Jim Adams is the always-motivating host of Song Lyric Sunday. Today is the debut of Jim’s brand new Song Lyric Sunday banner, which shows just how much of a party Song Lyric Sunday is each week. Jim says:
I picked what I feel is the most challenging theme that we have encountered so far, which is Drifter/Loner/Transient/Vagabond, but I know how well you all know music, so I am sure that this will work for many of you.
Here are the “rules”:
• Post the lyrics to the song of your choice, whether it fits the theme or not. If it does not fit, then please explain why you chose this song.
• Please try to include the songwriter(s) – it’s a good idea to give credit where credit is due.
• Make sure you also credit the singer/band and if you desire you can provide a link to where you found the lyrics.
• Link to the YouTube video, or pull it into your post so others can listen to the song.
• Ping back to this post will eventually work, as long as you are being patient, but you can also place your link in the comments if you don’t like to wait.
• Read at least one other person’s blog, so we can all share new and fantastic music and create amazing new blogging friends in the process.
• Feel free to suggest future prompts.
• Have fun and enjoy the music.
This song would have also worked for the train prompt last week, but it surely fits this week’s prompt as well. I have the CD (21 wonderful songs!) today’s selection is on and have listened to it many, many times. Listening to it right now, as a matter of fact.
per wikipedia:
Gord’s Gold is a compilation album released by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot in 1975. Originally a vinyl double album, it was reissued on CD in 1987 (with one track, “Affair on 8th Avenue”, omitted to allow the collection to fit onto a single disc).
The first Lightfoot compilation to feature music from his 1970s Reprise Records albums, Gord’s Gold also includes re-recorded versions of several songs from his 1960s United Artists output (tracks 1-10). This served to update the earlier songs to the same style as his later work and gives the album a level of consistency often lacking in similar compilations. Lightfoot’s reasons for re-recording the United Artists tracks were explained in the liner notes as being because “he doesn’t like listening to his early work“.
Despite covering only the first decade of his career (and lacking one of his biggest hit singles, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, which was recorded the following year), Gord’s Gold has remained the most commercially popular Lightfoot compilation. In 1988 Lightfoot released a second volume, Gord’s Gold, Vol. 2, which also featured re-recordings of earlier hits.
“Steel Rail Blues” is track 6 on my “2 record set on 1 specially priced Disc” compilation.
Well I got my mail late last night
A letter from a girl who found the time to write
To her lonesome boy somewheres in the night
She sent me a railroad ticket too
To take me to her lovin’ arms
And the big steel rail
Gonna carry me home to the one I love
Well I bin out here many a long days
I haven’t found a place that I could call my own
Not a two bit bed to lay my body on
I bin stood up I bin shook down
I bin dragged into the sand
And the big steel rail
Gonna carry me home to the one I love
Ooooh oooo oo whu hu hoo
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo oo
Well I bin up tight most every night
Walkin’ along the streets of this old town
Not a friend around to tell my troubles to
My good old car she done broke down
‘Cause I drove it into the ground
And the big steel rail
Gonna carry me home to the one I love
Well I look over yonder across the plain
The big drive wheels are poundin’ all along the ground
Gonna get on board and I’ll be homeward bound
Now I ain’t had a home cooked meal
And Lord I need one now
And the big steel rail
Gonna carry me home to the one I love
Ooooh oooo oo whu hu hoo
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo oo
Now here I am with my hat in the sand
Standin’ on the broad highway will you give a ride
To a lonesome boy who missed the train last night
I went in town for one last round
And I gambled my ticket away
And the big steel rail
Won’t carry me home to the one I love
Ooooh oooo oo whu hu hoo
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo oo
Ooooh oooo oo whu hu hoo
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo oo hee he he!
Songwriters: Gordon Lightfoot
I also found a very good cover by a bluegrass band, The Seldom Scene
Tao Talk 
This is such a beautiful song! I was expecting someone to post this or the Canadian railroad trilogy for the ‘train’ prompt! Thanks for sharing this, Li. ❤️
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You’re welcome glad you enjoyed it. I think Jim will be doing another train prompt in the future and Canadian railroad trilogy is on Gord’s Gold, so….
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I sure did! Look forward to your sharing it…
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Gordie is terribly under appreciated!
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Yes, he is. One of the greats.
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Railroads and drifters just belong together.
I never get tired of Gordon Lightfoot’s voice. (K)
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Yes they do, Kerfe. I hear you on Gord’s voice.
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Gordon Lightfoot is still going at 80 years old and I read that he is working on his first new album in 15 years. “I ain’t had a home cooked meal” is certainly something that makes this song fit the Drifter/Loner/Transient/Vagabond theme, nice choice Li.
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Thanks, Jim 🙂 New music from Gord???? Yes!
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I never heard this one before. Perfect for SLS.
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Thank you, Ricky 🙂
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❤ everything by Gordon Lightfoot. I have Gordy's Gold, got it from a gift exchange at work one year. Too bad it is in cassette format. lol
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lol at least you have it! I bet you could get a CD cheap through amazon.
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Is Free’s name Rickey?
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Ricky, not Rickey
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Gordon is like Cat Stevens to me…his voice is his unique instrument. This one sounds really good.
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Agreed on the voice. Glad you like it. I just got home from almost 7 hours away. Another unexpected journey that took me 3 hours out of my path 😦
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That is quite a ways.
It was a long weekend for me…I’ll have to catch up on posts tomorrow.
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I hear you on catchup with posts tomorrow. I’m done for the night. I drove an hour to GR and was on my way home when my friend and her husband’s truck broke down north of where I live. He waited for the wrecker and I drove her up to her new house an hour north, helped her unload the stuff that got transferred to my car from the truck, then drove back. Not a fun ride as no street lights, very little traffic, and NO PHONE RECEPTION. A deer was a matter of feet from my windshield as I reached the top of a hill and another vehicle coming towards me with their brights on. Thank God the deer went back where it came from instead of trying to keep crossing. Hoping tomorrow is a more relaxing day for you and me both as this weekend was too full.
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Driving and riding wears you down! Yea that wasn’t a fun time for you. I feel asleep at my laptop last night after I wrote what I did…then woke up and went to bed.
Our road has no street lights so I know exactly what you are saying. It can make for a long trip. Deer have scared me to death before…sometimes you only see a flash of them and you react…at least that has happened to me at night.
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I’ve fallen asleep at the laptop — and while watching TV — before and am always surprised when I wake up. Yes exactly a flash.
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Thanks for the wonderful song! I am always on a lookout to find other Gordon Lightfoot songs. I think it will make my younger self happy!
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❤ I like that idea. Glad you found a song that makes you happy.
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I saw Gordon Lightfoot 5 years ago. He was most excellent.
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Still going strong from what I heard. You just confirmed it ❤
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