Good music and other good stuff on youtube and Facebook

[RoseMorninStar]

The kora is a beautiful sounding instrument. It looks like it would be difficult to learn to play.

[N.E. Brigand]

R.I.P. Gordon Lightfoot (1939-2023), my favorite singer and one of the favorites of V's favorite:



I only saw him perform once, about ten years ago, long after his voice was all but gone. Apparently he was still performing just last month.

[N.E. Brigand]

Three early Canadian hits for Lightfoot before he made it big in the U.S.:

Early Morning Rain:



Song for a Winter's Night:



Canadian Railroad Trilogy:

[RoseMorninStar]

I don't think I've ever heard those song before. The voice is unmistakable. May he RIP.

[N.E. Brigand]

"Early Morning Rain" was covered by a lot of other singers before Lightfoot was well known (and even Elvis Presley later covered it).

"Song for a Winter's Night," which is sort of a Christmas carol, was written in July right here in Cleveland. It was covered decades later by Sarah McLachlan, whose version is sometimes heard on the radio in December.

"Canadian Railroad Trilogy," was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and as the CBC noted yesterday, some folks up north view it as a second national anthem.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

R.I.P. Gordon Lightfoot (1939-2023), my favorite singer and one of the favorites of V's favorite:

You can really see in that picture how much Bob liked Lightfoot. He has a contented look about him that is rare in photo of him in any era.

ETA: I'm glad you got to see him live, even if it was past his prime.

[Sunsilver]

He was a great songwriter, and a good singer. I heard him perform live once, during the 70's when he would have been in his prime. He didn't connect well with the audience, and refused to come back for an encore, no matter how long the audience continued their ovation. You really got the impression he and the band were just 'going through the motions.'

When a colleague at work found I was going to hear him, he said he wouldn't even go across the street to hear him perform. He once played at the university my colleague was attending, and was so drunk, the audience booed him. He responded by telling them "You hate me? Well, I hate you, too."

Apparently this wasn't the only time he performed while drunk. I suspect alcohol continued to a problem throughout most of his life, and he only cleaned up his act after he nearly died from that aneurysm. I kept seeing pictures of him where he looked as rough a Johnny Cash did during the mid 1960's.

A woman I knew through the Schutzhund club told me her mom used to sing with Lightfoot's band. She said they were heavily into drinking, drugs and partying. Not sure what decade this was, but it's one of the reasons she was mostly raised by her grandmother.

You can love someone's music and respect them as an artist, which I do, without liking them as a person. And I think the worst thing a singer can do is disrespect the people who buy their music!

Contrast Lightfoot's performance with Pete Seeger, who played the same venu during the same time period (Massey Hall, Toronto). Pete had a bad cold that night, and was not in the best voice, but his rapport with the audience was awesome. He'd get everyone singing along, then drop his volume way down to save his voice. He played a full 3 hour concert, with a 20 minute intermission, then came back for 3 encores!

Mind you, few performers could build the sort of rapport with audiences that Seeger could!

[RoseMorninStar]

I have FB container blocking so I hope this comes through 'cause I can't tell!
EDITED:
I found it on YouTube as well. It might be easier to view there.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Yes, it comes through, Rose.

[Sunsilver]

One of the main reasons I bought the DVD for the first Hobbit movie was so I could experience that scene again, with the dwarves singing that song. It was probably THE best moment in the entire trilogy!

[Alatar]

[RoseMorninStar]

LOL!

[Sunsilver]

Okay, I was today years old when I found out The Sloop John B, which most of my generation remembers as a huge Beach Boys hit, was actually a traditional Bahamian folk song. The B.B.'s version was actually based on the Kingston Trio's recording of the song. Al Jardine added some chord changes, and was the one who pitched the song to Brian Wilson, and at first Brian didn't like it. But after thinking about it overnight, Brian changed his mind. And the rest is history...

Here is a video from PBS of the Trio doing the song, and getting interrupted by the Beach Boy's Al Jardine:
And yes, I still prefer the original Beach Boy's version of the song, but this is really cool...

Side note: The Wrecking Crew provided the instrumentation on the original recording, including the legendary Carol Kaye on Fender bass. The a cappela sections of the song Wilson added was controversial at first, and Capitol didn't like it, but I think it's one of the best parts of the song, as it highlights the Beach Boys considerable talents with vocal harmony.

My very first LP album was the Beach Boys All Summer Long, and I am still a dedicated fan.

[Snowdog]

I like the Beach Boys and the Kingston Trio versions, but my first exposure to this song was by The Brothers Four when dad got their Big Folk Hits album when he bought a new console stereo in 1963.

[RoseMorninStar]

That song (Histe up the John B. Sails) was originally published in 1916!! There are recordings from the 1930's on YouTube.

[Alatar]

THis is the closest thing I've heard to an unreleased Queen song. Sam Ryders voice is exceptional and has a very Freddie quality, completely different to Adam Lambert, who I do love also. It helps that Brian May provides the guitar break.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Impressive! I like that a lot.

[RoseMorninStar]

Altar, I love that.

I know these drums aren't the same as those you're into V, but I think this song/video is so very cool.

[Sunsilver]

Okay, maybe if I post this here, I'll be able to get rid of it as an earworm! It's been playing in my head for the better part of 3 weeks. Have to admit, he's an excellent singer, with a very powerful voice and the song really tugs the heart-strings, all the more because it reflects real events, where a man could be imprisoned and shipped off to Botany Bay for a minor theft.

Wonderful song by one of Ireland's best!

God rest ye, Paddy Reilly!

[Alatar]

You need to hear that being sung at an Irish Rugby match by thousands of voices