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Old 02-02-2001, 03:51 PM   #1
CanadaGirl38
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Now a writer whose work gets covered as much as Gord has to suffer through some jobs that are, shall we say, less than stellar? Go ahead! Name 'em! You'll feel better.

What brought this to mind was hearing the Sweethearts of the Rodeo cover "Steel Rail Blues." Actually it's a perfectly fine version except THEY LEAVE OFF THE LAST VERSE!!! Sure sign tah somebody doesn't get it. Without the last verse it's just a nice "getting on the train to go back home" song....

BTW - I certainly include the disco IYCRMM in this category. I know Gord has spoken kindly on that one but I think he was being diplomatic. Or it was his wallet talking - which is OK, too. He's earned it.
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Old 02-02-2001, 03:51 PM   #2
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Now a writer whose work gets covered as much as Gord has to suffer through some jobs that are, shall we say, less than stellar? Go ahead! Name 'em! You'll feel better.

What brought this to mind was hearing the Sweethearts of the Rodeo cover "Steel Rail Blues." Actually it's a perfectly fine version except THEY LEAVE OFF THE LAST VERSE!!! Sure sign tah somebody doesn't get it. Without the last verse it's just a nice "getting on the train to go back home" song....

BTW - I certainly include the disco IYCRMM in this category. I know Gord has spoken kindly on that one but I think he was being diplomatic. Or it was his wallet talking - which is OK, too. He's earned it.
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Old 02-02-2001, 11:35 PM   #3
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I really dislike it when someone develops a new arrangement for a song (of course, I guess that there isn't much point in covering a song if you just do it the same way as the original artist, maybe that means I think most covers shouldn't be attempted). Actually, some covers turn out better than the original, but I don't believe that has ever happened with a Gord song. I think the way Gord does them is the way he meant them to be, so I really don't like the Ian & Sylvia version of Early Morning Rain and the many others who used the same arrangement. It's not that the versions are terrible (I especially don't mind Elvis' version), but I don't see the point since Gord's versions are his original vision.

I also don't care for Elwood's new Sundown version. It was encouraging that they kept the chorus unchanged, but I just don't like rap.

Another artist to mention is Tony Rice. I really like a lot of his covers, he sings well and keeps the flavor of the songs, but some of them are a little too country. I know this is his style, and I listen to a lot of country music, but I don't like the way Gord's songs sound if they are made TOO country.

Well, enough of my opinions. Great topic.

[This message has been edited by young stranger (edited February 02, 2001).]
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Old 02-02-2001, 11:35 PM   #4
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I really dislike it when someone develops a new arrangement for a song (of course, I guess that there isn't much point in covering a song if you just do it the same way as the original artist, maybe that means I think most covers shouldn't be attempted). Actually, some covers turn out better than the original, but I don't believe that has ever happened with a Gord song. I think the way Gord does them is the way he meant them to be, so I really don't like the Ian & Sylvia version of Early Morning Rain and the many others who used the same arrangement. It's not that the versions are terrible (I especially don't mind Elvis' version), but I don't see the point since Gord's versions are his original vision.

I also don't care for Elwood's new Sundown version. It was encouraging that they kept the chorus unchanged, but I just don't like rap.

Another artist to mention is Tony Rice. I really like a lot of his covers, he sings well and keeps the flavor of the songs, but some of them are a little too country. I know this is his style, and I listen to a lot of country music, but I don't like the way Gord's songs sound if they are made TOO country.

Well, enough of my opinions. Great topic.

[This message has been edited by young stranger (edited February 02, 2001).]
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Old 02-03-2001, 10:41 AM   #5
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Oh, I love what Tony Rice does with Gord's material. He actually collected all of his Gord covers onto one album "Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot." If you are into contemporary bluegrass it's a must. Kind of wish he didn't do Edmund Fitzgerald but that's just quibbling.

I'm old enough to have discovered Gord as a writer before I heard him. Peter Paul and Mary's cover of "For Lovin' Me" followed by "Early Morning Rain" were my first intros. I'm there, "Man this is good - and what a name on that writer..."

In the same time frame that PPM covered "Early Morning Rain" the Kingston Trio did as well. Now I love old Kingston Trio stuff but taht cover falls into the "Painful Covers" of this topic....
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Old 02-03-2001, 10:41 AM   #6
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Oh, I love what Tony Rice does with Gord's material. He actually collected all of his Gord covers onto one album "Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot." If you are into contemporary bluegrass it's a must. Kind of wish he didn't do Edmund Fitzgerald but that's just quibbling.

I'm old enough to have discovered Gord as a writer before I heard him. Peter Paul and Mary's cover of "For Lovin' Me" followed by "Early Morning Rain" were my first intros. I'm there, "Man this is good - and what a name on that writer..."

In the same time frame that PPM covered "Early Morning Rain" the Kingston Trio did as well. Now I love old Kingston Trio stuff but taht cover falls into the "Painful Covers" of this topic....
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Old 02-03-2001, 01:17 PM   #7
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Yes, I've known about the Tony Rice album for awhile and when I get some extra cash, I am going to get that one. I wanted to emphasize the point that I think he did a good job overall. There was one in particular though, and I can't remember which song it was, that I wasn't too happy with.

You seem to know a bit more about music than I do, so maybe it is my ignorance about Early Morning Rain. I guess the way I view the versions by Ian & Sylvia and PPM and others is that I just find no use in listening to them. They all sing very well, PPM's ability as a group is undisputed, but since I prefer to hear Gord's arrangement, I just don't care to listen to the others.

What about Anne Murray's version of Cotton Jenny? She has a fabulous voice and I think she performs the song well.
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Old 02-03-2001, 01:17 PM   #8
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Yes, I've known about the Tony Rice album for awhile and when I get some extra cash, I am going to get that one. I wanted to emphasize the point that I think he did a good job overall. There was one in particular though, and I can't remember which song it was, that I wasn't too happy with.

You seem to know a bit more about music than I do, so maybe it is my ignorance about Early Morning Rain. I guess the way I view the versions by Ian & Sylvia and PPM and others is that I just find no use in listening to them. They all sing very well, PPM's ability as a group is undisputed, but since I prefer to hear Gord's arrangement, I just don't care to listen to the others.

What about Anne Murray's version of Cotton Jenny? She has a fabulous voice and I think she performs the song well.
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Old 02-03-2001, 02:17 PM   #9
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Oh, you'll get no arguement from me - once you've got Gord's version there's no need for the PPM or Ian and Sylvia. I do give both artists credit for being the first ones to notice the talent.

Now I'm in that minority in that I'm not a big "Cotton Jenny" fan (it's all right but Gord's done much better) but Anne Murray's cover is very nice.
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Old 02-03-2001, 02:17 PM   #10
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Oh, you'll get no arguement from me - once you've got Gord's version there's no need for the PPM or Ian and Sylvia. I do give both artists credit for being the first ones to notice the talent.

Now I'm in that minority in that I'm not a big "Cotton Jenny" fan (it's all right but Gord's done much better) but Anne Murray's cover is very nice.
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Old 02-03-2001, 09:05 PM   #11
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i think Ed Kuepper ("Godfather of Australian Music") did a really good version of Sundown on his "king in the kindness room" CD. Sounds slightly different but retains elements of the orginal
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Old 02-06-2001, 12:31 PM   #12
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The very worst cover of a Lightfoot song I've yet heard must be Bob Dylan's massacre of "Early Morning Rain" from his "Self Portrait" album. I like Dylan, but here he sounds almost as though he's mocking the song. Elvis did a great job on this song and also on "For Lovin' Me". Also very good is Nanci Griffith's "10 Degrees & Getting Colder".
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Old 02-07-2001, 08:28 PM   #13
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What!?!
I love Dylan's version and it doesn't sound like he's mocking it. Remember, he was mocking himself in the self portrait days. At times i prefer dylan's version over the original. i wonder if dylan will play it when h comes to melbourne in march. i'll have to yell out the top of my lungs for it
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Old 02-07-2001, 10:20 PM   #14
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I think one of the best covers of any Lightfoot song is "If You Could Read My Mind" by Don McLean. It was an unreleased bonus song on the "Chain Lightning" LP. The Jordanaires sing back-up on the album. The liner notes say he "breathes new life into classic rock & country songs like Crying, Your Cheating Heart, Lotta Lovin', and It Doesn't Matter Anymore...sung with the kind of depth and immediacy that makes the song brand new and allows us to hear facets of the lyrics we never heard before, and feel the essence of the melody as if for the 1st time. These are not "cover" versions. These are not at all imitative of the original. Don's interpretive abilities make each of these classics his very own."
You can dl McLean's killer version of IYCRMM from me most nights at Napster. My user ID is "The Knack2001". I also "ripped" about 3o Gordon Lightfoot songs today, mostly from SONGBOOK.

"I can't sleep by a gentle ocean/I can't sleep by a waterfall/I can't sleep by a lovely river/I can't sleep/I can't sleep"

[This message has been edited by Tom (edited February 08, 2001).]
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Old 02-07-2001, 10:20 PM   #15
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I think one of the best covers of any Lightfoot song is "If You Could Read My Mind" by Don McLean. It was an unreleased bonus song on the "Chain Lightning" LP. The Jordanaires sing back-up on the album. The liner notes say he "breathes new life into classic rock & country songs like Crying, Your Cheating Heart, Lotta Lovin', and It Doesn't Matter Anymore...sung with the kind of depth and immediacy that makes the song brand new and allows us to hear facets of the lyrics we never heard before, and feel the essence of the melody as if for the 1st time. These are not "cover" versions. These are not at all imitative of the original. Don's interpretive abilities make each of these classics his very own."
You can dl McLean's killer version of IYCRMM from me most nights at Napster. My user ID is "The Knack2001". I also "ripped" about 3o Gordon Lightfoot songs today, mostly from SONGBOOK.

"I can't sleep by a gentle ocean/I can't sleep by a waterfall/I can't sleep by a lovely river/I can't sleep/I can't sleep"

[This message has been edited by Tom (edited February 08, 2001).]
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Old 06-15-2002, 01:19 PM   #16
Wes Steele
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Very Old Time country music performer Mac Wiseman did a whole album of GL's songs. I have the album myself.

I can tell you this.

GL is a GREAT songwriter...
Mac Wiseman tried his best...
The Album Stunk...
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Old 06-16-2002, 01:13 AM   #17
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Wes, I note that you use the past tense in your brief critique of Mac Wiseman's album. Can we assume it no longer stinks?
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Old 06-16-2002, 01:13 AM   #18
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Wes, I note that you use the past tense in your brief critique of Mac Wiseman's album. Can we assume it no longer stinks?
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Old 06-16-2002, 07:22 AM   #19
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fbeye...LOL!

That is a good question.

Still Stinx!
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Old 07-17-2002, 02:43 PM   #20
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Hey!

Good to see one of my topics actually still (or again) on the front page! It's been a while since I've been in here.

The Dylan cover of Early Morning Rain is amusing in its own way. One does have to remember where he was coming from in that time frame - he owed Columbia albums and wanted out as soon as he could to move to Asylum. Ironically taht period lasted a couple of records and he returned to Clumbia where he's been ever since.

Mac Weissman - man, I don't know that record at all! Given the stellar review I'll consider myself lucky.
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Old 07-17-2002, 02:43 PM   #21
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Hey!

Good to see one of my topics actually still (or again) on the front page! It's been a while since I've been in here.

The Dylan cover of Early Morning Rain is amusing in its own way. One does have to remember where he was coming from in that time frame - he owed Columbia albums and wanted out as soon as he could to move to Asylum. Ironically taht period lasted a couple of records and he returned to Clumbia where he's been ever since.

Mac Weissman - man, I don't know that record at all! Given the stellar review I'll consider myself lucky.
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Old 07-17-2002, 02:50 PM   #22
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Painful covers? How about Don Ho singing any Lightfoot song. (sorry if it makes you ill)
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Old 07-17-2002, 03:37 PM   #23
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I have a couple of 'Gordon' covers, Dylan's Early Morning Rain, so so, Tony Rice's CD which I quite like. Ian & Sylvia's EMR and For lovin' Me, passable. However I do not know if William Shatner has covered any 'Gordon' song. Having heard the demolition job he did on 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'I sincerely hope not. A British MOR singer, Michael Ball did a reasonable job on IYCRMM a little while ago. You can hear a clip at. http://www.michaelball.co.uk/music/
Look for the cd "First Love" there is an 18 second clip. Borrowing heavily from the Lighfoot arrangement.
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Old 07-17-2002, 03:37 PM   #24
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I have a couple of 'Gordon' covers, Dylan's Early Morning Rain, so so, Tony Rice's CD which I quite like. Ian & Sylvia's EMR and For lovin' Me, passable. However I do not know if William Shatner has covered any 'Gordon' song. Having heard the demolition job he did on 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'I sincerely hope not. A British MOR singer, Michael Ball did a reasonable job on IYCRMM a little while ago. You can hear a clip at. http://www.michaelball.co.uk/music/
Look for the cd "First Love" there is an 18 second clip. Borrowing heavily from the Lighfoot arrangement.
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