Richie Havens cover of I Can't Make It Anymore-anybody know this?
I just came across the following reference in a record review which reads: "Havens settles into Gordon Lightfoot's desolate anthem of mental and physical impotence, I Can't Make It Anymore, and the hush is deafening." I've seen this song mentioned in connection with other Havens albums such as MIXED BAG (1966/67 - produced by John Court). Anybody heard GL do this live in concert?
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I have that song covered by Richie Havens, Fresh Air, Original Cast, McKendree Spring and Spyder Turner. Alas, I have yet to hear Gordon sing it.
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quote:Originally posted by Auburn Annie:
"Havens settles into Gordon Lightfoot's desolate anthem of mental and physical impotence." <p>What is that supposed to mean? Doesn't sound very positive to me. |
I have to declare that I am not Richie Havens number 1 fan. He absolutely murdered Harry Chapin's WOLD. So I dread to think what he would do to a Lighfoot song. Quite frankly, I would sooner not know.
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I am not familiar with Richie Havens either. So, I can not comment on his cover of the Chapin song. But, I thought his rendition of the Lightfoot tune was just outstanding. Very much worth a listen.
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I always thought Havens had some talent, but besides his cover of "Here Comes the Sun"
I have never heard him do much that's distinctive. Vocally, he's pretty limited. I think his main claim to fame, as it were, was an apperance at Woodstock. |
Richie Havens covered I Can't Make it Anymore back in 1967 on the Album Mixed Bag. Unfortunately, I've yet to hear it. I discovered Havens in 1994 when he released Cuts to the Chase. I've been a fan ever since. His cover of Darkness Darkness was the first time I ever truly heard the lyrics of that song, and I was blown away by it. He is an excellent song writer as well, but some of his cover versions of other's songs are amazing to me. I'd love to hear his cover of Lightfoot's song.
quote:Originally posted by Rob1956: I always thought Havens had some talent, but besides his cover of "Here Comes the Sun" I have never heard him do much that's distinctive. Vocally, he's pretty limited. I think his main claim to fame, as it were, was an apperance at Woodstock. ------------------ What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. --R.W. Emerson |
VBH - e-mail me.
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Always liked Richie Havens. Was particularly intrigued by his guitar playing....the fingering. But Violet, I agree....he blows me away, also. ------------------ lam |
I don't want to slip and reveal my age (I'll be 50 on May 13, 2003, oops) but I must admit I was really there (at age 16) and saw Havens' performance at Woodstock. He's fine if that's your taste but all things considered I prefer Gordon Lightfoot in a nice dry seat... (and when the movie came out we went to see it three times to see if we could spot ourselves: no pics of me but one of the people climbing the towers and getting yelled out to get down was one of my travelling companions...)
Bill http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif [This message has been edited by BILLW (edited December 31, 2002).] |
Lam. I play a little guitar (must get a bigger one) and am intrigued by alternate tunings and the associated fingerings. Richie Havens does have a style. He seems to tune his guitar to a chord, D something or other, and frets mostly with his thumb picking up 7ths & 9ths with his index and middle fingers. Pretty effective.
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MajorSirGerryPending,
Yes! I believe you've got that right!! It's the fretting with his thumb that intrigued me from way back. I play a little, too,.... very little, *lol*, but I really could never figure out what he was doing. Thanks! ------------------ lam [This message has been edited by LAM3346E (edited December 31, 2002).] |
Rickcee. You are almost right, but not quite. Major Sir Gerry has the right idea.
http://www.richiehavens.com/GUITA001.jpg This is a picture of Richie freting a major chord. He has the guitar tuned to open D. He is at the 5th fret. Playing a G chord. I think we can agree he is using his thumb. |
Check out the sample on amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0 00001FOM/qid=1042840622/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/103-0788660-6657438?v=glance&s=music ...and the words from Wayne's site: http://www.lightfoot.ca/icantmak.htm I Can't Make It Anymore -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I get too low with no reason You say it's the moon or maybe the season But something's not the same and I won't let my mind believe Baby something's wrong, all the feeling's gone I can't make it anymore, I can't make it anymore Lately I don't feel much like talking Instead of going home I just go out walking And thinking too much and not longing for your touch Baby something's changed, I don't feel the same I can't make it anymore, I can't make it anymore Don't know the reason why, but I just can't lie When I feel this way, there are things that I must say Can't make it anymore, I can't make it anymore I can't make it anymore, I can't make it anymore Oh anymore Where did we go wrong, where do I belong Let me find out when did it all begin Why I'm leaving you, why our love is through I can't make it anymore, I can't make it anymore [This message has been edited by on-susan's-floor (edited January 17, 2003).] |
The title of a Gordon Lightfoot-composed song that he never recorded!(according to him when I spoke with him back stage at a concert in Cleveland a few years ago)...it was recorded by Ritchie Havens (on Verve-Forecast "Mixed Bag" LP and on 45) and by Spyder Turner on an M-G-M 45...if you don't know this song you MUST locate...is GREAT and I wish GL had recorded himself...he said he "never got around to it"...but I neglected to ask him how he thought Havens had heard it to know he wanted to record it?!?
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quote:Originally posted by fortyfivesfrank:
The title of a Gordon Lightfoot-composed song that he never recorded!(according to him when I spoke with him back stage at a concert in Cleveland a few years ago)...it was recorded by Ritchie Havens (on Verve-Forecast "Mixed Bag" LP and on 45) and by Spyder Turner on an M-G-M 45...if you don't know this song you MUST locate...is GREAT and I wish GL had recorded himself...he said he "never got around to it"...but I neglected to ask him how he thought Havens had heard it to know he wanted to record it?!? I have the Ritchie Havens version. http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif |
Thr Spyder Turner version was actually released as a single and made the Billboard Hot 100 peaking at about #97,if I recall what I read at the downtown library. Gotta get it! http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif
------------------ "A knight of the road,going back to a place where he might get warm." ;) - Borderstone |
Can someone post the lyrics? Sounds like it would describe my life.(Not my entire life, just some).
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Can someone post the lyrics? Sounds like it would describe my life.(Not my entire life, just some).
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quote:Originally posted by DMD3:
Can someone post the lyrics? Sounds like it would describe my life.(Not my entire life, just some). Hey Duncan have you ever heard of Google or visited Wayne Francis's site?? shame on you!! try:- http://www.lightfoot.ca/icantmak.htm And/Or http://spikesmusic.spike-jamie.com/f...T-ANY-MORE.pdf ------------------ My Gordon Lightfoot webring starts at http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfoot |
quote:Originally posted by DMD3:
Can someone post the lyrics? Sounds like it would describe my life.(Not my entire life, just some). Hey Duncan have you ever heard of Google or visited Wayne Francis's site?? shame on you!! try:- http://www.lightfoot.ca/icantmak.htm And/Or http://spikesmusic.spike-jamie.com/f...T-ANY-MORE.pdf ------------------ My Gordon Lightfoot webring starts at http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfoot |
quote:Originally posted by johnfowles:
Quote:
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quote:Originally posted by johnfowles:
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Does anyone know if there is a Gord version of his I Can't Make it Anymore, and if not, why?.....Richie Havens has been a marvelous part of my music library, but nothing approaches his 2nd album, Mixed Bag, and on it is that Lightfoot tune....having gone thru all of Gord's albums thru the years, I was expecting at some point to hear his version of the song...maybe years later so as not to shadow Richie and his cover of the song, but I've not heard it..
what say you, you Learned Lightfoot Scholars??? Barry |
Does anyone know if there is a Gord version of his I Can't Make it Anymore, and if not, why?.....Richie Havens has been a marvelous part of my music library, but nothing approaches his 2nd album, Mixed Bag, and on it is that Lightfoot tune....having gone thru all of Gord's albums thru the years, I was expecting at some point to hear his version of the song...maybe years later so as not to shadow Richie and his cover of the song, but I've not heard it..
what say you, you Learned Lightfoot Scholars??? Barry |
I had the good fortune to meet Gord backstage in Cleveland about 5 years ago and asked him about that song (I also have it on a 45 by Havens & by Spyder Turner-MGM)..Gord said he NEVER RECORDED IT! I asked why and he said he just "never got around to it". I wish I'd asked him how Havens/Turner had heard it if GL didn't record it????? but I neglected to ask that question..Next time I will!
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Havens probably heard it live - it's an early Lightfoot song, one Gord likely sang in the coffeehouses in Toronto and in New York. There was a LOT of cross-pollination in the early 60s among musicians.
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Annie, I think you're right.......songs were picked up often via coffee house....(off of Gord for a second, but I was at a place just north of NYC, Turning Point, and I was there to see Kenny Rankin...who does some super covers of Gord songs, btw, and I sat down, turned, and behind me was Richie Havens...very good friends with Kenny...Richie was kind enough to ask me to contact his office for a concert series I had, thru his and my friendship with Peter Yarrow, but the concert series concluded without his participation....I'm hoping to resurrect that series, we had some wonderful folks performing)
Back to the song, let's see if, with his health returned, Gord will give us THE version of I can't make it anymore!!!!.....Pass the word to him, those of you who have more direct contact with him |
Annie, I think you're right.......songs were picked up often via coffee house....(off of Gord for a second, but I was at a place just north of NYC, Turning Point, and I was there to see Kenny Rankin...who does some super covers of Gord songs, btw, and I sat down, turned, and behind me was Richie Havens...very good friends with Kenny...Richie was kind enough to ask me to contact his office for a concert series I had, thru his and my friendship with Peter Yarrow, but the concert series concluded without his participation....I'm hoping to resurrect that series, we had some wonderful folks performing)
Back to the song, let's see if, with his health returned, Gord will give us THE version of I can't make it anymore!!!!.....Pass the word to him, those of you who have more direct contact with him |
speaking of cross-pollination and richie havens.... I was at a RH show in Denver a few months ago, and he spoke of a young man back in the very early 60's who really liked a song that RH wrote and wondered if RH would sell it to him. That's why you see Bob Dylan's name instead of Haven's name as the author of ... "All Along the Watchtower"
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speaking of cross-pollination and richie havens.... I was at a RH show in Denver a few months ago, and he spoke of a young man back in the very early 60's who really liked a song that RH wrote and wondered if RH would sell it to him. That's why you see Bob Dylan's name instead of Haven's name as the author of ... "All Along the Watchtower"
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never heard that, re All Along Watchtower...will ask Richie about that, or Peter Yarrow, very close friend to Richie...interesting...
Barry |
never heard that, re All Along Watchtower...will ask Richie about that, or Peter Yarrow, very close friend to Richie...interesting...
Barry |
Lightfoot At Woodstock '69
Gordon Lightfoot At Woodstock ‘69 ….well not really. But his unreleased song ‘I Can’t Make It Anymore’ was reverberated across Yasgar’s Farm on the second day of festivities when Richie Havens opened.Auburn Annie previously posted about this song back in 2002 but no sound/video clips were offered in the thread. http://www.corfid.com/vbb/showthread...=richie+havens Below is the clip of his Woodstock performance on August 15th, 1969. Richie’s unique style certainly makes it hard to recognize this as Gord’s composition. Below is the same song performed by Spyder Turner. I believe Spyder’s claim to fame was his contributing some tunes to the ‘Stand By Me’ movie soundtrack. Quite a different interpretation of the same material. |
Re: Lightfoot At Woodstock '69
Hey Yuri,
How are you doing man, this is a great find, The people were lovely in "69" at Yasgur's Farm.(flower people) And to see that turntable playing the 45, listening to music now a days has sure change a lot. Seem so simple back then. Always did like Richie Havens and his guitar playing... Thanks for posting this mu good man. :) |
Re: Lightfoot At Woodstock '69
two VERY different takes! wow - I'd have to say I prefer Richie Havens version..only because I can't hear the other version in my head with Lightfoot's voice boppin' along to that beat..
I'll have to show lisa the record player and how it worked and how her old mother listened to music "back in the day"... ;) |
Re: Lightfoot At Woodstock '69
Yuri,
thanks for those...very nice and a lot of interest value. I like both versions and even though they are quite different from one another, they both appeal to me. I would never guess that Gordon Lightfoot wrote that song. :) |
Richie Havens has died
Richie Havens has died at 72.. http://www.billboard.com/articles/ne...end-dead-at-72
The man who opened the 1969 Woodstock festival, died on Monday morning from a sudden heart attack at his home in New Jersey, according to his publicist. He turned 72 in January. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA51w...ature=youtu.be |
Re: Richie Havens has died
Jenney found this great live version of the tune written by Lightfoot for and about Richie. "I Can't Make It Anymore" They both shared Albert Grossman as an agent in the 60's.
I liked his version of Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_Bag |
Re: Richie Havens has died
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