Canadian Folk Singer Gordon Lightfoot Dead at 84

[PatMiles]

Canadian Folk Singer Gordon Lightfoot Dead at 84

Canadian folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot died in Toronto on Monday at the age of 84 after a long and storied career.

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Canadian folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot died in Toronto on Monday at the age of 84 after a long and storied career.
One of Canada’s most beloved artists having written songs that documented the country’s history and culture, the musician reportedly died at the hospital. Per the Associated Press (AP):

Considered one of the most renowned voices to emerge from Toronto’s Yorkville folk club scene in the 1960s, Lightfoot went on to record 20 studio albums and pen hundreds of songs, including “Carefree Highway” and “Sundown.”
Once called a “rare talent” by Bob Dylan, dozens of artists have covered his work, including Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Harry Belafonte, Johnny Cash, Anne Murray, Jane’s Addiction and Sarah McLachlan.
Most of his songs are deeply autobiographical with lyrics that probe his own experiences in a frank manner and explore issues surrounding the Canadian national identity.

Lightfoot rose to prominence with his 1970 hit “If You Could Read My Mind” and went on to create such classics like the 1975 song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which commemorated the sinking of the bulk freighter SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975.
“I simply write the songs about where I am and where I’m from,” he said. “I take situations and write poems about them.”
“I just like to stay there and be a part of the totem pole and look after the responsibilities I’ve acquired over the years,” he said in a 2001 interview.
“He was married three times and had six children,” noted the Washington Post. “Throughout his life, he struggled with alcoholism, had difficulty maintaining close relationships and revealed in a biography that he paid a price for letting his career take over his personal life. Ultimately he sobered up, married happily, and continued touring and writing songs into his 80s.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed Lightfoot following news of his death on Monday.
“We have lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot captured our country’s spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada’s soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever. To his family, friends, and many fans across the country and around the world: I’m keeping you in my thoughts at this difficult time,” tweeted Trudeau.

We have lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot captured our country’s spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada’s soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever. To his family,…

 

[UKDslayer]

 

[Average guy]

Two of my favorites. RIP Gordon Lightfoot

 

[MH308]

R.I.P Ponyman

 

[acudaowner]

loved his music as a kid rip .

 

[Duc]

Great story teller. RIP Sir.

 

[Tokay444]

In Canada we called him Gordon Light 30 Centimetres.

 

[myronman3]

too soon?

 

[CLEANDEAN]

Edmund Fitzgerald … I was on that Lake ,& the others with rough and Choppy waters.
Ominous & Scary !
RIP … Gordon’s music is a terrific Legacy.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

There goes half of Canada’s GDP. They better make sure Celine Dion is taking her BP meds.

Shortest album ever made: Gordon Lightfoot’s Party Singles!

Well, he was a great storyteller and I still like his music. So, RIP Gordon Lightfoot! Your songs will live on.

Sirhr

 

[fpgt72]

Fantastic songs that said something. That is really missing in todays music. He was fantastic.....

To fly off on one of my normal tangents for a sec......

Think of "modern music".....or I should say modern popular music. Look up the words, you sure as hell can't listen to them, but that is nothing really new.

Old songs actually told a story, and did it across all genre of music. Rock, Pop, Country....hell I would go out on a limb and say early Rap. Baby got back is telling you something, read the words to that song.

Now it is just void filled with autotune noise. The people have zero talent, can't play can't hold a note. And there is better songs in Spinal Tap.

Read the words to a few "old" songs and tell me I am wrong. Now I am not saying ALL but most. Hell even something as sappy as the Royal Guardsman Snoopy vs. Red Baron tells you a story, it is fun and funny but if you ever watched a Peanuts cartoon growing up you get it.

We had people like Johnny Horton telling us about the Bismark, or the Battle of New Orleans. Marty Robbins telling us about a guy and his love all the way to a couple really nasty looking dudes telling us about Brown Sugar or Subdivisions....and those dudes are FUGLY. But great words.

Now get off my lawn.

 

[M4orturnate]

Took my ex wife to see him in around 2004ish. We were probably the yougest people there by 30 years. He put on a great show tho and sounded really good

 

[Maggot]

Fantastic songs that said something. That is really missing in todays music. He was fantastic.....

To fly off on one of my normal tangents for a sec......

Think of "modern music".....or I should say modern popular music. Look up the words, you sure as hell can't listen to them, but that is nothing really new.

Old songs actually told a story, and did it across all genre of music. Rock, Pop, Country....hell I would go out on a limb and say early Rap. Baby got back is telling you something, read the words to that song.

Now it is just void filled with autotune noise. The people have zero talent, can't play can't hold a note. And there is better songs in Spinal Tap.

Read the words to a few "old" songs and tell me I am wrong. Now I am not saying ALL but most. Hell even something as sappy as the Royal Guardsman Snoopy vs. Red Baron tells you a story, it is fun and funny but if you ever watched a Peanuts cartoon growing up you get it.

We had people like Johnny Horton telling us about the Bismark, or the Battle of New Orleans. Marty Robbins telling us about a guy and his love all the way to a couple really nasty looking dudes telling us about Brown Sugar or Subdivisions....and those dudes are FUGLY. But great words.

Now get off my lawn.

Not all of it was deep stuff....

 

[Kimbertop253]

Rip

 

[37L1]

looking like a queen in a sailor's dream. . .

 

[Jethro3898]

I never realized until now how much Gordon Lightfoot and Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad look alike.

 

[101st]

"Fellas it's been good to know ya"

Gordon Lightfoot
R.I.P.

 

[Snipe260]

Have most of his songs downloaded. Loved his music as a kid! Still do today! Rip!

 

[Carlos Danger]

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed Lightfoot following news of his death on Monday.
“We have lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot captured our country’s spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada’s soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever. To his family, friends, and many fans across the country and around the world: I’m keeping you in my thoughts at this difficult time,” tweeted Trudeau.

Best thing fuckwit Trudeau can do is keep his fucking cockholster shut and not dishonor the memory of a great musician.

 

[Fx51LP308]

My favorite of Lightfoot:

 

[fpgt72]

Not all of it was deep stuff....

Yes, I would call that sappy as well. But there is a clear story there, you can read the words or listen to them and understand the story.

It does not need to be "heavy", it can be quite fun.

Music to me is a very powerful thing, it has the power to bring tears of joy as well as tears of pain. But the key to that are the words.

 

[jb0311]

My parents were in their 20s during the 60s. This isn’t the music of my generation but I remember hearing these songs on record when I was growing up.

 

[Cardboard55]

Yes, I would call that sappy as well. But there is a clear story there, you can read the words or listen to them and understand the story.

It does not need to be "heavy", it can be quite fun.

Music to me is a very powerful thing, it has the power to bring tears of joy as well as tears of pain. But the key to that are the words.

Songs were chronicles of events in days of yore, to be passed down through the ages...

 

[SBRSarge]

R.I.P Ponyman

I love that song!

 

[ChezJfrey]

I've been a little sad about this...Gordon is one of my favorites since I was young. Legend.

 

[muzzleloader]

could run a needle through Gore’s Gold, easily.
RIP

 

[fpgt72]

Songs were chronicles of events in days of yore, to be passed down through the ages...

I like it, I will give you two, one "old" and one "new". I still get goose bumps on the first, and the second just makes me sad. That one hits a little too close to home, not my war but too close. Truth be known I have never made it through the entire song.

 

[UKDslayer]

Was at this one iat Philly Spectrum 1986 - this whole set fits Oceangate.

Starts with "We're the ship without a storm, the cold without the warm, the light inside the darkness that it needs, yeah...We are coming home"...Into Children of the Sea: "You've been down oh so long where the sun never never shines, someone out there wants to get a piece of whats yours and what's all of mind and mine. You better look out.... spinning round and round you're just children of the sea..into Holy Diver "You've been lost too long in the midnight sea, Oh what's becoming of me...We will prayer its alright" into Last in Line reprise that could have been Oceangates last action..."You can release yourself but the only way is down....your the last in line...See how it shines, shine on."