Although it does not include either of those titles, it definitely qualifies as a greatest hits, best of album. Gord’s Gold by Canadian Musical Icon, Gordon Lightfoot, has 21 most excellent tunes from various albums. It is in my top 5% of albums that I’ve listened to. It calms me instantly and puts me in a happy place. A place that is real. Grounded.
Gord’s Gold is listed as a compilation album and was released in 1975. It was double-vinyl but was re-released on CD in 1987. One song, “Affair on 8th Avenue,” from the 1971 album, “Classic Lightfoot,” had to be left off in order for the music to fit on one CD. Imagine how good the others are if this is a song that was cut! I have the CD version, but I do have that song on another album (don’t ask me which one.) It is the first Lightfoot compilation to feature music from his 1970s Reprise Records albums; it also includes re-recorded versions of several songs from his 1960s United Artists output. Lightfoot’s reasons for re-recording the UA tracks were explained in the liner notes as being because “he doesn’t like listening to his early work“.
Personnel on Gord’s Gold album:
Guitar: Gordon Lightfoot, Red Shea, Terry Clements
Bass: Rick Haynes, John Stockfish
Steel Guitar: Pee Wee Charles (aka Ed Ringwald)
Drums: Jim Gordon, Barry Keane
String arrangements: Nick DeCaro and Lee Holdridge
The song I chose from Gord’s Gold is track 1 on Side 4, “Don Quixote.” The song is the title track of Don Quixote, Lightfoot’s seventh studio album, released in February of 1972. It is described as “a lyrical paean to Cervantes’ half-mad hero” with paean defined as a song of joyful praise or exultation. Gordon was 34 years old when the album was released.
Personnel on Don Quixote album:
Gordon Lightfoot – 6- & 12-string guitar
Red Shea – hi-string guitar, classical guitar, dobro
Terry Clements – lead acoustic guitar
Rick Haynes – bass
Ry Cooder – mandolin
Bob Thompson – string arrangements “Don Quixote” and “The Patriot’s Dream”
Nick DeCaro – all other string arrangements
I went looking for commentary on the lyrics and I found a lengthy narrative by “3d1mandaking” at songmeanings.com that shows a lot of insight into them. I do think the Don Quixote character could be anyone, and maybe for Lightfoot the lyrics were autobiographical. I love the lilt of the music and can see this person riding a horse through hills in the countryside. It’s one beautiful, somewhat melancholic song on an album of … Gord’s Gold. I miss you, Gord. Thank you for the riches you left behind for us.
Don Quixote
Through the woodland, through the valley
Comes a horseman, wild and free
Tilting at the windmills passing
Who can the brave young horseman be?
He is wild but he is mellow, he is strong but he is weak
He is cruel but he is gentle, he is wise but he is meek
Reaching for his saddlebag, he takes a battered book into his hand
Standing like a prophet bold, he shouts across the ocean to the shore
'Til he can shout no more
I have come o'er moor and mountain, like the hawk upon the wing
I was once a shining knight, who was the guardian of a king
I have searched the whole world over, looking for a place to sleep
I have seen the strong survive and I have seen the lean grown weak
See the children of the earth, who wake to find the table bare
See the gentry in the country, riding off to take the air
Reaching for his saddlebag, he takes a rusty sword into his hand
Then striking up a knightly pose, he shouts across the ocean to the shore
'Til he can shout no more
See the jailor with his key, who locks away all trace of sin
See the judge upon the bench, who tries the case as best he can
See the wise and wicked ones, who feed upon life's sacred fire
See the soldier with his gun, who must be dead to be admired
See the man who tips the needle, see the man who buys and sells
See the man who puts the collar, on the ones who dare not tell
See the drunkard in the tavern, stemming gold to make ends meet
See the youth in ghetto black, condemned to life upon the street
Reaching for his saddlebag, he takes a tarnished cross into his hand
Then standing like a preacher now, he shouts across the ocean to the shore
Then in a blaze of tangled hooves, he gallops off across the dusty plain
In vain to search again, where no one will hear
Through the woodland, through the valley
Comes a horseman, wild and free
Tilting at the windmills passing
Who can the brave young horseman be?
He is wild but he is mellow, he is strong but he is weak
He is cruel but he is gentle, he is wise but he is meek
Songwriter: Gordon Lightfoot
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. This week Jim is looking for a song released on an album titled Greatest Hits or Best Of.
Tao Talk 
Oh wow! What can I say that I have not said about Gordon Lightfoot before this man is a story telling genius. Great post thank you 💜😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hear you! Thanks, Willow <3
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen 🙏🙏
LikeLiked by 1 person
what a great way to start the day Lisa I love this song – great lyrics plus I’m a big fan of Don Quixote! So that’s a double whammy 😃
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ange so happy to hear it. I could listen to this and the rest of Gord’s songs all day. I know some about Don Quixote but only what I’ve seen in movies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🩷
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely choice for the theme! A great song, and I can hear some Donovan influence in it, which is a good thing 👍
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glad you enjoyed the song, Clive. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love being exposed to songs I have never heard- by artists I am familiar with- so this was golden. Gordon Lightfoot is such an amazing storyteller. A Canadian Treasure!
LikeLiked by 2 people
V, so happy to introduce you to this song. Yes, he is!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another great choice, and a fave of mine too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Paul glad you are a fan of this song. I can see you in this song as well <3
LikeLike
One of my favs!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Heather, so pleased to hear it :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great choice, Lisa and I can see how this song can transport you back to another time and place, a simpler time, perhaps, when the world seemed full of possibility and we all had a little more faith in the power of a single, good-hearted person.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Jim, thanks, and well-said <3
LikeLiked by 1 person
the Foot
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ah yes, I forgot that nickname of his. Thanks, Someone. In the live version I included, those two stomps he makes are perfect punctuation in a perfect song.
LikeLike
I’m slowly getting into Gordon Lightfoot Lisa. I have one of his best of albums
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glyn I remember you saying that before. Is that Affair on 8th Avenue on your best of album of his? I’m mystified as to how I know that song so well if I don’t have it on one of my albums? I must have it on one of them but not sure which one. Now I need to solve the mystery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gord’s Gold is his album I have. ‘Affair on 8th Avenue’ is on that one
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glyn, it is on the album, but they chose to cut it on the CD because there wasn’t enough room on the CD so something had to go. It is my understanding that amazon (gag) has a digital edition that includes Affair on 8th Avenue on it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hooray! for good old vinyl
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent choice, Lisa, the more Gordon Lightfoot music I hear, the more I appreciate Gord. He truly was one of Canada’s finest singer-songwriters. Canada is a musical treasure trove!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes he is. Have you heard of Stan Rogers? He’s another Canadian treasure. I remember visiting Toronto in 2001 and the partner of the person I was visiting and staying with had me watch a great documentary on Stan Rogers.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nope, I don’t recognize the name Stan Rogers and will be sure to check him out – thanks for the tip! :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cool! Will be over to listen to your Sunday Six in a few minutes. I slept in until 1pm today! I guess it doesn’t help that I was up past 4.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like Gordon Lightfoot. I hadn’t heard this song before but it reminds me of my year in high school that I did make-up and props for our high school play – Don Quixote – Man of La Mancha
LikeLiked by 2 people
Christine, very cool on Man of La Mancha high school play.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely choice, Lisa… a favorite from a masterful storyteller. Thanks for sharing this one today.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glad you liked it, Nancy, thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great pick! I enjoyed the video, song, and write-up! Thanks for sharing it!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Marina, happy you enjoyed the package :) My pleasure on sharing.
LikeLike
Wonderful choice. Love his voice and his songs. This one I had not heard before, so thanks for sharing it. Good story he told which I knew nothing about either. :)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Barbara, so happy you got a chance to hear this song. I chose the live over the studio but if you get a chance listen to the studio version with all the bells and whistles.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve always loved this song. Thanks Jade. (K)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Kerfe, I’d be surprised if you didn’t. I know he’s up in heaven right now with his guitar, a small number of angels sitting around him, listening, with rapture on their faces.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like that image.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What great writing that is…and his voice is so damn soothing! Listening to him is like putting on a pair of your favorite slippers…it just feels right. Who else could make a 16th Century story so appealing?
***Off Topic….I am halfway through Robbie Robertson’s new book. Kinda the sequel to 2016’s Testimony. It’s called Insomina… so far it’s really good about how him and Scorsese lived together while both were separating from their wives. It’s like a who’s who of 70s and 80s actors and directors….plus his dialog with the Band at the time. He probably would have made it longer if he would have lived longer.
LikeLiked by 2 people
*living* not lived!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good way of describing his music, Max. He brings history to life and a history that keeps repeating.
Ooh that sounds like a good book! So interesting he and Scorcese lived together. Strange even (at least to me.)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was hoping you took that as a compliment which it is! One of the few voices that you don’t have to ask “who is singing this?” He is like, part of the family basically to me. His voice is so warm and welcoming.
Oh yea…a lot of drugs, women (famous), and stories in the late 70s. I’ll review it once I’m finished…it won’t be long…it’s not very long…only 288 pages. Testimony was huge. I thought you would want to know…that is why I mentioned it. It’s hard not to like Robbie Robertson…oh…I finally saw Once Were Brothers all the way through…I loved it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Robbie was born special. His unique upbringing and parentage cultivated it. Really can you imagine him being anyone but Robbie? Now I’m thinking of that Dave Matthews Band song, “Dancing Nancies.” I really don’t know any woman who would be able resist him if he looked their way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
After writing that comment…I started to write up Once Were Brothers song he wrote that they used.
Yes he had an odd childhood to say the least. Yea about the women not resisting him…it holds true during the book lol. It just sucks that Levon held so much anger. The others never really did.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never been a Gordon Lightfoot fan, I have few tracks I enjoy, but this one is new to me. Nice track.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mangus, I think our ears might change over time. I listened to some Aerosmith the other day and wasn’t able to listen to the whole album. I’ve always loved Gord’s gold but maybe you are become a fan?
LikeLike