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Old 04-09-2007, 08:22 PM   #1
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I just listened to "A Painter Passing Through," and was horrified! Gordon Lightfoot's voice is no more. It doesn't even sound like the same person. It is really quite sad. What in the world happened? Was it the cigarettes? They ruined Jonie Mitchell's voice.

What do others think?

Ken
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Old 04-09-2007, 08:22 PM   #2
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I just listened to "A Painter Passing Through," and was horrified! Gordon Lightfoot's voice is no more. It doesn't even sound like the same person. It is really quite sad. What in the world happened? Was it the cigarettes? They ruined Jonie Mitchell's voice.

What do others think?

Ken
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Old 04-09-2007, 08:40 PM   #3
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This doesn't deserve an answer.
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Old 04-09-2007, 09:18 PM   #4
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Actually Ken, Mr. Lightfoot cannot actually sing anymore. His live performances are lip sync jobs done to tapes recorded in the 70s. All of us here at corfid are actually employed by Mr. Lightfoot to try and keep his legend alive.

Sharp eared guys like you make this a tough job. If I was you I would donate all my CDs to the local library and forget you ever heard the name Lightfoot.

Sorry you had to find out this way but it's for the general welfare. Plus we have to keep the megabucks rolling in or we'll all get fired.

Bill

P.S. If you don't want it I'll take your copy of 'Painter'.
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Old 04-09-2007, 09:28 PM   #5
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Oh, come on. Lighten up, folks. It's not like this has never been discussed before. There has been a change. There's no denying that. He's even mentioned it.

Ken, the first time I heard APPT I was shocked. I had to pull over to the side of the road. I remember saying, "No way! No way! This isn't Gordon!"

It's probably a combination of many things, with change in style being right up there at the top. He sounds less trained, and more like a country singer.

Keep listening to the CD. It will grow on you. There are hints of young Gord in there.
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Old 04-09-2007, 09:43 PM   #6
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Although his voice has changed, and not for the better, it's just the realities of life. Personally, I love his voice on Painter. No matter what, when you hear him sing, you know exactly who it is. It's not a good idea to compare a 30 year olds voice to someone who is almost 70 now. Be thankful for all the great music, past and present.

Besides, you just now got around to listening to Painter?lol Have you heard his latest release?
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Old 04-09-2007, 10:05 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally posted by BILLW:
All of us here at corfid are actually employed by Mr. Lightfoot to try and keep his legend alive.
I know it is unwise to discuss salaries in the workplace, but I was wondering if anyone here got a raise this year. I didn't.
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Old 04-09-2007, 10:17 PM   #8
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Thanks Cathy! Watchman, Here is my story. I bought the CD around 1999 or so, when I wasn't a true fan. I was aware of the hits from when I was growing up, so I didn't really notice how really different the voice was. I honestly didn't listen to APPT that much. Then I started listening to his older stuff late last year. I got ahold of every album (I don't have Harmony yet, though). I feel like I just discovered this amazing treasure trove of fabulous music! I began learning some of my favorites (and have many more to learn) so I can sing and play them. Hence my earlier postings about the guitar parts. I remembered that I had APPT, and decided to give it another listen. Remember, I have been totally immersed in his earlier music for the past few months, listening every day. Then I popped in APPT and nearly fell out of my chair. For me, it was not a gradual thing. I just thought I would ask the group here what they thought about it. I know I was not imagining it.

BTW, it does not follow that the voice deteriorates with age. Tony Bennet is over 80 and sounds awesome!! Neil Diamond is 65 and he sounds the same too. How old are Pavarotti, Domingo, etc. That's why I thought it was so odd.

I apologize if it came across as irreverant.

Ken

[ April 09, 2007, 22:25: Message edited by: Ken Theriot ]
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Old 04-09-2007, 10:17 PM   #9
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Thanks Cathy! Watchman, Here is my story. I bought the CD around 1999 or so, when I wasn't a true fan. I was aware of the hits from when I was growing up, so I didn't really notice how really different the voice was. I honestly didn't listen to APPT that much. Then I started listening to his older stuff late last year. I got ahold of every album (I don't have Harmony yet, though). I feel like I just discovered this amazing treasure trove of fabulous music! I began learning some of my favorites (and have many more to learn) so I can sing and play them. Hence my earlier postings about the guitar parts. I remembered that I had APPT, and decided to give it another listen. Remember, I have been totally immersed in his earlier music for the past few months, listening every day. Then I popped in APPT and nearly fell out of my chair. For me, it was not a gradual thing. I just thought I would ask the group here what they thought about it. I know I was not imagining it.

BTW, it does not follow that the voice deteriorates with age. Tony Bennet is over 80 and sounds awesome!! Neil Diamond is 65 and he sounds the same too. How old are Pavarotti, Domingo, etc. That's why I thought it was so odd.

I apologize if it came across as irreverant.

Ken

[ April 09, 2007, 22:25: Message edited by: Ken Theriot ]
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Old 04-10-2007, 05:41 AM   #10
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Ken,

No, you definitely weren't imagining the change in voice. Lightfoot had what I consider the best voice of all time (at least to me). I gotta tell ya though, I truly love his voice on Painter. It's thinner, but when you hear it, man you know it's Lightfoot.

His voice is thinner yet on Harmony but don't let that stop you from enjoying it. It has some fantastic writing on it and considering how and when it was released, makes it all the more special.

I understand what your getting at about voices not deteriorating with age, but in the case, for whatever reason, it did.
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Old 04-10-2007, 06:24 AM   #11
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Cathy if I lighten up anymore I'd float away. Ken I also listen to Tony Bennett and B.B.King and while the changes are there, they seem to have changed less. But I also listen to quite a few older rockers and folk guys and they have changed as much as Lightfoot. I loved APPT from play one but I had to listen a few times to get it in my head. It took my wife somewhat longer. Like Cathy suggested, keep listening, it will grow on you.

Bill

Did you catch the old dude from CCR on the Super Bowl or playoff shows ? Now that voice changed let me tell you. And I like his stuff...
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Old 04-10-2007, 06:37 AM   #12
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I find that Tony Bennett has gone from a 'singer' to someone who 'recites' lyrics...not much singing when you see him live on stage apparently. Friends have gone to see him and altho they were thrilled to see him they were surprised at how his voice has changed and how much of a song he 'recites'..

The Lightfoot voice is different...but it's still him. Listen to old clips of him talking and then clips from recent interviews...even his talking voice is different but there's still the "Lightfoot' sound..Some of the songs are even more enjoyable for me because his voice has the "character" that fits the story he's telling..
IN Niagara Falls as at Massey, IYCRMM was top notch-there's a sense of more life lived, more heartache and perhaps regret in his rendition now..imho..

Geeze, he never mentioned any raise when he called..lol
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Old 04-10-2007, 06:37 AM   #13
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I find that Tony Bennett has gone from a 'singer' to someone who 'recites' lyrics...not much singing when you see him live on stage apparently. Friends have gone to see him and altho they were thrilled to see him they were surprised at how his voice has changed and how much of a song he 'recites'..

The Lightfoot voice is different...but it's still him. Listen to old clips of him talking and then clips from recent interviews...even his talking voice is different but there's still the "Lightfoot' sound..Some of the songs are even more enjoyable for me because his voice has the "character" that fits the story he's telling..
IN Niagara Falls as at Massey, IYCRMM was top notch-there's a sense of more life lived, more heartache and perhaps regret in his rendition now..imho..

Geeze, he never mentioned any raise when he called..lol
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Old 04-10-2007, 08:28 AM   #14
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He's supposed to be in Austin in July, according to the schedule on the .ca site. We totally plan on going. I feel so cheated by life that I never got to see Stan Rogers before he died. I don't want that to happen with Gordon Lightfoot...thin voice or not.

And I plan to pick up Harmony soon.

PS - Anybody familiar with Timothy B. Schmidt? He is the same age GL was when he recorded APPT. He sounds exactly the same as heever did!
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Old 04-10-2007, 08:28 AM   #15
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He's supposed to be in Austin in July, according to the schedule on the .ca site. We totally plan on going. I feel so cheated by life that I never got to see Stan Rogers before he died. I don't want that to happen with Gordon Lightfoot...thin voice or not.

And I plan to pick up Harmony soon.

PS - Anybody familiar with Timothy B. Schmidt? He is the same age GL was when he recorded APPT. He sounds exactly the same as heever did!
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Old 04-10-2007, 08:50 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally posted by charlene:
IGeeze, he never mentioned any raise when he called..lol
Err Umm delete or edit this if you will Ma Dame Moderator but it seems to me more likely that he was the one getting the raise when he called you!!
Regarding the Lightfoot voice for myself, what it is worth, whilst I obviously still regret the change from the glorious 60's Gordsound even though his renditions of "The Last Time I Saw her" were still powerful as late as Folkfest 1987,
I can recall having much the same thought as Ken when I first heard the Waiting For You CD in 1994 (yes I know it was released in 1993, but not in the UK that I was aware of from my vigilent monitoring of countless record stores.It took the visit of a close friend to Toronto for a wedding in 1994, armed with a detailed listing of all my GL collection, and she finally found WFY and the
brilliant "original" 3-CD box set in Montreal's HMV store


It took me years to even want to play WFY but now after hearing "Restless" live many times and after watching Tom (gahoendoe)'s brilliant "vidstory" at:-
(Oh no you can't now watch it dang)
that song and its 1993 studio recording is probably top of my favourites listing.
I would go so far as to say tbat with certain exceptions (Cotton Jenny in particular)
Gord's current "lived in" voice actually improves many of his songs.
(Am I the only one who wishes he would instigate a policy of adding one more rerotated number to his repertoire for every concert to bring back the element of surprise??
I guess that is enough of a though provoking suggestion to merit a new topic of its own)
Getting back to the immediate subject matter
I well remember the day (25 June 1998) when I was working out the installation of a boiler flue in a new office block (Princess House at Hayes Middlesex right next to Heathrow's runways since you ask) and with some recently new found knowledge gleaned fromm this wonderful new resource called the internet, I phoned the HMV record store on Oxford Street London , and finding that they had but one copy of APPT I asked them to put it aside and high tailed it the many miles in from the London Airport area,but alas not having at that time a CD player in my car I then dashed 130 miles back home and eagerly played it. Just like Ken I was initially bitterly disappointed and save for the great Drifters have never really got to like this album.
As Cathy sagaciously opined
"Keep listening to the CD. It will grow on you."
and as Al wisely counselled
"Be thankful for all the great music, past and present."

[ April 10, 2007, 09:34: Message edited by: johnfowles ]
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Old 04-10-2007, 08:50 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally posted by charlene:
IGeeze, he never mentioned any raise when he called..lol
Err Umm delete or edit this if you will Ma Dame Moderator but it seems to me more likely that he was the one getting the raise when he called you!!
Regarding the Lightfoot voice for myself, what it is worth, whilst I obviously still regret the change from the glorious 60's Gordsound even though his renditions of "The Last Time I Saw her" were still powerful as late as Folkfest 1987,
I can recall having much the same thought as Ken when I first heard the Waiting For You CD in 1994 (yes I know it was released in 1993, but not in the UK that I was aware of from my vigilent monitoring of countless record stores.It took the visit of a close friend to Toronto for a wedding in 1994, armed with a detailed listing of all my GL collection, and she finally found WFY and the
brilliant "original" 3-CD box set in Montreal's HMV store


It took me years to even want to play WFY but now after hearing "Restless" live many times and after watching Tom (gahoendoe)'s brilliant "vidstory" at:-
(Oh no you can't now watch it dang)
that song and its 1993 studio recording is probably top of my favourites listing.
I would go so far as to say tbat with certain exceptions (Cotton Jenny in particular)
Gord's current "lived in" voice actually improves many of his songs.
(Am I the only one who wishes he would instigate a policy of adding one more rerotated number to his repertoire for every concert to bring back the element of surprise??
I guess that is enough of a though provoking suggestion to merit a new topic of its own)
Getting back to the immediate subject matter
I well remember the day (25 June 1998) when I was working out the installation of a boiler flue in a new office block (Princess House at Hayes Middlesex right next to Heathrow's runways since you ask) and with some recently new found knowledge gleaned fromm this wonderful new resource called the internet, I phoned the HMV record store on Oxford Street London , and finding that they had but one copy of APPT I asked them to put it aside and high tailed it the many miles in from the London Airport area,but alas not having at that time a CD player in my car I then dashed 130 miles back home and eagerly played it. Just like Ken I was initially bitterly disappointed and save for the great Drifters have never really got to like this album.
As Cathy sagaciously opined
"Keep listening to the CD. It will grow on you."
and as Al wisely counselled
"Be thankful for all the great music, past and present."

[ April 10, 2007, 09:34: Message edited by: johnfowles ]
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Old 04-10-2007, 09:13 AM   #18
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ken Theriot:
He's supposed to be in Austin in July, according to the schedule on the .ca site.

June 22 - Lightfoot in Austin.
http://www.lightfoot.ca/2007.htm
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Old 04-10-2007, 09:13 AM   #19
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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ken Theriot:
He's supposed to be in Austin in July, according to the schedule on the .ca site.

June 22 - Lightfoot in Austin.
http://www.lightfoot.ca/2007.htm
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Old 04-10-2007, 09:30 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally posted by RMD:
quote:Originally posted by BILLW:
All of us here at corfid are actually employed by Mr. Lightfoot to try and keep his legend alive.
I know it is unwise to discuss salaries in the workplace, but I was wondering if anyone here got a raise this year. I didn't. [/QUOTE]You got paid? Guess my check is in the mail.
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Old 04-10-2007, 11:05 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally posted by BILLW:
Actually Ken, Mr. Lightfoot cannot actually sing anymore. His live performances are lip sync jobs done to tapes recorded in the 70s.
Bill

.
Whoa whoa whoa! I knew his voice had grown raggid over the years, but I didn't know it was to the point to where he actually couldn't sing period!!!


And Ken,if you're just now listening to A Painter, you should listen to Harmony. The voice actually sounds slightly better on that album. (Although the songs are not quite as good as on A Painter.)
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Old 04-10-2007, 12:10 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Theriot:
We totally plan on going. I feel so cheated by life that I never got to see Stan Rogers before he died. I don't want that to happen with Gordon Lightfoot...thin voice or not.
I would suggest you get the best seats you can possibly afford. From your remarks, I sense his music 'hits home' for you, and to see it come alive with his presence and the great work of the band....well....see for yourself.
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Old 04-10-2007, 12:15 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally posted by Shutup and Deal, I'm Losin':
And Ken,if you're just now listening to A Painter, you should listen to Harmony. The voice actually sounds slightly better on that album. (Although the songs are not quite as good as on A Painter.) [/QB]
Amazing how the tastes of Lightheads differ.
To my mind (and ear come to that!) the Harmony album's selection of songs is infinitely superior to APPT especially my constant favourite that Gord wonderfully and rarely sang in Vegas in April 2005 (golly 2 years ago already) at my personal request and memorably introduced it as "here she comes,Inspiration Lady and it's for John and Susan,John and Susan"
Ken could get a very good idea of this masterpiece from the fabulous video which is still viewable on the Linus site at
http://www.linusentertainment.com/st...on%20Lightfoot
which somewhat amusingly now links to the uploaded video on the ubiquitos youtube
where a search for inspiration lady produces
which was apparently uploaded by none other than
Linusentertainment, which makes me wonder a bit

still from the video

alleged promotional CD Single for IL as found on ebay
I also recommend that Ken listens to the short samples of all 11 tracks at the amazon site:-
http://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Gordon-Lightfoot/dp/...http://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Gordon-Lightfoot/dp/... not all the reviews there are fully complimentary but the final one says it all really
"His lyrics still send chills and speak to the heart and mind. The music goes hand in hand with those well-crafted words. In many ways, I think this is one of the best albums he has given us. It truly is a gift. Thank you, Gordon."
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Old 04-10-2007, 12:15 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally posted by Shutup and Deal, I'm Losin':
And Ken,if you're just now listening to A Painter, you should listen to Harmony. The voice actually sounds slightly better on that album. (Although the songs are not quite as good as on A Painter.) [/QB]
Amazing how the tastes of Lightheads differ.
To my mind (and ear come to that!) the Harmony album's selection of songs is infinitely superior to APPT especially my constant favourite that Gord wonderfully and rarely sang in Vegas in April 2005 (golly 2 years ago already) at my personal request and memorably introduced it as "here she comes,Inspiration Lady and it's for John and Susan,John and Susan"
Ken could get a very good idea of this masterpiece from the fabulous video which is still viewable on the Linus site at
http://www.linusentertainment.com/st...on%20Lightfoot
which somewhat amusingly now links to the uploaded video on the ubiquitos youtube
where a search for inspiration lady produces
which was apparently uploaded by none other than
Linusentertainment, which makes me wonder a bit

still from the video

alleged promotional CD Single for IL as found on ebay
I also recommend that Ken listens to the short samples of all 11 tracks at the amazon site:-
http://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Gordon-Lightfoot/dp/...http://www.amazon.com/Harmony-Gordon-Lightfoot/dp/... not all the reviews there are fully complimentary but the final one says it all really
"His lyrics still send chills and speak to the heart and mind. The music goes hand in hand with those well-crafted words. In many ways, I think this is one of the best albums he has given us. It truly is a gift. Thank you, Gordon."
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Old 04-10-2007, 02:08 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally posted by Ken Theriot:
PS - Anybody familiar with Timothy B. Schmidt? He is the same age GL was when he recorded APPT. He sounds exactly the same as heever did!
Ya gotta love Tim, Timmy, or Timothy depending on which name he liked best at the time. I've got every Poco album that he did plus every Eagles album that he played on. But he's nowhere near Gord's age is he ?

Bill
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