MGoObituary: Gordon Lightfoot dead at 84
Title says it all: Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian Folk Singer, Dies at 84 https://nyti.ms/3nsPSEC
Soooo much better than ChatGPT
Rob, thanks for posting this, I had missed it when BiSB had originally posted it, apparently. I laughed my ass off reading it and hearing the words in my head to the tune of Lightfoot's song. A fitting MGoBlog-style tribute to a great man and one of his greatest songs!
Take care sundown.
Beautiful is a really underrated song. There is a great documentary on his prolific songwriting called "Gordon Lightfoot: If you could read my mind."
So glad I got to see him in concert the year before the pandemic. RIP.
Awesome! Great voice, interesting sound. You remind me of my roommate that I met freshman year. He was always (and still is) introducing me to new music. Fantastic. Thank you for posting.
I have a tattoo that says "Fellas it's too rough to feed ya." You'll be missed, Gord.
Damn. Being 47 and having grown up in Michigan, Gordon Lightfoot meant my parent's mellow music and long days up north. He wrote timeless songs that were of a time and place for me. Ring the bell in that old church in De-troy-it.
Another great storyteller gone.
At least we still have boy bands, pop princess divas and karaoke games shows to carry on the art.
Ahh.... Fuck it!
There's still a lot of great songwriters out there. They just don't get played on Top 40 radio
Think Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers
Aw man. :(
Just an absolute legend.
After watching the interview of him about a year ago, I had a feeling it wouldn't be long before we'd lose him. A true legend...always tough to see these really talented people pass. Had a chance to see him live about fifteen years ago, but it involved an 80-mile drive and some bad weather. Always second guessed my decision to take a pass on it that night.
Rest well, Gord.
Went to see him in concert last summer and he was already a ghost on stage. Just mumbled and it was sad to see. Wish I had seen him in his prime!
An underrated contribution Lightfoot made to US education: Thousands of (now) older people on the coasts can still locate Lake Superior on a US map.
Team, Thank for all the comments that brought back so many memories.
If You Could Read My Mind was my all time favorites.
R.I.P. Gordon LIghfoot
That was my favorite also.
This Circle Is Small was kind of an underplayed catchy tune.
Took my dad to see him last year. Really happy we got to do that.
Rest easy Gord
Talented dude - sad to hear - many great songs.
Never cared though for the Edmund Fitzgerald song though.
RIP
I’ve had ‘Sundown’ and ‘The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald’ on my playlist for a couple of years now. I heard ‘If You Could Read My Mind’ on an episode of ‘The Blacklist’ and immediately added it to the playlist. It’d been awhile since I’d heard it played anywhere.
‘The Blacklist’ also used ‘Sundown’ in a scene on another episode.
Songs that tell a story like those do are the best kinds of songs and Gordon Lightfoot was one of the best ever at writing and singing them.
This is a sad loss for me on a personal note. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald was my late brother’s favorite song. My brother died of cancer 3 years ago, and as the end grew nearer, we talked about what to play at his memorial. Edmund Fitgerald was the first song he named. RIP, Gordon. Say ‘Hi’ to Freddy when you see him…
Grampy you made the tears flow with that one. I told my Aunt to say hi to the rest of the relatives when she saw them years ago. 30 years later you still miss them.
My dad was a merchant marine on the Great Lakes for almost 40 years. Fitz was right up there on his funeral playlist, along with his other favorites: My Way, The Sound of Silence, Moonlight Sonata, and Amazing Grace. Plus Taps, of course, as he was a Korean War vet as well.
I loved his songs from the early to mid 70s. He had a string of hits. My 2nd favorite Canadian performer behind Rush!
RIP to a legend. One of the artists I keep coming back to. Gordon, it's been nice to know ya
A clear soulful voice without artifice or affectation.
This is his original version of Early Morning Rain from his first album, "Lightfoot!"—much better than his overworked later version, IMHO.
In the early morning rain with a dollar in my hand
With an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sand
I'm a long way from home, Lord, I miss my loved ones so
In the early morning rain with no place to go
RIP, Gordon Lightfoot
Oh wow. Great artist.
Bet this is sad news for our fearless leader Coach Harbaugh who is a well known fan of Gord generally and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald specifically.
From the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum;
We are very sad tonight after learning Gordon Lightfoot passed away. He wasn’t just a star to us, he was a friend.
To him, “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, was more than just a hit song he wrote.
Gordon truly cared about the families of that tragedy. That was proven in 2015 when he came to Whitefish Point for the 40th anniversary of the sinking…but he came a day early, on November 9th, to meet and talk with the family members…he did not want to be the focus of the day on November 10th, he was that classy.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society will always be grateful for his kindness to us and the family members of the Edmund Fitzgerald…everytime the bell tolls from now on, he will be a part of those 29 chimes. Gordon Lightfoot was 84…rest in peace, friend.
This is sad news - hoping his passing was peaceful - thoughts and prayers for him and his family. It seemed to be a life well lived.
And - Lake Superior - "Gitche Gumme" - introducing it into our minds and vocabulary.
He did a free concert in Mackinaw City last summer.
Try "Sit Down Young Stranger", anything off "Summer Side of Life", or , and most importantly, have a "smoke" and listen to "Sunday Concert" straight through. Thank me later.