Lightfoot's songs, including "For Lovin' Me", "Early Morning Rain", "Steel Rail Blues", "Ribbon of Darkness"—a number one hit on the U.S. country chart with Marty Robbins's cover in 1965—and "Black Day in July," about the 1967 Detroit riot, brought him wide recognition in the 1960s. Canadian chart success with his own recordings began in 1962 with the No. 3 hit "(Remember Me) I'm the One", followed by recognition and charting abroad in the 1970s. He topped the US Hot 100 or AC chart with the hits "If You Could Read My Mind" (1970), "Sundown" (1974); "Carefree Highway" (1974), "Rainy Day People" (1975), and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976), and had many other hits that appeared in the top 40.
Several of Lightfoot's albums achieved gold and multi-platinum status internationally. His songs have been recorded by renowned artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., The Kingston Trio, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Herb Alpert, Harry Belafonte, Sarah McLachlan, Eric Clapton, John Mellencamp, Peter, Paul and Mary, Glen Campbell, The Grateful Dead, Nico, and Olivia Newton-John.
Robbie Robertson of the Band described Lightfoot as "a national treasure". Bob Dylan, also a Lightfoot fan, called him one of his favorite songwriters and, in an often-quoted tribute, Dylan observed that when he heard a Lightfoot song he wished "it would last forever". Lightfoot was a featured musical performer at the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Trent University in Spring 1979 and was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in May 2003. In November 1997, the Governor General's Performing Arts Award, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts, was bestowed on Lightfoot. On February 6, 2012, Lightfoot was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. June of that year saw his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. On June 6, 2015, Lightfoot received an honorary doctorate of music in his hometown of Orillia from Lakehead University.
As an individual, apart from various awards associated with his albums and singles, Gordon Lightfoot has received sixteen Juno Awards—for top folk singer in 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969,[67] 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, for top male vocalist in 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, and as composer of the year in 1972 and 1976. He has received ASCAP awards for songwriting in 1971, 1974, 1976, and 1977, and has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. In 1974 Lightfoot's song "Sundown" was named pop record of the year by the Music Operators of America. In 1980 he was named Canadian male recording artist of the decade, for his work in the 1970s.
Lightfoot was chosen as the celebrity captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs for the NHL's 75th anniversary season in 1991–1992.
Lightfoot was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. He was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998. In May 2003 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour. Lightfoot is a member of the Order of Ontario, the highest honour in the province of Ontario. In 1977, he received the Vanier Award from the Canadian Jaycees. In 2007 Canada Post honoured Lightfoot and three other Canadian music artists (Anne Murray, Paul Anka, and Joni Mitchell) with postage stamps highlighting their names and images. On June 24, 2012, Lightfoot was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in a New York City ceremony, along with Bob Seger.
Between 1986 and 1988, Lightfoot's friend Ken Danby (1940–2007), the realist painter, worked on a large (60 × 48 inches) portrait of Lightfoot dressed in the white suit he wore on the cover of the album East of Midnight. The picture was backlit by the sun, creating a visually iconic image of the singer.
On June 16, 2014, Lightfoot was awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by SOCAN at the 2014 SOCAN Awards in Toronto.
On October 23, 2015, Lightfoot was honoured with a 4-metre tall bronze sculpture in his hometown of Orillia, Ontario. The sculpture, called Golden Leaves—A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot, features Lightfoot sitting cross-legged, playing an acoustic guitar underneath an arch of golden maple leaves. Many of the leaves depict scenes from Lightfoot's 1975 greatest hits album, Gord's Gold.
In 2017, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society
He was the subject of Martha Kehoe and Joan Tosoni's 2019 documentary film Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind.
Gordon passed away on May 1st, 2023 at the age of 84.
Let It Ride
Gordon Lightfoot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Though they are not connected, each and every one is true
If they seem a bit untidy, well, unraveling them is fun
I will not stand corrected, I have not harmed anyone
I just let it ride
Ride, let it ride
Leavin' on the evenin' tide
Better I listen to my heart, I sometimes fail to find
One sane and simple answer on the bright side of my mind
Even when I'm sleeping, I can't seem to unwind
I just let it ride
I knew a man from Windsor who went to Detroit every night
And stateside of the tunnel customs agents gave him flight
He threw his stash in the river and his bedroll on the ground
And when they finally got there, a sleeping man was all that they found
He just let it ride
Ride, let it ride
Leave on the evenin' tide
Just let it ride
Hear the steeple bell ring out above my lobster pots
I might be out here fishin' man but that ain't where it stops
The mouths I feed are many and they all say thanks a lot
They just let it ride
One day when I'm old and gray an' consider what's gone by
I always will be proud of every tear I've ever cried
And all of the old jokes we told around the candle light
To all those tender damsels who had helped us in the night
They just let it ride
Ride, let it ride
Leavin' on the evenin' tide
Just let it ride
I'm gonna let it ride
Here's to the girls from London and the ones from Montreal
We never will forget them, we still fantasize them all
I knew one in St. Louis on a Missouri afternoon
I met one up in Shanghai and another in Rangoon
I just let it ride
Ride, let it ride
Leave on the evenin' tide
Just let it ride
Ride, ride, ride
I'm gonna let it ride
Leavin' on the evenin' tide
Just let it ride
The song Let It Ride by Gordon Lightfoot is a reflective track with lyrics that reminisce about different experiences and moments in life. The singer, in the first verse, states the simple facts of his experiences, and although they may not seem connected, they are true. He acknowledges that sometimes his thoughts may be untidy, but he enjoys unraveling them nonetheless. The chorus speaks about letting things be and not worrying about the outcomes, simply riding it out. He states that he will listen to his heart instead of trying to find a sane and straightforward solution on the bright side of his mind. The second verse tells the story of a man from Windsor who went to Detroit every night with a stash that he would throw in the river, along with his bedroll on the ground, and when he was found, he was sleeping. This verse emphasizes the concept of letting things be and not trying to change them.
The third verse is about lobster pot fishermen and the people they feed, and how everyone has learned to let things be and appreciate what they have. The last verse talks about memories, both good and bad, and how they shape us into who we are. The singer mentions girls from different places that he met and is reminiscing about them.
The song is essentially about accepting life as it comes and not worrying too much about what will happen next. Life is an unpredictable journey, and Gordon Lightfoot's lyrics explain that it’s better just to let it ride.
Line by Line Meaning
These are just the simple facts, I will relate to you
I will tell you the truth in a straightforward manner
Though they are not connected, each and every one is true
The facts I'm sharing with you may not seem related, but they are all accurate
If they seem a bit untidy, well, unraveling them is fun
The facts I'm sharing with you may be confusing, but figuring them out is enjoyable
I will not stand corrected, I have not harmed anyone
I won't apologize for telling the truth and I haven't hurt anyone in the process
I just let it ride
I don't worry about the consequences of my actions, I simply go with the flow
Better I listen to my heart, I sometimes fail to find
I often struggle to make decisions based on logical thinking and instead follow my intuition
One sane and simple answer on the bright side of my mind
I wish I could always find clear, straightforward solutions to my problems
Even when I'm sleeping, I can't seem to unwind
Even in my dreams, I find it difficult to relax and let go
I knew a man from Windsor who went to Detroit every night
I once knew someone who regularly traveled from Windsor to Detroit
And stateside of the tunnel customs agents gave him flight
Customs agents on the American side of the tunnel suspected him of wrongdoing
He threw his stash in the river and his bedroll on the ground
To avoid getting caught, he got rid of his illegal drugs and camping gear
And when they finally got there, a sleeping man was all that they found
When the customs agents caught up with him, all they discovered was a sleeping man
Hear the steeple bell ring out above my lobster pots
I can hear the church bell while I'm out fishing
I might be out here fishin' man but that ain't where it stops
Fishing is just one aspect of my life, not the only thing that defines me
The mouths I feed are many and they all say thanks a lot
I provide for a lot of people and they're all grateful for my help
One day when I'm old and gray an' consider what's gone by
When I'm old, I'll look back on my life and reflect on everything that's happened
I always will be proud of every tear I've ever cried
I'll never regret the emotional experiences I've had throughout my life
And all of the old jokes we told around the candle light
I have fond memories of sharing jokes with friends in a cozy setting
To all those tender damsels who had helped us in the night
I'm grateful for the kind women who have helped us when we needed it most
Here's to the girls from London and the ones from Montreal
I raise a toast to the women I've met from different cities
We never will forget them, we still fantasize them all
We'll always remember these women and fondly imagine what could have been
I just let it ride
I don't get too worked up about things, I just let them be
Ride, let it ride
Keep going, don't stop
Leavin' on the evenin' tide
Going away in the evening when the tide is right
I'm gonna let it ride
I'm not going to worry, I'll just go with the flow
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GORDON LIGHTFOOT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ben - Moderator
on Is There Anyone Home
We have now corrected this above
Glenn
on Is There Anyone Home
The note state that this song ("Is there anyone home?") was released in 1998 on the album "A Painter Passing Through". That is not correct, the song doesn't even appear on that album at all. The original release date was 1974 on "Sundown" album. Easily verified on Wikipedia or a hundred other websites.