who listened to Gordon a million times. Been 53 years of listening my kids grew up on Gordon. Saw him in 96. God bless his soul!
Today was the first time I watched the show on Goron Lightfoot. He was and is one of my favorite Artists, whom I think still doesn't get the proper attention and credit he deserves as an Artist. Thank you so much for showing the love and respect for hie imagination and creativity. So thank you so much for keeping Goeon Lightfoot, alive in this day of lacking for great music. Again THANK You!!!
My favorite Gordon Lightfoot song is Canadian Railroad Trilogy. To me, it encapsulates his musical genius, as well as his phenomenal storytelling. The fact that he wrote it in basically three days when he was commissioned to create a song to commemorate a 100 anniversary celebration that CBC TV was producing is amazing.
I agree. He was an extraordinarily gifted songwriter. I heard they are adding an additional ringing of the bell recovered from the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald during the memorial service in Grand Marais, MI in November, starting this year. They rang it 30 times on the day he passed away, 29 for the crew plus one, for Gordon Lightfoot. God hold and keep you, Mr. Lightfoot. Your music will live forever. ❤❤🥰😇
On the recovery of the bell as it came to the surface of the water it rang once again. Great video
Wow, this news gives me chills and wells the tears in my eyes
@@bws1971 man. same here.
@@bws1971 pouring down like rain. Gordon's finally got his long white robe & silvery wings.🎵🎶🎶🙌
OMGoodness. Gordon would have been so pleased, and yet…I think he would have said no, don’t. He was so honorable and unassuming. I miss you already, Gordon Lightfoot.
How could this song be so good without auto tune , fowl language, and programmed drumbeats? Easy, it’s called total musicianship and talent. He will be missed.
Lol OK grandpa.
Right you are
@@Ass4ssinX hes really not wrong there hotshot
Fowl language would really foul up the song with quackery!
@@mmayes9466 lol
Gordon Lightfoot will forever be a Canadian National Treasure. Thank you so much for this beautiful tribute to him. Much love and light to you and yours always from the beautiful east coast of Canada! ♥️🕊🇨🇦🕊♥️
I saw Gordon Lightfoot, when I was in college at Illinois State University’s auditorium. I was totally blown away with his talent & his performance. He was so relatable to the audience, too. It was so quiet while he was singing. “If You Could Read Your Mind” got a standing ovation! Chills & tears come my mind. We lost a GREAT & GIFT talent when Gordon passed. Loved “Sun Down”, also. There are hardly any songs that Gordon wrote/sang that I didn’t live or live. I don’t know, if anyone comes close to Gordon’s songs for me. Thank you for this trip with Gordon.😂❤
As a Canadian who grew up with Lightfoot's music, I am so happy that you are doing this tribute right now, Rick. Thank you so much.
As a Canadian music teacher, he was always an icon to me. He wrote musical poetry. I taught “Canadian Railroad Trilogy” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” to my Grade 8 and 9 English students as fantastic examples of ballads. His passing has me grieving.
Canadian Railroad Trilogy is just fantastic.
Fellow Canadian here, my dad died just last year and he was the same age. Kinda feels like a second icon died to me. He was great, that year produced a couple of them.
I did a stint on an extra gang on CN back in 73 in the BC interior. Canadian Railroad Trilogy was in my head the whole time.
We share your grief, Lizzy-all around the world. People are really broken up, in tears. Rick’s tribute was beautiful.
Gordon performed at North Central College in Naperville Illinois and was in town several days before the concert.
He would sit in the local diner, nursing a cup of tea for hours, and talking to anyone who approached him.
At the concert he invited about 25 students to sit around him on stage while he performed.
The Renaissance had DaVinci, Raphael, Michaelangelo. We had Gordon Lightfoot who sculpted music better than any of those masters could with a brush.
He brought tears of hope to all who listened.
I was fortunate enough to see Gordon live several times in the late 1970s. Not only was he wonderful, but the musicianship of his band just blew me away. I was a live band junkie at the time, and have seen about 200 groups from the 70s through the 90s, but I have NEVER heard a band play live with such perfection. I remember to this day how impressed I was.
Gordon was the pride of Orillia Ontario, my hometown... My Grandmother was a huge fan, and in turn so was my father, and then me as well. We were playing Gordon Lightfoot all day at work the other day... They've been leaving flowers by his statues at both the Orillia Opera House, and Tudhope Park both in the heart of Orillia. Rest in Peace Gord... Thank you so much Rick! This was fantastic!
Thank you Rick Beato for giving a wonderful tribute to Lightfoot. I have been in love with Gordon Lighfoot since I was 17. I walked into a sears roebuck and was browsing the albums. I came across this album with a picture of a gorgeous man and fell in love. I bought the album on a whim and that was it. It was Don Quixote, and he and that album have been my all time favorites. His music inspired me to take a train from Vancouver to Quebec and I had to see Alberta. I was a folk singer in the 70's and played alot of his music. Forty five years later I am trying to play again and can't remember how I played them. Sorry I never met him, he was on my bucket list. His Canadian Railroad Trilogy is a masterpiece combining 3 different themes. I will miss him terribly, but thank God we have his music.
Rick, my brother. You, just like Gord, have such a beautiful set of music skills, which made you the consummate American commentator on what made Gordon Lightfoot so distinctive. So unique. He had many struggles throughout his career, his lifetime. And despite that, he pursued his best craft to his best ability. After his Aneurysm ruptured and he spent two years in hospital, robbed of his golden baritone vocal, he continued to work with Red Shea and Terry Clemons to lay down useable tracks for songs he had been working on. They would take guitar and vocals that he threw down before that tragedy, and work piece by piece together and imagine what Gord would do. When he was healthy enough, he would critique their work and they would return to the studio. What teamwork! John Prine has a live performance in Nashville at a performance hall, and Gord showed up with his daughter to listen. But John wasn’t having any of if. He dragged Gord into performing vocal parts, and you could just she Gord light up. I was born and raised in metro-Detroit where we had Canadian Radio CKLW/800 AM, where Gord was a standard. At the same time Joni Mitchell was living in Detroit writing what became 3 masterful albums. When I was 12 years old, my older brother John gave me his used Epiphone D, and taught me 4 chords. I listened to Gordo and learned my introduction to Guitar master, in the key of humility. Thank you for sharing your program. Your experience and your love of music. I am turning 65y, and I am rehabbing my chops. Got to get ready for what I hope will be eventual Grandkids! Peace brother. Take best care of your self. Jim Riesterer.
Living in Ontario I was fortunate to meet Gordon Lightfoot at two different times in my life, in Port Mcnicoll Ontario in my teens, while working for a summer restoring a sail boat docked next to his. He’d always stop to chat. Celebrity stature was totally in check, he was always just a nice guy. 30 years later I found myself seated next to him at a comedy show at the Masonic Temple in Toronto. I remembered the name of his sail boat, The Golden Goose. During the intermission I asked him if he still had her, he lit up, and for the next twenty minutes regaled me with stories of his Georgian Bay sailing adventures. The boat later became Jimmy Buffet's for a time down in the Florida Keys he told me. That was an unforgettable experience. I attended Gord’s service Sunday at the Orillia Church he sang in as a young choir boy. Perhaps only the Beatles have made such an impact over so many generations in an artist's lifetime. He will live on for generations through his music.
Great tribute. My first concert ever was Gordon Lightfoot at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago when I was 11 years old. This was the Summertime Dream tour, and he brought out wives of some of the crewmen from the Edmund Fitzgerald and had them ring a bell in honor of them. I'm 56 now, and I'll never forget it. He is by far my favorite songwriter. And kudos to my Dad for dragging us out for it ❤️
Wow
Wow,
I'm 57, grew up listening to him..RIP Gordon Lightfoot.
Great story.
I've been a folk singer for 55 years, and Gordon Lightfoot's songs have always been my favorite due to the 12-string adaptations and the inspiring lyrics. My heart aches that I will now never hear another new masterpiece from that gifted musician. RIP, Mr. Lightfoot, and thank you for the themes of my life.
I grew up on Gordon Lightfoot.... In Canada he's a national hero. His brilliant lyrics and melodies will live on forever. His musical story telling is unique and will bring joy to all who investigate. Like the Ontario 1980 commercial. His musical genius is 'yours to discover'.
Second cup of coffee…..stuck with me for years. What a great artist. So blessed to grow up with 60’s, 70’s music
'Don Quixote' is a vastly underrated album of his..
Christian Island being my favourite
His album "Don Quixote " is to die for.
Don Quixote was 1 of my absolute favorite albums! So many awesome songs!🇨🇦
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?" Stunning lyrical emotion. Gordon was utterly unique.
Yes. One of his best lines.
Still gives me shivers. Amazing song!
Many lines in that song give me chills. Maybe the best example of a song being more than the sum of its parts
"And all that remains is the faces and the names of the wives and the sons and the daughters" completes his best stanza.
Good poetry there.
Gordon Lightfoot’s passing hits hard, as his music did. Rest in peace, sir.
How on earth is Gordon Lightfoot NOT in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?!?
Because he’s Canadian
And yet Rush is in.
Because Gordon cant Rap
Good question
Gordon was a Folk Musician, not rock and roll....and did not do rap.
Its not well known in the United States but the Canadian Railroad Trilogy is a masterpiece among many of Gordons songs.
I think he was well known
In the United States. I e been listening to his songs ever since high school and beyond
@@michaelmerck7576 true but the Canadian railroad trilogy prob. didnt get much play down there.
@@michaelotisferguson4071CBC commissioned it
My dads favourite. Commissioned by the CBC I believe in 1967 for the Centennial
Native Texan and it's my favorite Gordon Lightfoot song.
They broke the mold when they made Gordon. His ability to evoke emotion through music is uncanny. RIP to an amazing musician and writer !
Gordon Lightfoot was our private songwriter. Regardless of top 40 hits, I always thought he was only speaking to me , that I was the only one listening to him. He was mine to appreciate. Late night, early mornings, long car rides. Gordon was my sidekick. My friends weren’t listening like me. We shared The Beatles, Stones, CSNY but I thought I was Gordon ‘s only fan. Hearing the tributes today by friends and famous alike, I realized we all felt that way. So many of us kept him private and personal. I’m glad I got to see him in 2013 at BB Kings. RIP, Gordon our Minstrel of the Dawn.
So true.
Perfectly said.
That's a beautiful tribute.
I loved the documentary, too. A Must See.
The 70s were my era of music and I loved Gordon’s music.
I grew up on Lake Superior and always loved The Edmund Fitzgerald.
I cannot thank you enough for this tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. Brings tears of joy and loss to my eyes.
Another Canadian music teacher here. Beautiful tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. Thank you for this. He's been a legend for decades in Canada, but I never realized that he was this much of a legend south of the border as well. "If You Could Read My Mind" and "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" are my favourites, but the power of the Wreck is phenomenal. I was only 10 when it was written so I really didn't understand. Now, I can only imagine the emotions of the people who had friends and family on the Edmund Fitzgerald listening to this folk song for the first time. It truly has the potential to last centuries as a Canadian folksong. Thank you for the reflections.
And around the world, Australia included👍
*Sundown* has to have one of the greatest opening lines of any song ever written. It's an incredible hook for one of the best songs ever written.
*I can see her lying back in her satin dress, in a room where you do what you don't confess.*
Most adult music that truly resonates with people of all ages, and from all cultures & countries, is about loss, love, longing, betrayal, etc.
Sundown has *everything* a great song needs in order to be considered great.
One of my top 5 songs that I have ever listened to.
I love this line in that same song- "She's a hard-loving woman, got me feeling mean". That just hits me.
Sundown is also in my top 5 of all time.
So in the early 70’s, I treated my mother and sister to third row seats at the Philadelphia Academy of Music for a Gordon Lightfoot concert. They were both fans and had birthdays a few days apart.
My mother raved about it for decades. Now all three of them are gone.
It remains my favorite concert I never went to. And since I never saw him myself, has supplied decades of vicarious memories for me still.
Thank you Gordon.
Thank you Rick for this incredible tribute to a Canadian Legend. As a Canadian we don’t think our artists get much attention outside Canada so to watch this video was incredibly moving.
28:06 ❤ 28:06
Don't worry Mate. Some of us in Aust always appreciated Gordon's great talent. A great Canadian musician and lyricist. ( Loved my time in Canada in 84!!)
Sorry you are very worng. I spanish, now 75, I knew Gordon since I was 22. At that time I lived in West España, we already used to here and admired Gordon
I am not an expert in the music field but Gordon Lightfoot was my father’s favorite artist. I lost dad in a car accident in 1980 when I was 6 years old. Gordon Lightfoot’s music was a way that I could connect with dad over the years. Sad to say that Mr. Lightfoot’s passing yesterday was like losing dad all over again. I know that he is making the angels tap their toes and letting them know about what the human experience is all about. R.I.P. Gordon and thank you for the gifts that you have left behind.
Same story here, my dad and I shared this love and when my dad passed it was so hard to listen to Lightfoot. But over time it became my therapy and a way to bring back great memories. We’ll always have the music and the memories
Grew up near Lake Michigan, I always thought that's what an ocean looks like. I'm 68, and every single time I hear Edmond Fitzgerald, I still get a tear in my eyes. Have loved Gordon forever. Wonderful tribute, Rick, thank you.
When you're out on the lake it makes no difference that it isn't an ocean. It is a monstrously big, deep lake. It behaves like an ocean so it may as well be one.
I agree. I live near Chicago Illinois. This song always gives me chills. I am 57 years old. And after hearing it I did research to find out what happened to the Big Fitz.
I can't help but to sing along .
I'm so happy you created this video honoring someone who is tragically underrated by the American audience at large. Very few singer/songwriters have the ability to bring me to the verge of tears, be the song sad or ecstatic. Gordon Lightfoot was one of the very rare musicians who could do this. Everyone knows the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and perhaps If You Could Read my Mind, but my favorites have always been Old Dan's Records (so uplifting and today one can imagine Lightfoot himself as Dan in the song), the Canadian Railroad Trilogy (a masterpiece that brings the Canadian wilderness and the rough life of railroad workers in the 1800's to life. The opening lines are pure poetry: "There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run, when the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun. Long before the white man and long before the wheel, when the green dark forest was too silent to be real." That last line still gives me shivers.) and , my personal all time favorite: Early Morning Rain. That song still brings tears to my eyes. Damn, one of the tragedies of growing old is losing the people who brought pleasure to living, and Gordon Lightfoot was one of the finest and least assuming of them all. Rest in peace Gordon and thank you, Rick, for this.
I discovered Gordon in my 30s, couple decades ago. My ex wife and I loved his classics. In 2009 he performed in Boulder, much to my surprise, and there was no way I was going to miss it. I went alone. He seemed frail but it was amazing to have those songs come to life before my eyes. I’m so happy I had the chance to at least see him once.
Gord was/is Canada’s Mozart. He is one of the major reasons I love being Canadian. Thank you for such a heartfelt tribute, Rick.
As a proud Canadian, I can say that Gordon Lightfoot stands FAR above most famous Canadians. Nobody in our Home and Native Land can LIVE properly without hearing at least one of his songs. RIP Gordon. No one will ever let you be forgotten!
Yeah, except for all the other better canadians. Stupid boat sank quicker than the song is long.
Couldn't have said it better.
@@mitchaelhollingsworth1698 And whom would you say is better than Lightfoot? I'd like to know
There’s something about Canadians names Gord.
As a Canadian, I remember him more for telling the story of building Canada's transcontinental Railway. A truly Canadian story.
You touched on the thing that truly makes Gordon Lightfoot’s music great. You can listen to it a million times and every time the music and the lyrics will have the same effect on you as if you were hearing it for the first time. Each time you listen to a song you notice some tiny element that you never noticed before.
Gordon Lightfoot truly was one of the best songwriters and story tellers this world has ever seen.
I think you are absolutely right. I have been listening to this man, (consciously) since I was 12. As a Detroit child I’ll bet anything I had heard
Gordon Lightfoot before…
But, what I know for sure is the lyrics and the music have shaped a lot of people’s lives. We know what we know about some life and love from Gordon. Plain talk about hard subjects.
I always fell sideways right into his lyrics and music. He was perfection. Always will be to me.
A rare talent indeed!!❤❤❤❤
I can see in Rick's face how deeply he appreciated and was impacted by Gordon Lightfoot's music and his passing, to the point were I found myself looking so intensely at Rick that I wasn't even listening. I had to go back and play this again to listen. Coming from someone as accomplished as Rick Beato, that says it all. I'm right there with you, Rick. I had a little crappy cassette player too, and would spend hours noodling out Lightfoot tunes recorded off the radio on the cheap acoustic guitar I learned on. The songs, the arrangements, his and Red's playing and of course his unique voice... well I don't know if perfection exists but I sure as hell wouldn't change even a single thing about any of his music. Thank you for this video.
I had a chance to meet Gordon back stage at an L.A. concert where he signed my Summertime Dream album. I told him that Shadows was my favorite album. He told me his record company was shafting him by refusing to ship albums to record stores.
I grew up in Detroit, MI and I always had the same feeling as you that because we were so close to Canada their artists were somehow more ours than the rest of the States. Gord was always one of my favorites. Such an amazing storyteller. A modern troubadour that will be remembered forever. RIP Gord. You brought a lot of love and joy to this world.
Flint here. And I totally agree with you.
Vermont here, and I agree.
Black day in July is such an underrated masterpiece. I find it never gets the attention it deserves.
Rick Beato thank you for making this tribute and realizing what nuance we all missed R I P Gordon Lightfoot
Yes Rick you did an amazing tribute. You made the songs come alive with presentation. I smiled for the entire 28 minutes
@@seanmcphee7980 Beautifully said! Dittos.
I hadn’t heard a lot of his catalogue.. so - silver lining! To his passing cuz I luvvvved everything I heard
Nuance, yeah. It's hard to find nuance these days.
Great tribute Rick. He left us all moved by his remarkable creative output. Proud to be Canadian.
I used to sing "Care free highway " at my gigs back in the 70's and really appreciated the lyrics, guitar fills and structure of this song. I'm sure he influenced my songwriting for many years to come and love the story telling aspect or all his songs, especially " If you could read my mind", it painted such a moving picture of love and loss.
Oh, man... Gordon seemed to combine a crusty, hardened, very manly exterior with a sensitive and feeling soul. Incredible songwriter. Very thankful I was able to be alive while he was around giving his songs to us. RIP Gordon Lightfoot. What a man.
@@davidmack4185 Well said. The songs have a life of their own and are timeless.
He was a thoughtful man. That’s what came across to me. Wasn’t afraid to look inside.
Very well said!
You guys have all nailed it with these remarks. What a magnificent concept -- exactly the type of Man we need to return to society in this day and age.
We loved him here too in Wales the UK Rick. So sad. "If I could read your mind" could have been written yesterday. I was 13 years old when thiis hit the UK charts in 1970. Beautiful beautiful beautiful! Always will be. Hat off to you Rick for this touching tribute. Thank you so much!
Beautiful. Like his song, 'Beautiful'.
I have cried for a week. I had a violent non communicative childhood and Gordon Lightfoots music was my escape into another world to imagine emotions and love. Thank you GL I hope I meet you in heavenly musical places ♥️🙏
I truly believe that Gordon will be waiting for you there, Anne!
Carefree Highway was my favorite. It always put me in a good mood, never failed. It was so upbeat.
I'm Australian. My Canadian boyfriend introduced me to G Lightfoot in '69. We courted to his music. We married with his music, his stories. His music has been the soundtrack of my life since then. I travelled across Canada to his music - a beautiful road trip I never wanted to end. I know the words to so many of his songs [even the Edmund Fitzgerald!]. Those stories - a conxummate musician, an unparalleled story teller. Vale the troubador
"If You Could Read My Mind" is just sublime. A Masterclass in songwriting, arrangement, recording, etc. Phenomenal lyrics sung by a voice equal parts gold and honey.
So many wonderful songs. What a beautiful gift he gave to the world.
"Read my mind" is a song that touches me like no other I've ever heard. Even today, it made me cry, uncontrollably, it's haunting. Words unbelievably original and special. Voice with timber like no other. What a gift to the world. I had no idea he was so prolific, and could write his own charts. What a gift from God, truly.
Maaaan......I am 64 and I am Jamaican. I thought something was wrong with me for a while when I first heard this song in the 70s. To this day that song makes me want to cry like a baby. He was definitely one of the greatest song writers and singers ever. RIP Gordon.
Tears in my eyes right now.
@@dlittlester I scrolled down just to see if I was the only one crying.
Greatest Song
I thought I was the only one. It’s not even the lyrics for me; the melody just destroys me every time. Thank you Rick for this video, and for those of you who made me realize I was in good company.
Arguably if it wasn't for Gordon's song, the Fitz wreck would probably be forgotten by most. He was one hell of a songwriter and performer.
It seems he knew the world needed that song and it will live on as long as civilization does.
If you're interested, the Headstones (a legendary Canadian band) did a cover of it a few years ago. Faster tempo. It might even be in the documentary Rick was talking about.
We have lost so many genius musicians in the last several years. Gordon Lightfoot is right there at the top. His music is just so wonderful to listen to. At 65, it makes me sad to lose these people. But, we will always have their music and I get comfort from that. Thank you for this video honoring Gordon Lightfoot.
We have lost one of the very best musicians and story tellers of all time. Talent like this only comes our way once in a lifetime.
I'm Australian. I've loved Sundown and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald since I was a kid, but about 20 years ago I went thru a Lightfoot phase and discovered so many other beautiful songs. For Lovin' Me, Carefree Highway, Early Morning Rain, Beautiful ... so many gorgeous melodies, with his characteristic lilt skipping across the top of the instruments like sun sparkling on water. RIP Gordon ❤
well said, Fiona. Fellow Australian, here.
And he recorded it in one take, he said.
This Australian always loved Gordon Lightfoot, his beautiful poetic songs, guitar and unique instantly recognisable voice. My favourite song among many has always been The Last Time I Saw Her followed closely by If You Could Read My Mind. His songs are timeless, I play them now and will always love them.
Thank you for this tribute to the music of Gordon Lightfoot. My introduction to his music was "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". The freighter went down when I was in 5th grade. I grew up on Lake Erie in Conneaut Ohio. Our parents used to take us down to the harbor to watch the ships being loaded and unloaded, the Edmund Fitzgerald among them. The wreck was a sober reminder of how quickly a storm can turn a beautiful lake into something so fierce and deadly. The haunting melody of the song always takes me back to the day we learned about the wreck and all the lives lost. It is wonderfully written and performed, one heck of a tribute.
Rick thank you for your knowledge and enthusiasm.
As a young guy growing up in the UK, I was aware of Gordon from a comedy series on tv in the 90's featuring a guy called Dom Jolly. When I first heard "if you could read my mind" , I was blown away. What a powerful song. Also went on to explore his work and found "Sundown", another masterpiece. Another legend gone.
His talents defy words. Poet-supreme. A brilliant ❤CANADIAN❤raised in small-town Ontario, Canada. From small-town to the world's most important stages. His songs were recorded long before auto-tune. Everything note you hear is all Gordon, singing, playing guitar, He had it all! The sound track of our lives, every song we carry in our hearts. He touched our lives in so many meaningful ways. ❤
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is so beautifully haunting. It's like you feel the atmosphere of what's happening. Such talent will never be matched. R.I.P. Gordon
Amazing that the first time the song was played, was the recording that made the album.
We were in that same storm, it was a night you never forget, and I was hundreds of miles south. When Gordon did the song, I took it as a personal tip of the hat to all of those that suffered, but also to all of us who remembered that night.
Who played electric guitar on that song?
He wrote that from a newspaper article.
Every time I fish Lake Superior, I think on Gordon's Song, paying respect to those who perished there.
Gordon Lightfoot has a big following here in the UK. I hope many young people will be checking out his songs for the first time today. May he rest in peace.
If I could sing, his voice is the one I would like to have. Another unforgettable artist from my childhood. Great job Canada!
I'm from Minnesota, and Gordon became HUGE here after "The Edmund Fitzgerald" came out. It was as though he became Minnesota's adopted son. And to this day I love going to Duluth or Ely or Grand Marais, and listen to Gordon's songs. All his songs scream Minnesota! As you drive along the North Shore of Lake Superior and listen to his songs you are on "Carefree Highway", or take a break at a rest stop on a cool rainy day wearing a sweatshirt and walking with a close friend, you become "Rainy Day People". Or the BEST, watching a sunset on Lake Superior while listening to "Sundown". You are right Rick. This man was one of a kind.
Gord was GOLD. My generation was SO LUCKY to have this man. His voice was both beautiful and haunting. His music 🎶 is timeless.