Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post

Auburn Annie · 04-27-2007, 09:58 AM

Gordon Lightfoot still captivating
BY ROB JENNINGS
DAILY RECORD
Friday, April 27, 2007

SPARTA -- Gordon Lightfoot's folk singing career peaked in the mid-1970s, just as I was becoming aware of music.

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," his signature hit from 1976 about a shipwreck on Lake Superior, is among the first songs I can remember.

Then, for a quarter-century, Lightfoot faded from my consciousness.

A few years ago, I noticed Lightfoot's "Greatest Hits" CD at the mall and bought it.

Though not much of a folk music fan -- heavy metal, pop and classic rock defined my high school and college years -- I found myself really enjoying his compilation of 20 songs.

"If You Could Read My Mind" perfectly captured the melancholy of love run its course.

There was something equally unforgettable about "Sundown," another big hit.

Who among us hasn't wanted to slip away on the "Carefree Highway?"

For readers younger than 35, Lightfoot might be best known for a Seinfeld episode in which Elaine confuses his name with Edmund Fitzgerald, the song title.

That bit of pop culture immortality aside, it is worth noting that Lightfoot was a significant music force who also wrote songs for Elvis Presley, Peter Paul & Mary, and others.

So, on hearing that Lightfoot would perform last Friday night in Sparta, my wife and I decided to go.

The McNeice Auditorium was nearly filled when Lightfoot and his band took the stage just after 8 p.m.

Lightfoot, 68, looked fit despite some significant health crises. He endured a near-fatal abdominal hemorrhage in 2002 and what was described as a minor stroke in 2006.

His singing voice, while still captivating, was missing some of the depth from his recordings.

Fans didn't seem to mind.

Including a 25-minute intermission, the concert lasted slightly more than two hours. Lightfoot sang "Edmund Fitzgerald" just before the break.

"If You Could Read My Mind" was his strongest performance of the night, with the timeless lyrics -- I don't know where we went wrong/but the feeling's gone/and I just can't get it back.

Lightfoot mostly stuck to singing but drew laughter with a few playful asides, such as when he incredulously asked, "Where is Sparta?"

He told how Presley, in recording Lightfoot's "Early Mornin' Rain," changed "as cold and drunk as I can be" to "as cold and drunk as I might be."

"I'm not without sin," Lightfoot said with a chuckle before another song.

That was OK. He was among friends Friday night.

04-27-2007, 09:58 AM	#1
Auburn Annie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 3,101	Gordon Lightfoot still captivating BY ROB JENNINGS DAILY RECORD Friday, April 27, 2007 SPARTA -- Gordon Lightfoot's folk singing career peaked in the mid-1970s, just as I was becoming aware of music. "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," his signature hit from 1976 about a shipwreck on Lake Superior, is among the first songs I can remember. Then, for a quarter-century, Lightfoot faded from my consciousness. A few years ago, I noticed Lightfoot's "Greatest Hits" CD at the mall and bought it. Though not much of a folk music fan -- heavy metal, pop and classic rock defined my high school and college years -- I found myself really enjoying his compilation of 20 songs. "If You Could Read My Mind" perfectly captured the melancholy of love run its course. There was something equally unforgettable about "Sundown," another big hit. Who among us hasn't wanted to slip away on the "Carefree Highway?" For readers younger than 35, Lightfoot might be best known for a Seinfeld episode in which Elaine confuses his name with Edmund Fitzgerald, the song title. That bit of pop culture immortality aside, it is worth noting that Lightfoot was a significant music force who also wrote songs for Elvis Presley, Peter Paul & Mary, and others. So, on hearing that Lightfoot would perform last Friday night in Sparta, my wife and I decided to go. The McNeice Auditorium was nearly filled when Lightfoot and his band took the stage just after 8 p.m. Lightfoot, 68, looked fit despite some significant health crises. He endured a near-fatal abdominal hemorrhage in 2002 and what was described as a minor stroke in 2006. His singing voice, while still captivating, was missing some of the depth from his recordings. Fans didn't seem to mind. Including a 25-minute intermission, the concert lasted slightly more than two hours. Lightfoot sang "Edmund Fitzgerald" just before the break. "If You Could Read My Mind" was his strongest performance of the night, with the timeless lyrics -- I don't know where we went wrong/but the feeling's gone/and I just can't get it back. Lightfoot mostly stuck to singing but drew laughter with a few playful asides, such as when he incredulously asked, "Where is Sparta?" He told how Presley, in recording Lightfoot's "Early Mornin' Rain," changed "as cold and drunk as I can be" to "as cold and drunk as I might be." "I'm not without sin," Lightfoot said with a chuckle before another song. That was OK. He was among friends Friday night.