The Unbelievable Story Behind Gordon Lightfoot's Biggest Hit! | Professor of Rock
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Published 2022-04-09
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Hey music junkies and vinyl junkies Professor of Rock always here to celebrate the greatest artists and the greatest 70s songs of all time for the music community and vinyl community with music history video essay's including today's Gordon Lightfoot story of sundown, and gordon lightfoot reaction. If you’ve ever owned records, cassettes and CD’s at different times in you life or still do this is your place Subscribe below right now to be a part of our daily celebration of the rock era with exclusive stories from straight from the artists and click on our patreon link in the description to become an Honorary Producer.
So, it’s time for another edition of our series The New Standards. This show takes an in-depth look at songs that really set the bar in rock history. It doesn’t matter what decade, genre, or musical movement they might have come out of. These songs transcend all of that, and take us to that place inside that where only a handful of other songs can. On previous episodes we have covered Mrs. Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel, Hey Jude by The Beatles, and Dreams by Fleetwood Mac. But today we are breaking down the 1974 classic Sundown, by Canadian troubadour extraordinaire, Gordon Lightfoot.
As his decade-long marriage came to an end in 1973, Gordon Lightfoot found himself at the crossroads of personal regret and unprecedented commercial success. Lightfoot and Brita Olaisson married in 1963. The couple had two kids together. Separated since 1970, their divorce proceedings came to a close three years later.
Brita reportedly filed for divorce after returning home from a trip to Sweden to find another woman in the house.
In court, Gordon admitted infidelity. Brita was awarded custody of the kids, a monthly stipend for their care and a lump sum big enough to buy a new home. At the time it was the largest divorce settlement in Canadian history. The whole ordeal was excruciating for the deeply private Lightfoot.
Gordon was under no delusion that he was in the right. Later he’d say he knew the marriage was over from day one, maybe even before that. The life of a married musician can be a lonely one when you’re on the road. Said Lightfoot, "When you're away from the woman, continually confronted by other women, you suddenly find yourself in a weak moment. Then … you gotta go home and confront your old lady... You're going to have to offer her the same deal. You can't ask the woman to be faithful if you're not going to be faithful to her. That's where it's broken down for me..."
All Comments (21)
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Poll: From "Your Cheatin' Heart" by Hank Williams to "Your Love" by the Outfield and beyond....What is your pick for the best "cheating" song?
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As much as this one has a high pedestal, "If You Could Read My Mind" is still my favorite of his.
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My father was born in 1925, and grew up loving big band music. He could not STAND what he called “modern” music (which he considered anything AFTER the big band era). But he ADORED Gordon Lightfoot; especially THIS song! Rest In Peace, Dad.
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I saw Gordon live three times and met him twice after the shows. The first time, I asked him questions about my favorite songs of his that I wanted answers to, which he graciously gave me. It was freezing; snow was coming down and there was a foot of snow on the ground, so he invited me indoors. I was so glad to have met him, he being my favorite musician and his genuineness endeared him to me even more.
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When it comes to Gordon Lightfoot and his footnote in history I go by the fact that Bob Dylan actually made the effort to come up to induct Gordon Lightfoot into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Dylan doesn't do that for just anybody.
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Saw him live a few years back. Amazingly even at his advanced age his distinctive voice hasn't aged at all, he still hits every note. On a side note, even though I do love a lot if his decades old catalogue my favorite will always be "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". Hats off to one of the greatest storytellers ever.
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Listen to those vocal harmonies when he sings the word “Sundown”. Every note is PERFECT. And that’s WAY before Auto-Tune existed!
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We just saw Gordon preform this past winter of 2023. Had to be close to one of his last performances. I must say at 83 he started out a little shaky, but then the Ol'Gordon appeared and he was just fantastic, sounding like he was 30 or 40 years his junior. We are certainly glad that we got to see him with all his old songs and his greatest hits. It was a wonderful treat! RIP Gordon!
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My parents played his music as well. My Dad primarily. Around 1980 my parents and neighbors were going to see him live and there was an extra ticket so I got to go. I enjoyed the concert but what was really interesting is he played a new song and after the band came back for the second half of the concert he replayed the same song again. He told the crowd he didn't like how it sounded the first time so .... did it again. That made an impression - someone very dedicated to their craft.
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As a Canadian I am proud of some of the artists we have produced, Gordon Lightfoot is a legend who has never forgotten his roots, but I think worldwide he's somewhat overlooked in comparison to his Canadian contemporary's like Neil Young and Joni Mitchell but every bit as good of a songwriter as any.
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Gordon is a musical and lyrical genius and he constantly and consistently breaks my my heart. His passing made the tears flow.
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Rest In Peace, Gordon. You wrote some amazing music.
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“If you could read my mind” was my favourite. I graduated in “74” so it meant a lot to a pensive young girl like me. RIP GORDON
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Mr Lightfoot is such a great storyteller. In this case, he hides the tension in a happy melody and awesome vocal harmonies. This is one of my favorites.
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"Sometimes, I think it's a shame when I get feeling better when I'm feeling no pain" CMON NOW! His lyrics are over the top. We're blessed to have a soul as Gordon Lightfoot's on the planet
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GL was so underrated! He was a brilliant songwriter and story teller with such a unique and amazing voice. Always loved Sundown.
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"Sometimes music can't be explained, it's just for individual interpretation." So true!
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This Man is Folk music treasure. So many great songs.
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I clearly remember the first time I heard this song. I was 7 and in my backyard on a sunny late afternoon, but I only thought the lyrics were about the sun. More importantly, the feelings that this song evokes are of that semi-rural suburb I grew up in. I felt like I was almost floating and at peace with everything around me. It felt so enchanting to listen to the crickets and coyotes sing at night and sometimes even see coyotes on the roads. No other song reminds me of those wonderful, peaceful and quiet warm days and nights in my neighborhood during the first half of the 70s, mostly early 70s. How I yearn for more quiet days.
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In a room where you do what you don't confess. Man that's a true song.
