Album: Sit Down Young StrangerAvg rating:
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Length: 3:43
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What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old-time movie
'Bout a ghost from a wishin' well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
You know that ghost is me
And I will never be set free
As long as I'm a ghost that you can't see
If I could read your mind, love
What a tale your thoughts could tell
Just like a paperback novel
The kind the drugstores sell
When you reach the part where the heartaches come
The hero would be me
But heroes often fail
And you won't read that book again
Because the ending's just too hard to take
I'd walk away like a movie star
Who gets burned in a three-way script
Enter number two
A movie queen to play the scene
Of bringing all the good things out in me
But for now love, let's be real
I never thought I could act this way
And I've got to say that I just don't get it
I don't know where we went wrong
But the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back
If you could read my mind, love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old-time movie
'Bout a ghost from a wishin' well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
But stories always end
And if you read between the lines
You'll know that I'm just tryin' to understand
The feelings that you lack
I never thought I could feel this way
And I've got to say that I just don't get it
I don't know where we went wrong
But the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back
When I was young, pre-teen, my Mom used to play nothing but Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond, Carole King, Carly Simon, and Kris Kristofferson on our old JVC receiver. This was my intro to the whole immersive singer/songwriter thing.
It's not what I listen to on a daily basis today, but it forms some of the underpinnings of my musical heritage and I'm deeply grateful for it. Oh, and this is wonderful stuff.
What wonderful musical memories to have đ
Gordon Lightfoot died today. He wasn't my favorite but penned some mighty fine stuff. Thank you Canada!
Wednesday morning 5-4-23
Dropped his CD into the player to visit the memories and skipped ahead to my favorite on the disk:
âBeautifulâ
At times I just don't know
How you could be anything but beautiful
I think that I was made for you
And you were made for me.
And I know that that I won't ever change
Cause we've been friends
Through rain or shine
For such a long, long time
On this morning, the song wrenched open my heart and reduced me to tears. This morning I left the room to hide my pain and fear, to feign strength for my Melody. But she found my secret place, again. Through hot tears she said her love for me is always. I reminded her, she had me at hello. Through a desperate hug we sobbed a wordless goodbye.
Tomorrow morning we go to the cancer center to burn a twenty years demon. We rush to days of chemo and a stem cell transplant. Funny how we counted down the days. Please, no last days, these. Hers deserve days of grandchildren.
The same small town street saw us as kids but not until twenty years later did our stars align under a grown up sky. For 45 years, as a day, her beauty was as the first when she broke open my heart. We were made for each other and have been friends for such a long, long time. Oh, for the rain and the shine.
Gordon, on this morning you captured us in tears. May you go with a Lightfoot to rest with your fathers. If you see my Melody bid her homeward with my heart.
Long Live RP and memories of Gordon Lightfoot!!
It has been 20 years since my daughter passed and everytime I hear this song I am moved to tears, because I never got the chance to see her grow into the woman that haunts my dreams. Gordon Lightfoot knows how to tell a story that pulls at the heart-strings !
I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost my sister just over 20 years ago. There are a couple of songs that do the same thing for me. Not this one, but yes, he does know how to tell a story that opens so many wounds
(Bentoâs series is binge-worthy).
Check it out:
That was 45 years ago. I think maybe, at most, another 4 or 5 songs have impacted me right between the eyes since then, like this one did.
Interestingly, I've heard a few others just up and mention, when it gets played, that they reacted in similar fashion the first time they heard it.
DR. British Columbia
When I was young, pre-teen, my Mom used to play nothing but Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond, Carole King, Carly Simon, and Kris Kristofferson on our old JVC integrated. This was my intro to the whole immersive singer/songwriter thing.
It's not what I listen to on a daily basis today, but it forms some of the underpinnings of my musical heritage and I'm deeply grateful for it. Oh, and this is wonderful stuff.
In Chicago, WSDM (Smack Dab in the Middle) first FM station to listen to, preteen. Mom listening to it getting ready for work. Gordon, Joni, Simon and Gar.....such good, times then. Still love hearing Gordon-
O Canada, actually.
Eh, Canada?
O Canada, actually.
eh surely?
While going through my divorce it brought tears to my eyes, it still does.
Lightfoot is a true treasure. Play more of him if/when you get the chance, please.
Wow, a blast from the past!!! When I was ten(in '72) I had the lyrics memorized - even though I didn't know what they all meant - but I loved this song.
I still don't get the part about the old time movie about a ghost from a wishing well. After all these years
"Oh" Canada... FTFY
EH!
Ah Canada
"Oh" Canada... FTFY
O Canada, actually.
Best line I ever heard in an interview was with the thrice-married Gord, was when he said:
"There's no such thing as an ex-wife".
That's a class act; as he always was.
Or, for something completely different...Nico covering Lightfoot's I'm Not Sayin'...
Tony in NJ
W.A.S.T.E.
Or The Slits doing, "Heard It Through The Grapevine", yeah.
ooops, I thought this was 'the National'
Or, for something completely different...Nico covering Lightfoot's I'm Not Sayin'...
Tony in NJ
W.A.S.T.E.
Ah Canada
"Oh" Canada... FTFY
Thanks RP.
It's not what I listen to on a daily basis today, but it forms some of the underpinnings of my musical heritage and I'm deeply grateful for it. Oh, and this is wonderful stuff.
