Well I was hoping Gord would drive 40 minutes out to my place and deliver my copy but since he didn't Linus did...
Here's my take after a couple of listens and reading of liner notes and lyrics...
the photos by Rick are gorgeous...The hands /guitar one must have been back
in the day...'70's. I recognize the shirt, the necklace, the watch with the
turquoise inset on the band...and those are the hands of a young man.....not
like the hands in the video of InspirationLady. The hands of experience.
Then the full shot of a man, one man, with talent beyond measure...
Imagine - from those hands has come countless hours, years actually of
entertaining millions of people...the guitar playing stands alone...as do
the other talents----voice, songwriting, arranging....and the band boys are
the perfect compliment...it's just too much to absorb sometimes...so much of
my life and Lightfoot has been there for all of it.
makes me kinda weepy...
Love the pic of him walking downtown Toronto...last summer I assume. Looks
like Movenpick reastaurant....
Harmony - it seems that the album isn't about finding and having Harmony -
it's about still looking for it. me and him both...
River of Light - I imagine at times of hurt and confusion he misses his
canoe trips and being out on a peaceful river, able to think and write....
Jessie Jo- In Flyin' Blind - it sounds like he's talking about his mum
giving him advice...about his canoe trips in the sub-arctic......maybe when
she was ill? And can be seen as advice in relationships as well....And a boy
always needs his mum. I always teared up when he would introduce her at
Massey-he seemed so proud of her being proud of him!
lol
No Mistake About It - oh dear- about one specific love or Elizabeth?
hmmmm.....sounds like the kind of girl he needs to stay away from for the
rest of his life!
LOL
End of All Time - geeze - I could have written that....some things are just
universal....endings of relationships, loneliness....sad song. I think he
needs a hug!
Shellfish - Never rest until you find, what is best to be forgot. Holy
crap...what a line.
I love No Hotel - the kids were dancing in their seats at lunch to
it....Since Zoe never hears anything else on the stereo here she knew who it
was when I asked her! poor kid....brainwashed at 2!
Inspiration Lady - the songs - the phrases, words, images that make their
way into his songs... could this be what his true Inspiration Lady is???
Clouds of Loneliness....well that one's a tear jerker for sure...possibly at
a time when his marriage was coming apart...again it's universal...but I
hurt for him. Not that he's perfect but it still hurts to hear his hurt in a
song. I hope he finds someone at this time of his life.....maybe his real
mistress and love always will be the music....kinda sad.
So many of the songs evoke sounds of previous songs.....little bits here and
there.....except Couchiching. That was always a name that captured my
imagination.....as do so many native names that Lakes and towns are named
for in these parts..geography class was a hoot!
and then there's Sometimes I Wish - jumpin jaysus-that one just kills
me....he's reading my mind. scary....
Did you hear me clapping at the end of No Hotel and Shellfish???LOL!
I'll have to listen a few more times to absorb all the bits and pieces of
musical stuff---not being a musician I tend to go with the voice and the
lyrics first.....music is one big sound for me..I have learned to listen
better and more selectively in the last few years after knowing so many of
the Lightfoot folks who talk and play music!
I hope Gord and everyone involved in making this album are proud. It really
is marvellous and I do like the fact it wasn't over-produced...It has a
truer sound...not as contrived or studio-ish...It's a nice album...now he
just needs to release some more live stuff from over the years....oh my-what
a treat that would be!
well that's my take so far.....GL - gotta love him. I know I do!
Char
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