Avid fans get to choose... [Archive] - Gordon Lightfoot Forums

JohnStinson

03-01-2009, 02:22 PM

Maybe this question is new ...its new for me. I am just sitting here in Southern Ontario..drinking wine...strumming a few chords of Gordie tunes ..from the Corfid lyrics pages.. When it dawned on me.

What is the worst GL song?

The one you don't like to hear.

The one you don't like to play (cause Gordie taught alot of us to think we could play guitar..so we strumb away).

I have to think about it for awhile...but until I review it in my mind ..I think mine is Uncle Toad Said.

charlene

03-01-2009, 02:54 PM

oh my..that's not a fave of mine either..not keen on Endless Wire..
there's been a couple of threads in the past about this but some new folks might have some thoughts.
hmmm...
seems wrong to even contemplate a least fave Lightfoot tune...lol

03-01-2009, 02:55 PM

Ohhh.......this is an easy one........

"Canary Yellow Canoe"

For me, it has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

charlene

03-01-2009, 02:56 PM

Ohhh.......this is an easy one........

"Canary Yellow Canoe"

For me, it has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

it's a good geography lesson/travelogue!!
;)

03-01-2009, 03:13 PM

it's a good geography lesson/travelogue!!
;)

Ma'am,

That may be true, but when a message is so painful to listen to, I tend to block it out. I've pulled a few withered muscles grasping for the remote to 'skip' that tune.

JohnStinson

03-01-2009, 04:03 PM

Sorry, my thread...my rules... Yellow Canoe wasn't on an official 'album'. Songbook doesn't count. See, even GL and the 'team' new something was wrong with the 'Yellow Canoe' tune.

So song has to be on one of the 'official ' twenty.

But Yellow Canoe is totally not anywhere near the top of my list of favorites. Below the half way point for sure.

charlene

03-01-2009, 04:07 PM

you didn't state that rule in the first post tho..
;)
so i think CYC should count..
after all Ron has suffered grievous bodily harm in trying to NOT listen to it.
lol

joveski

03-01-2009, 04:35 PM

pussywillows cat tails
the last time i saw her
may i
first time ever i saw her face
beautiful....................... (runs and hides!)

Unsettled 1

03-01-2009, 05:52 PM

Lest anyone forget "Ringneck Loon"...
But "Uncle Toad Said" is definitely right up there.

Yuri

03-01-2009, 05:53 PM

Does Gord have a worst song????
I suppose I could pass on 'Ode To Big Blue' and 'Couchiching'
hey? what's wrong with canary yellow canoes???

Jenney

03-01-2009, 06:39 PM

Hands down, "May I". Nothing comes even close to that one for me.

JohnStinson

03-01-2009, 07:50 PM

Interesting...OK..If you had a top 5 bad ones.
BAD
Uncle Toad Said
Couchiching - I agree
Boathouse
My Little Love
On Yonge Street

..comments
May I - don't agree..not my favorite..but its acceptable
Pussy Willows - don't agree. .used to like it more..Paul Bartlett loves it
Beautifull - no way ...this is great ..one of the first ones i learned to play
The First Time ever I Saw... no way ..good song
Ode To Big Blue - i think its good. great whale story.. good bass lines

JohnStinson

03-01-2009, 07:52 PM

oh missed one..

Ringneck Loon... not my favorite ..but its far from the worst

Tim

03-01-2009, 08:07 PM

You know, this is a curious thread. With this group, whenever someone mentions a "least favorite" Gord tune, someone else reading the thread gets stung because it's a sentimental favorite of theirs.

The song "Beautiful" was mentioned above as a "least fave." This one was played at my wedding 27 years ago and my wife and I still love it when Gord plays this one in concert. "Pussywillows, Cattails" was also mentioned as a "least fav." For me, this song will always evoke memories of 16 years ago driving to the hospital in the middle of the night with my wife in labor with our first child. On the way to the hospital I hit "Play" on the tape player (it was before the era of CD players in cars) and the strains of "Pussywillows, Cattails" came flowing out. To this day, my wife affirms that this song calmed her a great deal during the trip to the hospital. Less than one hour after we arrived at the hospital, our son was born. He has since grown up to be an avid GL fan.

So, I'm not going to venture out and slam a GL song that most likely has special meaning to someone else out there. Thanks for listening.

JohnStinson

03-01-2009, 08:11 PM

You are right Tim...but...

I am willing to bet a gazillion dollars that absolutely no one out there likes Uncle Toad Said. or should i say has a special moment in their hearts and past special memories that the song brings.

What do you think. ??

JohnStinson

03-01-2009, 08:16 PM

oh and Char...what are you thinking..Endless Wire.

I can understand it not being a favorite.

I've heard some diss it for those two crazy rythyms ... and that it sounded like it should have been two different songs.

But for me it still hangs together for me.

Tim

03-01-2009, 08:17 PM

Fair enough John. Lets put it to the group. Is there anyone out there who has a special affection for "Uncle Toad?"

03-01-2009, 08:40 PM

Fair enough John. Lets put it to the group. Is there anyone out there who has a special affection for "Uncle Toad?"

And silence was cast upon the earth.......

charlene

03-01-2009, 08:44 PM

I don`t really care if someone doesn`t like a song that I like - it`s not gong to change my view or reasons for liking it..and hopefully it won`t be troublesome to someone that a song I may not like is one they do.
To each his or her own as long it`s put forth respectfully.

But come on!! NOT liking BEAUTIFUL! wattsamattaforyou!
sheesh!!!!!!!!!!
lol

Tim

03-01-2009, 09:15 PM

And silence was cast upon the earth.......

RM,
You gave a total of 23 minutes before declaring silence being cast upon the earth. You may be right, but give it some more time.

03-01-2009, 09:25 PM

RM,
You gave a total of 23 minutes before declaring silence being cast upon the earth. You may be right, but give it some more time.

Fair enough....sorry about that....it was a "rush to judgment" on my part.

teherie

03-01-2009, 10:47 PM

I have lots of favorites but I would be hard pressed to think of a Gordon Lightfoot song I really don't like. He even does a great job on picking songs from others to cover (i.e. Changes (Phil Ochs) and Ring Them Bells (Bob Dylan)). "Beautiful" was played at my wedding too and there must have been some power behind those lyrics. 30 years this September so maybe I will have to spring for some lemon lilies as in Whisper My Name.

Ode to Big Blue is a great story song and and the high string lead guitar is fantastic. I was just listening to it in the car today.

JohnStinson

03-02-2009, 12:31 AM

So far no takers on Uncle Toad.

I think we found one.

A stinker that is.

joveski

03-02-2009, 05:03 AM

wrong!. i like Uncle Toad Said

formerlylavender

03-02-2009, 09:51 AM

RWGuinn

03-02-2009, 12:54 PM

I don't mind Uncle Toad Said. It doesn't have any special memories for me, but I don't skip it or anything.

Ringneck Loon and Canary Yellow Canoe are two of my least favorite. Allow me to add My Pony Won't Go from ODR - can't get into that one.
I'll go with CYC and MPWG. I generally skip them
Ring-neck loon I kinda like. I even used it for my ringtone for a former co-worker...
Add Boathouse to the skip list for me.

JohnStinson

03-02-2009, 01:11 PM

unbelievable...joveski!!

Well thats it then. Uncle Toad Said is liked.

Anyone else or is joveski the only one??

But I gotta ask.... is it really liked or are you just saying that.?? It certainly isn't your favorite ...is it?

Your list of disliked GL tunes is remarkably shocking. IMHO. But that's OK.

As far as My Pony Won't Go... - I am in agreement...not my cup of tea either.

charlene

03-02-2009, 01:15 PM

He's just being ornery..lol
;)

johnfowles

03-02-2009, 02:08 PM

some funny selections have arisen
I have always loved Gord's fantastic interpretation of Ewan McColl's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" the second recording by Gord (after the too neglected Spin Spin")that I heard on Montreal radio station CHFM in 1966.And Couchiching?I can understand some finding it annoying but to see Gord sing it live with such relish is magical in my book.
I was very disappointed last year however when of all the great songs he never performs nowadays he elected to add "My Little Love" to the 2008 rotation (at least for the earlier concerts),as that has to be my most unfavourite song on the Sit Down Young Stranger album

joveski

03-02-2009, 07:47 PM

Don Quixote

03-02-2009, 07:59 PM

Sorry, I like Uncle Toad just fine. Boathouse and Yonge Street can be skipped every time I play PPT. May I is a song that is not great, but has a slightly cute premise and some playful lyrics. Just going down the list, it's amazing there aren't more songs on the negative list, but almost every one has some redeeming quality.
DQ

Tim

03-03-2009, 12:46 AM

I remember a post reviewing a Gord concert from a few years back - around the time of the release of the "A Painter Passing Through" album. (not sure if it was here, or on the other Lightfoot newsgroup) The post included an amusing event, where a fan set a large ceramic toad on the stage in anticipation of Gord singing "Uncle Toad Said."

Does anyone else remember that?

Doug

03-03-2009, 01:03 AM

I'll go along with Jenney on "May I" and add "Blackberry Wine". CYC and "Flyin Blind" are torture to listen too,

At first I didn't like Couchiching but it grew on me after I realized it could have been his final number there.

I have a special liking for Ring Neck Loon and Uncle Toad is just fine. Perhaps because the first time I met Gord (and Jenney) was at the APPT signing at Sam's in May of 1998 and later the same year in San Diego when the boxed set deal was first presented to Gord by Thane.

I don't care much for Welcome to Try and I almost always skip MPWG.

Of all of them, the one I'd be embarrassed to let a friend know Gordon Lightfoot wrote it would have to be May I

joveski

03-03-2009, 03:39 AM

the whole of APPT through touches me because i bought just as my granfather died and every song reminds me of him.

Welcome to try is another that never grabbed me - it seems unfinishedd

JohnStinson

03-03-2009, 11:55 AM

If I knew how to do the Poll thing ..I'd start a Poll for what is thought to be the least..but alas I don't...

APPT...seems to have a number of least favorites... maybe this is the least favorite album...don't know. (..but I respect joveski's remark about APPT)

Does anyone have the # copies sold of each album. .. ??

Summertime Dream or Sundown were his most sales ...weren't they??

Had a grin when i read about grabbing the remote to "skip" a song. I do that too..of course.
Doing the 'skip' play as your listening to an album is certainly a clue to how you much you like the song...
But depending on my mood ...I'll even skip songs like Beautiful ..
so its not a defining moment just a 'sign post' for me.

I have heard its said by pundits and critics that GL's best work was his first album. So many hits.

I used to think many years ago that GL had a formula for putting his albums together.. You know.. 2 soft guitar ballads.. one long repetitive sounding story song. ..A lite melodic one. That kind of thing. Then there were these ones I couldn't categorize... like Uncle Toad Said...Yonge St. They were always the ones I liked least.

03-03-2009, 12:39 PM

If I knew how to do the Poll thing ..I'd start a Poll for what is thought to be the least..but alas I don't...

The poll thing is fairly simple. Start a new thread, scroll down below the text box and select the "poll option", and then submit the 'new thread'. At this point, you will be able to specify the number of choices and what they are, along with the number of days you wish to leave to leave the poll open.

I have one going in the Small Talk forum : song vs song competition :

http://www.corfid.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=19375

It's an effort to limit the 'final' poll to no more than 10 choices. Right now, there are far more suggested songs than that.

Borderstone

03-03-2009, 04:35 PM

Well i do recall this being a topic but it was years ago.

In my own case it's the more "serious" ones that I've tried to get into but just cannot.

"Cold Hands From New York"
"Protocol"
"Black Day In July" (like it a bit more than before)
"Brave Mountaineers"

Then there's the one's that just don't click with me (sorry in advance) :biggrin: :

Biscuit City
Blackberry Wine
Someone To Believe In ( Got someone's ire up last time I said that).
Race Among The Ruins
May I
The Gypsy (Diddle-dee-dum,diddle dee dee!) :rolleyes:

A few more but can;t think right now.

03-03-2009, 04:49 PM

since i can list 50 i really love and another 150 i really like, i don't feel too bad listing several he must have laid down after consuming a few bad cookies

anything for love

may i

fading away

songs the minstrel sang

sweet guinevere

stationmaster

cobwebs and dust

baby step back

somethign very special

all i'm after

no hotel

no others

bjm7777

03-04-2009, 11:05 PM

My remarks under the Poll thread about the top least favorite songs should have been posted here. Sorry all....BM

Nightingale

03-05-2009, 12:58 AM

Oh yeah, I forgot all about "Blackberry Wine"...lol. Not on my favorite list. I feel the same way about "Cobwebs and Dust".

BendRick

03-05-2009, 01:39 AM

This is hard to do, as I love the man's music; however i admit to skipping past several songs because they are annoying. Here they are:
Cold Hands from New York
Cobwebs and dust
I'd do it again
Bells of the evening
Anything for love
You just gotta be
Ringneck Loon
On Younge St.
Ring them bells
No mistake about it
Shellfish

I have no problem with May I, can't he be forgiven for the madness that was the 1960's? It's clearly a song written for children, like Pony Man.

bjm7777

03-05-2009, 09:29 AM

Man, my pony ain't going at all this early morning.......I have casually observed that while there are some songs that appear universally disliked, there is still quite a variation. I like some of the ones that others don't, and so forth.
I guess I should add the sea shanties to my "diss list", but it's a matter of taste, because the story told in "Ghosts of Cape Horn" is pretty compelling - the legend od ghost ships wandering the ocean have been around for a few hundred years. Gordon once referred to the Edmund Fitzgerald as a "modern day Flying Dutchman". So I don't know...another man's trash is another man's treasure when it comes to all these songs, but one thing's certain - I can't write any music at all.....

JohnStinson

03-05-2009, 01:18 PM

All I'm After - Shandows -1982

..GL made one mistake on this, IMHO, and someone already commented..

"..i guess i got it maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaade'

What got into him??

For me the song is very OK except for that part.

Romance - Salute -1983

Someone somewhere said Romance was one of their least favorite. When I first bought the album its the only one I replayed again and again. My wife really thought it was good too. I like the way it rolls along...up and down.

Some else put these down as least, here's my thoughts on them
Cold Hands from New York B
Cobwebs and dust - D
I'd do it again - C+
Bells of the evening B+
Anything for love B
You just gotta be C
Ringneck Loon C
On Younge St. F
Ring them bells A
No mistake about it C-
Shellfish B-

Somewhere..somehow ... there are a small # of GL songs that a good majority of GL lightheads think are 'F'.

Here's another thought...someone just brought it up as well... song order on the albums. Could a song be better placed.. Oh forget it.
I gotta get back to whatever I was doing..

03-05-2009, 02:11 PM

Here's another thought...someone just brought it up as well... song order on the albums. Could a song be better placed..

Along that line........In the usenet newsgroup, a regular poster was/is Richard Harison, Lightfoot's tour manager (?), during his rise to fame.

I once posed the question if there was a method used to determine the placement of songs on an album. His response was "No".

Just a FYI.

JohnStinson

03-05-2009, 07:35 PM

...I have casually observed that while there are some songs that appear universally disliked, .

Thats my point for starting this foolish analysis..

What are they???

Thank you bjm7777.

hkusam

03-05-2009, 08:01 PM

Hi!
Uncle Toad is genuine! Although, true enough...."when Uncle Toad spoke it was not a pretty sight" is not great stuff...I suppose if Uncle Toad moved it wouldn't be a very pretty sound either. And I likely wouldn't play it at a wedding, but it rocks away, so I'd say it's just fine.
Keeping to the animal theme....hands down, "My Pony Won't go"...has to be the all time
worst. Someone might have an interpretation of it somewhere, but they'd also have to explain how the melody is also such a dreary one.
(Gord will forgive me for posting this, I'm sure)
Hkusam

teherie

03-05-2009, 09:16 PM

As I read through this topic, I find myself wondering if anyone posting has any idea how difficult it is for an artist to maintain a creative edge when they are under contract by a record company executive who is pressuring them to crank out work that the exec thinks will sell. Milt Okun (John Denver's producer) said that RCA exec's dropped him from their label without warning even though he had outsold every artist but Elvis.

I read somewhere that a critic once panned one of Comedian/Actor/Writer Steve Martin's books. Steve's reply?

"Considering I started out with a bunch of blank paper, I thought it turned out pretty well."

joveski

03-05-2009, 10:11 PM

JohnStinson

03-05-2009, 10:37 PM

... difficult it is for an artist to maintain a creative edge when they are under contract by a record company executive who is pressuring them to crank out work that the exec thinks will sell.

I think this is true... but I wouldn't know.

If it is true...I think GL's best work was when he was under those constraints. I can't recall or maybe I never knew if APPT in 1998 (i think) was an album he recorded independently. His later ones were for sure.

..And thats the one with with UNCLE TOAD SAID.

Nightingale

03-06-2009, 12:31 AM

teherie, I think you can see that out of the 200+ songs that Gordon has written, we only have a handful that we don't like around here.
The polls are for the interest factor and bacause we are all bored and have nothing better to do with our time right now...lol.

I can't think of any musician / songwriter that I admire more than Mr. Lightfoot :)
Even his bad songs are pretty good.