Today’s offering for Glyn’s Mixed Music Bag Week 15, calling for artists with names beginning with G or H (I went with Gord’s first name) will be to deliver a song by a favorite songwriter and singer, Mr. Gordon Lightfoot. The song is, “Your Love’s Return”, which is off of his 1970, “If you Could Read My Mind” CD, which was originally titled, “Sit Down Young Stranger”. This is Gordon’s first LP produced by Reprise Records, and the research says it is what led to his recognition and popularity.
“Your Love’s Return” has (Song for Stephen Foster) in parentheses after it. At one site, it suggests it was written by Foster, but another site says Gordon wrote it. Anyone with more information on the song and songwriter, please let me know.
The song is one of yearning and hope, where the singer is hopeful that his lost love will one day deliver herself to his door. Reading some on Gordon’s personal history, he married multiple times, where he admits his infidelity contributed to at least one marriage’s failure. He has several children from multiple women. It makes me wonder which one of the women he was thinking of when he wrote this one. It’s a sad song. His hope remains alive, but what is not said is that she is not coming back.
Put on your rings and precious things
Hide all your tears as best you can
Try to recall what used to be
Roses are waiting for dewdrops to fall
Climbing your windows and walls
Bells in steeple are ringing
Singing
Listen to them talk about your love’s return
And try to undo what I have done
For I must be forgiven now
I can’t leave your love alone
Climbing your windows and walls
Leaves in the garden are falling
Calling
Listen to them talk about your love’s return
Wake from your sleep and take me home
Open your eyes and look my way
I’ll not loose what I have won
Climbing your windows and walls
Bells in steeple are ringing
Singing
Listen to them talk about your love’s return
Tao Talk 
I’ve always enjoyed the acoustic sounds of his songs!
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What a great and long career Gordon has had.
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<3
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I love every song on this album.
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<3 It's a good one.
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Great song!
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I read that this song ‘Your Love’s Return’ is a tribute to the composer Stephen Foster. It was written about the difficult relationship that Stephen had with his wife Jane Foster.
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Ah, that explains the dedication. Wasn’t sure if he had taken some of the melody or lyrics from one of Foster’s songs. It’s one of my favorite Lightfoot songs. The yearning hope that one day she will return…
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They lived apart at the end of their marriage with Stephen being in NYC and Jane residing in Philadelphia.
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Great song by Gordon…everything he writes is great.
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Great choice of music !
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Thank you.
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I’ve always loved Gordon Lightfoot’s distinct vocals. And he’s written some great songs. I didn’t know “Your Love’s Return”. This is the kind of music where you should sit down and listen without doing anything else.
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Exactly, Christian. It deserves one’s full attention.
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I remember your earlier post. I found this for you. https://www.corfid.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=18225
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Punam, THANK YOU! A wealth of information in the thread at the link. I didn’t recognize the name Stephen Foster (but I should have!) but did recognize several songs that he wrote.
I encourage anyone reading the comments to follow that link that answers pretty much everything to do with Gordon’s writing of it and Stephen Foster’s influence on the writing of it.
Thanks again, Dear Punam <3
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You are so welcome, Li. I looked it up as much for myself as for you. The lyrics had a very GL feel and I had to find out whether he had written it or not.
My pleasure, dear friend. ❤️❤️
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<3
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Here is a link to YouTube to a Stephen Foster YouTube playlist:
https://youtu.be/y2weWaKmC44?si=-lbWFW6CGiZzaeHj
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p.s. beware that some of these songs are disturbing in that they are singing about “the happy slaves” !
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I was going to say it doesn’t sound like Stephen Foster at all, but I see the mystery has been solved. There are a lot of good versions of Foster’s song “Hard Times Come Again No More”.
Gordon has a great voice. So warm. (K)
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Kerfe, I think Gord took it to the next level, like a kid playing with tinker toys becomes an architect. This one by The Chieftains is a favorite of mine. This whole album is exquisite!
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Wonderful harmonies! another album to look for at the library–thanks.
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One of my favorite of the favorite songs of his, and you know how many excellent tunes he brought into the world. That’s a good album and so is Gord’s Gold.
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Thank you for highlighting this beautiful song by a truly superb artist, and telling some of his story. I haven’t heard the song in a very long time.
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My pleasure in sharing it. Gord had so many excellent tunes. This one is special to me.
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Yes, so many excellent ones.
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Stunning song and Gord’s voice is like warm honey. He was so good and I adored listening to his sung stories. Poor Stephen Foster; life was not fair or kind to him. He died young and penniless. Excellent selection, Lisa.
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Oh no, didn’t know that about Stephen Foster. He wrote so many tunes that are still familiar today. Reading at the link Punam gave, I think they even used his music for primers in school.
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Yes, that’s right, about the primers. Life can be so unfair but when Gord sang, he made it all better.
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I say this a lot…but he has one of those voices and you know who it is…no guessing…you know. Like Neil and some others…and what a songwriter.
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<3
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