Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - "The Ballad" vs. "The Wreck": Which of the two song do you like better and why?

The Rez · 06-10-2005, 03:43 AM

bjb,

How true, to quote whoever first said "how true."

But the absolute most chilling event I've ever been part of in a concert was by Gord in the early 70's at The Universal Amphitheater in LA before the put a lid on it. (I've related this somewhere before, but don't know where - so, please give the ol' piano guy a little slack.)

Seated close to the stage, I watched/listened intently as Gord sand Affair on 8th Ave. When, in the song, the riddle is posed - followed by the answer - there occurs one of those dramatic pauses you mentioned.

This one time - and, saddly, one time only - Gord let that pause hang in the air like an all-encompasing presence. Close to 10 seconds of complete silence from a capacity crowd of some 8 thousand plus souls.

Still he did not go on, but just stood there and gazed out at the living sea before him. Finally, came the "answer." We could breathe again.

Those 10 to 15 seconds (an eternity of silence) is the single most devistating moment I've ever observed. Observed? Wrong. We were part of the song.

The Rez

. . . oh, for more

06-10-2005, 03:43 AM	#22
The Rez Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Balboa, CA, US of A Posts: 598	bjb, How true, to quote whoever first said "how true." But the absolute most chilling event I've ever been part of in a concert was by Gord in the early 70's at The Universal Amphitheater in LA before the put a lid on it. (I've related this somewhere before, but don't know where - so, please give the ol' piano guy a little slack.) Seated close to the stage, I watched/listened intently as Gord sand Affair on 8th Ave. When, in the song, the riddle is posed - followed by the answer - there occurs one of those dramatic pauses you mentioned. This one time - and, saddly, one time only - Gord let that pause hang in the air like an all-encompasing presence. Close to 10 seconds of complete silence from a capacity crowd of some 8 thousand plus souls. Still he did not go on, but just stood there and gazed out at the living sea before him. Finally, came the "answer." We could breathe again. Those 10 to 15 seconds (an eternity of silence) is the single most devistating moment I've ever observed. Observed? Wrong. We were part of the song. The Rez . . . oh, for more __________________ I came to Love the Music Before I came to Be [Psalm 139:13]