Hats off to you, Gordon! What are your favorite Gordon Lightfoot compositions?

Question

A big shout-out to Gordon Lightfoot, one of my favorite singer-songwriters, last night inducted into the American Songwriters Hall of Fame. Gordon, previously was the inaugural inductee of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. A Canadian treasure still going strong at 73. I look forward to seeing you again, this November at Massey Hall.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2012/06/14/lightfoot-songwriters-us.html

"Cotton Jenny"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeVM4PJyH-E&feature=related
Most notably a hit for Anne Murray, "Cotton Jenny" was written and originally recorded by Gordon on his 1971 album Summer Side of Life. Great song!

"Early Morning Rain"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFJ5Bj_put0&feature=related
"Early Morning Rain", composed and recorded by Gordon on his debut album Lightfoot! He wrote the song in 1964, supposedly inspired by seeing a friend off at the Los Angeles airport several years previous. The general narrative of the song can be taken as a sort of jet-age musical allegory to a hobo of yesteryear lurking around a railroad yard attempting to surreptitiously board and ride a freight train. It's been covered by many artists, appearing on albums by Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Peter, Paul and Mary, and Ian and Sylvia, amongst others.

"Bitter Green"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1FVMIwESsY
First released by Gordon in 1968, this song was also a hit for Ronnie Hawkins in Canada (1970). It's a ballad about a woman who roams the hillsides above the town for years waiting for her lover to come home.

Thank you, Gordon!

Have a great weekend, all!

Martin · Accepted Answer

Man Harvey, where to start? I'm a long time admirer...
I'm particularly fond of the United Artists era records, and I still have them all on vinyl :) Not only are the songs uniformly good, but Red Shea and John Stockfish provided the perfect backdrop. 

I'll go with the entire first album, minus the three covers, plus these-

Walls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6v7E4AmWNI
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzo6Otpgj-E
Home From The Forest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIQNGZ8Ncy8
Did She Mention My Name
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeAkoakbmVA
Long Thin Dawn
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsSXM6zvExk

I could go on and on...

25 or more years ago I took my girlfriend at the time on a week-long road/camping trip up the California coast and back down highway 49 through the gold rush country. Several Lightfoot mix tapes were the only soundtrack. It was a perfect blend of scenery, romance, and music.

I'll end with two great covers(I can't help myself)

Nanci Griffith-Ten Degrees & Getting Colder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5ZFXVYTgNQ

Tony Rice-Bitter Green
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3H0SpHihdA

Tony is a huge Lightfoot fan and has covered Gordon's songs on many of his own albums. In fact, he released an entire album of covers-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Rice_Sings_Gordon_Lightfoot

To paraphrase Dylan, every time I hear one of his songs, I wish it would last forever.

dman63 · Answer

Sundown
Carefree Highway
Rainy Day People
Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
The Circle Is Small
Daylight Katy
Salute
Early Morning Rain

Ms Lety · Answer

Cogratulations Gordon Lightfoot!

Sundown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOOs-MqDOI0&feature=player_embedded

Your Uncle Dodge! · Answer

Old Dan's Records
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiN6ymqsWz4

The Circle Is Small
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ9hUacNvXI

Carefree Highway
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM-5NvdMdCY&feature=related

Congrats to Gordon!!

~~Birdy~~ · Answer

If You Could Read My Mind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta0a3DFUU0Y

Thank you for the suggestion. I'm going to check more of his stuff today.

YAY Gordon!

Penny · Answer

Great selection, Harvey...thanks for sharing....
My all time favourites would be..

The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald-- when in the States...I live in Ohio...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0DqPSF2fyo

If You Could Read My Mind:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2DjqB0SO9M

Have a wonderful week-end, Harvey!

? · Answer

congrats gordon

wreck of the edmund fitzgerald
sundown
if you could read my mind
black day in july
candian railroad trilogy
carefree highway
wherefore & why

Lone Woof · Answer

Hard to beat Sundown and Edmund Fitzgerald.

Ali Girl · Answer

"Carefree Highway" is one of my favorites by Gordon.
He most definitely deserves the honors.

? · Answer

Canadian Railroad Trilogy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzo6Otpgj-E

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw

anyone stumbling on this question by accident and not heard of lightfoot should listen to these two great tracks.....your welcome

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Hats off to you, Gordon! What are your favorite Gordon Lightfoot compositions?

12 Answers