Which G.L. Songs Make You Smile And Sing Along?

[Nightingale]

Ok, we know the ones that makes us reach for the kleenex, now let's hear it for the happy/fun tunes.

I can never hear Alberta Bound without singing along. Cotton Jenny....Old Dan's Records...Steel Rail Blues...ditto. I have to sing and smile when I hear those great tunes.

Rainbow Trout is a fun song to listen to. It just makes me smile. I think Brave Mountaineers and Triangle also fall in this category.

Ok...batter up...who's next?

[joveski]

old dans records
bend in the water
salute
auctioneer
high and dry
crossroads
in my fashion

[geodeticman.5]

Whispers of the North isn't so much a "happy" tune, but a positive outlook one, of enjoyable gliding along, be it on water, touring skis, snowshoes (sorta) and its a real "up" tune for me. And the harmony tracks in it have almost a cathedral-like sound to them, I love it
'
Definately Bend in the Water.

Somewhere USA starts out as a real happy go lucky song - I guess the hitting on at the bar (when you get down to it) is not so much the happy part per se.... but not exactly unhappy either LOL , its an upbeat tune.

Summertime Dream for sure

Lazy Mornin' - happy by virtue of being relaxing - kinda like the old cousin to it - "Saturday Clothes"

~geo Steve

[dad2mak]

For me, it's always "Summertime Dream." After that comes "Pony Man."

Don

[Cath]

Every-time I play one of his records that becomes my fave! At the moment I so much love 10 Degrees and Getting Colder! But now the weather is hotting up here in the UK it will have 2 be Summertime Dream!
Blow it I just play them all......like I do all the time!

[KHester]

All good choices so far. I've got a couple others, Morning Glory and here's one that we've all been in that situation.. Did She Mention My Name.. Always brings back smiles and memories.

Kevin

[Nightingale]

Good choices!
Hello to our new members, Cath and dad2mak
Hope you are enjoying the board...lots of friendly people and information on Gordon.

joveski, I can't believe I didn't think of the Auctioneer and High and Dry...lol. Those songs are so much fun

Hey Steve, Whispers of the North...couldn't agree with you more on that song. The harmonies are stunning and the feeling is rather joyful when listening. That song just kind of takes me somewhere when I listen to it

Pam, Cold On The Shoulder and Baby Step Back...yes! I really get in a rowdy mood from those two songs...lol. I know just what you mean.

dad2mac...Summertime Dream is the perfect song for a smile, eh? Pony Man is on my "what makes you cry" list Either way, it's a great song!

[Nightingale]

Cath, I do the same thing with the music...lol. There are still lots of songs that I haven't heard yet so I am at a disadvantage here.
I fall in love with every new song of his. He is such an amazing songwriter/poet/singer.

The UK...nice! I have always wanted to visit out your way...looks so lovely in the picutres and television shows

Kevin,
I don't think I've listened to Morning Glory yet. I will have to go to YouTube and look it up
Did She Mention My Name...love that song...good for smiles all around!

I think the same thing about For Lovin' Me....

[jj]

any song that is in my key and has a melody that fits my vocal range

still havent found one yet. lol

I agree with steve, any tune that has harmony segments is hard to resist

nightengale, yes, give Morning Glory a listen, you will soon be humming the chorus

[Borderstone]

Finally get to comment here. Sorry for my delay.

These put me in a grrrrrrreat mood!

#1 on that list of course , "End Of All Time"
Steel Rail Blues
Magnificent Outpouring
Spin-Spin
Cotton Jenny
Sundown
Carefree Highway
The Auctioneer
Triangle
The List
Saturday Clothes (I know,it doesn't "sound" happy but it helps me)
Forgive Me Lord
Baby Step Back
Drifters
Morning Glory
I'll Be Alright

and!!!....The "socks" verse from Walls LOL!

[Tim]

Smiles, yes, Smiles... brought on by:

Summertime Dream
Cotton Jenny
Hi-Way Songs
May I (this is probably one of the most unique Lightfoot tunes)
Wild Strawberries (the Polka Dot Underwear gets ya)
The No Hotel (a recent example of Gord's good humor and lyrical genius)

There are others, but these are ones I'll share at the moment......

[geodeticman.5]

BO (RDERSTONE), I gotta tell you a little ort about "SaturdayClothes":

When Merry and I were first Married, 28 years go now, all that mattered, in total, was that we had each other to have and hold, as they say, and I was intoxicated by life in a way I'd never known possible...

Every day was a joy.... it matterred none that I was woking in a lumber yard and hardware giant box namd "Hugh M.Woods" - great Denver family owned business that treated their personnel with respect.... and had benefits like..well... were available only in the day.... unles you are a CEO or grandfathered-in Government professional before Brook's Act Legislation now... point being on emplyment was it did not use my mind, and truthfully yes I was bored; but it mattered not, cause I had my Merry to come home to everyday, and ('scuse the unintentional sexism, its the way we were both raised as a norm) she had hot dinner on the table, hopeful look in her eyes, love, and even if it was burnt to a crisp I would extoll its virtues, even as she cried "its terrible - I BURNED IT...." AND I WOULD TELL HER IT WAS WONDERFUL.

When Mamie came along, Merry was in the hospital for 3 months or so, even then, that was a LOT of money, now I don't want to even think about it..... but we almost lost both mother and daughter in that one to toxemia and sumpin like that that goes along - the women will know...., well, when all was said and done safely, happily, and home.... the bill came in at $11,000 !!!! Oh my God... 3 months in the hospital... now that would be almost $11k/day ! with ahh the trimmings involved, not even ICU though, that I had her in at around $20,000/day more recently.

But of course that was not what mattered a whit, only a roadsign of the times then and now....then, Hugh M Woods (insurance) paid 100% of it. I'd say every penny, but believe it not they charged me $0.14 eg 14 cents !
And the superbill was about 7 feet long.. OK

THE WHOLE POINT IS, BACK THEN, LITTLE APARTMENT ON THE PRAIRIE, lol, life was so good... and I was so happy - that on SATURDAY MORNINGS I would get up and have a mini ritual, cause it was Saturday, and Mery and I did not have to work, and could play all day together... so I'd start each SATURDAY WITH "Saturday Clothes" on the turntable (that dates it), followed by the happy tune by the Rascalls (huh? huh?) "Its A Beautiful Mornin' ".

A couple times, back to back. Pick Merry up, and spin her around, and say "what we were gonna do today ?", a movie and dinner, a drive to the mountains, go camping?, drive up the "bump-bump road" as Mamie called it at 3, to my folks amazing mountain retreat house built on a promontory at just under 10,000 feet on the flanks of Mt. Meeker 13,900, and Long's Peak - 14,251 ft. as memory serves. And spend a pampered weekend. My foks were so glad to see us and their "spoiled by Granny and Grandpa" for a day little Mamie, they were so happy to see us, and us them..... Merry was healthy, absolutely gorgeous (always was), and full of life and merriment.

So those two songs just fit, and notably - your SATURDAY CLOTHES, BO just fit and set the tone for the day.
And Lazy Morning started out Sundays quite often....especially if we were gonna cook out.. those were the days. But, the Lumber & Hardware grew so boring, to Merry's terror I returned to college, worked full time + between the Woods Co. job, and my for-credit U.S. Forest Service Externship "learn and earn" Federal work-study professional program, a scholarship actually, in their cartographic and aerial photo labs.

So, full time work +, and more than full time school (defined as 12-16 semester hours load, and I took on average 21 or so semester hours) and homework on averge til 4 - 5 a.m., sleep an hour to 1 1/2 hours, shower, do it all over again... for a couple years.... ( I honestly don't know how I did it without crashing and burning). It may sound corney, but I knew while other guys would get a 7 year itch in their marriage; I did NOT, I got it in my career, and by going back it represented providing better for Merry and Mamie to me (when guys were supposed to do that) and using my mind -happier me, happier us - I figured. And it worked ! Merry was scared I'd find a "college girl" and lose interest in her.... no reassurance really cut that...

But when I was done, had my new career, was even more in love with Merry for being supportive of that VERY difficult family endeavour (what little time outside of work, school, and study/homework was spent for the most part by Merry's choice with Mamie, cause as she put it - you've only got these precious few formative years with her to remember and build her values; we have our whole lives to catch up on time together. What a woman. What a lady.... oh boy here I go....

Point is BO, that song....brought back all those happy memories for me, still does. Thanks for reminding me of what matters with that song in your "happy"list.
~geo Steve

[Scott Mac]

All great songs. How about "You Are What I Am."

[Cathy]

My month long stay at Mass General, along with the surgery, came to $2.8 million. The three week stay at Eastern Maine came to over $800 thousand, and combined with over 2 years of therapy, the whole works came to around $4 million. Luckily, my health insurance covered all except $20 copays for doctor's visits.

Of course, I don't remember a bit of Boston. I was out like a lightbulb. Bangor is a little clearer, although it seems like I was only there for a couple of days.

Cathy

[Nightingale]

Hi JJ, funny stuff...lol. I can't sing either but I keep doing it cause I can't help it!

Hey B.
Magnificent Outpouring and I'll Be Alright are such great songs. That Red Shea sure was a master at making me smile when I heard him play on those songs

Tim, now I have to go find Wild Strawberries and take a listen. Polka dot underwear? That sounds interesting...lol.

Steve, Merry was blessed to have such a wonderful mate to go through life with. You and Mamie are lucky to have one another now...your memories are so sweet and lovely to read.
I truly believe that the only thing we can take with us, or leave behind us when we go, is the love we give and take while we are here.
It's what makes us truly rich and keeps our hearts safe until time can help us heal.
Thanks for posting and sharing.

Scot Mac...good choice! I always forget about that song. I don't know why, I like it..lol.

Cathy,
oh my gosh! Unbelievable!
Glad you had good insurance and glad that you are ok now.

I love to hear those clips of you singing and playing your guitar. You are so good!

[Cathy]

I have a CD for sale on my web site, http://www.cathycowette.com. It's the one I recorded at Grant Avenue with Bob Doidge. Take a look. The CD cover is a copy of a painting my mother did. It's hanging in my living room.

Cathy

[New 12 String Mike]

Some that have been mentioned here, plus Inspiration Lady and Whisper My Name.

[geodeticman.5]

Cathy - yes, my God, your $tallies on the medical are incredible, I can most definately sympathize and relate.

And NightinGale - thank you for the compliment and other kind words.....
I am tending to look back though rose-coloured glasses now... which I am told is healthy as long it as it is not to excess....or delusional LOL (picture wiggling my finger up and down on my lips and going blibbity blibber LOL)

Yes, welcome as well from me too, Cath in the U.K. and Dad2Mak ! - (Don)

~geo steve

[Cathy]

My health insurance paid all of it except for medicine and office copays of $20 each.

I'd dare to bet my health insurance provider hates me.

Cathy

[timetraveler]

For me it would have to be Alberta Bound, Summertime Dream, Pony Man, Did She Mention My Name, Triangle & so many others.

[geodeticman.5]

OK guys I need your opinion. Based on the songs discussed above that are happy tunes or up tunes.... something came to mind that may or may not qualify as an enjoyable thread in and of itself. Opinions please. If you agree, I'd like to open the thread, 'cause I know the tac I wanna take if I do.

TT mentioned Pony Man. Dad2mak's user name; Tim's signature quote on Children- and he also mentioned the song "May I" - which as I read, is a play on children's games e.g. "mother may I take on step forward" like Simon says, and the rest of the verses, off the top of my head is all, have a preponderance of children's sayings, games, and so forth, so if the theme is emerging, you're right..., and; "In My Fashion" - Gord speaks of being a father.

I won't give away all the thoughts right here that cross my mind right away for this possible thread, but most importantly, I want your frank opinions as to whether a viable thread topic would be something like: "Gord's lyrical and topical fondness for references to children, childhood (Brave Mountaineers, etc), poor children, smiling children, happy chilren, sad children, metaphors using children, even his own in his songs - "Fine as Fine Can be."

OK too long a name for the thread, but I wanted to be descriptive here - a thread on GL's mention of , or songs about, or language of, children.. Its really a highly recurrent theme, not a dominating one, but enough it might be fun to say try to think of any and all songs that make mention of kids in any way. It won't be a short one......


And I notice a lot of us in here are Mom's and Dad's.....automatically a fond subject for most parents....us. Seriously though, what do you think ? Caue if the consensus is its a viable thread topic for sure.... I'll start it right away and give 5 references not mentioned here off the top of my head.

I think Gord was conscious of his children quite a bit while on the road, not just his love life and loneliness. The references, no matter how ..small.. in some cases... are rife on children, their games, sayings, playing, innocence, starving, crying, happiness, it goes on and on. Yup its highly topical.... but isn't that one of the points of a thread - a specific topic, and in general discussion - about Gord ?

Then again, this could be a yawner. Please be frank in your responses. How about in your responses to this Q now (should I do a thread), omit the song names til the thread if you like the idea, and just respond - yes on the thread. Or, for whatever reason, its cool, "No - to the thread. That doesn't mean you don't like children, it just may mean a hundred different things like.... sounds boring maybe... SO - RESPONSES PLEASE, YES OR NO.

thanks guys ~geo steve

[charlene]

start it up!

[jeffyjo]

For me, oddly enough, the one song that can always make me sing along, loudly, is Dream Street Rose.

[charlene]

Drifters always gets me going..just one among so many..

[Nightingale]

Nice site, Cathy. Your music is great and you certainly have that 'fingerpickin' style down pretty good....lol. Man, that sounds hard to do
Like your mom's painting...very nice.

12 String Mike,
Whisper My Name is such a great song! I love the lyrics and I sing along with it. Good choice! I haven't heard Inspiration Lady yet

Steve, Rose colored glasses? That's ok, it's still nice that you share your happy memories with us
Yes, start your thread. It sounds interesting.