
I can t get enough of Gordon and his incredible talent - This is a wonderful compilation of some of his best-loved songs, and I find it common for me to just play it over and over again,ad nauseum. I was a teenager in the 60 s and didn t really pay much attention to him during those early years, but somehow the truth, magic and wonder of this man s incredible talent grew on me and its clear to see that it just shines through the plethora of artists who have come and gone over the years. His songs such as Stay Loose and Ribbon of Darkness (not on this album) are so powerful , they helped me feel, and understand the depth of pain and the eventual recovery of a tragic period in my life when my marriage failed. After he is no longer with us, generations will be able to listen , reflect , and admire with pleasure this icon of Canada s contribution to music this past century. He makes me very proud to be a Canadian and to have had the good fortune to have been here while he composed and performed so many wonderful, wonderful songs. Just a remarkable man.
Sad song selection - I was so diasappointed by the selection of early UA trax on this CD, it now sits in the used CD section of my favorite CD store. What could have been an awesome CD, is only mediocre at best... Sorry Thane. Where are his best UA songs, Did She Mention My Name?, I m Not Sayin or Ribbon of Darkness??? Several songs on here are below Lightfoot average -- why Go-Go Round (very amateurish) & Pussywillows (peraps the most boring song ever written). A great opportunity -- lost...
Complete Canadian Class - Terrific - One of my favourote singers of all time. The is a marvellous collection of classic Lightfoot tracks. All the hits that this very underrated singer-songwriter had, either himself or by others interpretations, are here from ",Early Morning Rain", through ",If You Could Read My Mind", and ",Sundown", on to ",Restless",. OK, there are some obvious omissions which other reviewers have, quite rightly, pointed out.Lightfoot was one of those who had the tag of ",the second Bob Dylan",, which is like having a monkey on his back. They are very different writers, with Lightfoot being a dispationate observer and reporter of love, the wonder of Canada, great events and all with a wonderful baritone voice.His usual band - Terry Clements, Red Shea, Rick Haynes, John Stockfish and Pee Wee Charles - deserve a mention. They hold it all together and enhance Lightfoots delivery.Lightfoot s recent (September 2002) illness and long (many months) hospitalisation will have shocked and horrified his fans. However, they will be relieved that he it is reported that he is on the way to full recovery. More good news is the imminent release of his 20th album at the end of April 2004.As for this collection, it shows just what a top class artist he is. If you are new to Lightfoot, you have the choice of albums to introduce yourself to his music. You could buy the 4-CD box-set ",Songbook", - 5 hours of glorious Lightfoot. Or you could buy ",Gord s Gold", (the first album - not Vol. 2), which has some other tracks, or you could have this. Personally, I would have them all, as the man is a genius. In fact, spend some serious money and buy ALL his albums.
Complete Canadian Class - Terrific - One of my favourote singers of all time. The is a marvellous collection of classic Lightfoot tracks. All the hits that this very underrated singer-songwriter had, either himself or by others interpretations, are here from ",Early Morning Rain", through ",If You Could Read My Mind", and ",Sundown", on to ",Restless",. OK, there are some obvious omissions which other reviewers have, quite rightly, pointed out.Lightfoot was one of those who had the tag of ",the second Bob Dylan",, which is like having a monkey on his back. They are very different writers, with Lightfoot being a dispationate observer and reporter of love, the wonder of Canada, great events and all with a wonderful baritone voice.His usual band - Terry Clements, Red Shea, Rick Haynes, John Stockfish and Pee Wee Charles - deserve a mention. They hold it all together and enhance Lightfoots delivery.Lightfoot s recent (September 2002) illness and long (many months) hospitalisation will have shocked and horrified his fans. However, they will be relieved that he it is reported that he is on the way to full recovery. More good news is the imminent release of his 20th album at the end of April 2004.As for this collection, it shows just what a top class artist he is. If you are new to Lightfoot, you have the choice of albums to introduce yourself to his music. You could buy the 4-CD box-set ",Songbook", - 5 hours of glorious Lightfoot. Or you could buy ",Gord s Gold", (the first album - not Vol. 2), which has some of other tracks, or you could have this. Personally, I would have them all, as the man is a genius. In fact, spend some serious money and buy ALL his albums.
I could play this from sunrise to ",Sundown",. - Seems like it would be hard to better ",Gord s Gold",, but this did. This collection is perfect for the average fan. 20 tracks including ",Carefree Highway",, ",If You Could Read My Mind",, ",Beautiful",, and the excellent ",Sundown",. Also here is ",The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald",, which other collections miss. Something about ",Gordon Lightfoot", stood out among the other 70 s singer/songwriters. Be it his looks or voice, he was gentle, yet more masculine than others in the genre, and some of his songs even had a western vibe to them. Dare I call him cool? Highly recommended.