A Collection of Gordon Lightfoot Quiz

Answer:

Gordon had only one number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, but sold albums by the millions. His songs were recorded by other artists who had success with them - they include Peter, Paul and Mary, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash and even Elvis Presley.

'Early Morning Rain' dates from the 1960s and was written by Lightfoot when he was on tour and missing home. It tells the story of a man watching an aeroplane take off and wishing he could afford to buy a ticket. Among the artists to cover it are Ian and Sylvia, Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley. 'Ribbon of Darkness' gave Marty Robbins one of his many number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Dating from 1965, Lightfoot often performed the song combined with another of his compositions, 'I'm Not Sayin''.

The number one hit referred to in paragraph one came in 1974 with 'Sundown' from the album of the same title which also featured 'Carefree Highway'. 'Rainy Day People' dates from 1975 when it appeared on the album 'Cold on the Shoulder', which has a song of the same name. The album also has one of my personal favourites, 'Now and Then'. which is probably not as well known as it should be.

'For Lovin' Me' appeared on Gordon's first album, released in 1966, and is a rather cynical song about leaving lovers behind without a backward glance. Some of the songs already mentioned also featured on this album which also includes a cover of 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face'. The song many people could name is 'If You Could Read My Mind', which was one of Lightfoot's biggest hits. It featured on an album originally named 'Sit Down Young Stranger' from 1970, but the album was renamed after the single did so well and now has the same name. This album also has 'Minstrel of the Dawn' as one of the tracks as well as Gordon's version of 'Me and Bobby McGee'.

1971 saw the release of the album 'Summer Side of Life', with 'Cotton Jenny' the best known track from it. The song became a huge hit for another Canadian singer, Anne Murray, rather than for Gordon himself, although the royalties were undoubtedly welcome.

The final three songs all appeared on an earlier album, released in 1967 and called 'The Way I Feel'. 'Softly' is a gentle love song and 'Song for a Winter's Night' continues the theme, although Gordon often told people that it had been written in July. The use of sleigh bells on the track has caused it to be associated with the Christmas season. The song has been covered by several other artistes, including Harry Belafonte and Sarah MacLachlan.

'Canadian Railroad Trilogy' was actually commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to accompany a programme celebrating Canada's centennial in 1967. It is one of Lightfoot's 'story songs' covering the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway from a time when only forests covered the land to the arrival of workers from other lands to build the railway. The lyrics don't shy away from the difficulties and deaths which the work cost. George Hamilton IV and John Mellencamp are among those to have covered this song.

I haven't forgotten the other great story song - 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' - but decided to cover a few songs which might not be quite as well known. Bob Dylan has been quoted as saying 'I can't think of any Gordon Lightfoot song I don't like' and I very nearly agree. There is one I don't much care for!

The wrong answer options are all by another great Canadian singer/songwriter, Leonard Cohen, another one who is near the top of my list. Just in case, I do know that 'Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye' should have a comma after 'Hey'. The format uses commas to separate titles, though, so I couldn't include it in the question part.