Lightfoot / Way I Feel

Gordon Lightfoot | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 27, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bear Family
• ASIN: B000001AYK
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #830,285 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Rich Man's Spiritual

2. Long River

3. Way I Feel, The

4. For Lovin' You

5. First Time, The

6. Changes

7. Early Morning Rain

8. Steel Rail Blues

9. Sixteen Miles

10. I'm Not Sayin'

11. Pride Of Man

12. Ribbon Of Darkness

13. Oh, Linda

14. Peaceful Waters

15. Walls

16. If You Got It

17. Softly

18. Crossroads

19. Minor Ballad, A

20. Go Go Around

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Lightfoot was already 27 at the time of his solo debut, which might have accounted in part for the unusually fully developed maturity and confidence on this recording, in both his songwriting and vocals. This contains some of his best compositions, including "Early Mornin' Rain," "I'm Not Sayin'," "The Way I Feel," "Lovin' Me," and "Ribbon of Darkness." At this point Lightfoot was still including some covers in his repertoire, and he handles numbers by Phil Ochs ("Changes"), Ewan MacColl ("The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"), and Hamilton Camp ("Pride of Man") well. For his next LP, The Way I Feel -- the second half of this two-fer -- he went for a fuller band sound, using a couple of the noted Nashville session men (Charlie McCoy and Ken Buttrey) who had played on Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde. The result was a brighter and more accessible sound, with the country elements more to the fore. The songs weren't quite as impressive as his first batch, but they were still very good, highlighted by the epic "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" and an electrified remake of "The Way I Feel." ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To begin at the beginning, June 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Lightfoot / Way I Feel (Audio CD)

Here are Gordon Lightfoot's first two UA albums, packaged together on one CD. By the time the first, Lightfoot!, was released, he had already gained a considerable amount of professional respect as a writer--artists such as Marty Robbins and Peter, Paul & Mary had taken Lightfoot compositions into the charts. Lightfoot! is the most pure folk-sounding album he ever issued, with a very stripped-down sound: rhythm guitar, vocal, lead guitar, and upright bass, with nary an overdub in sight. There are a number of songs on Lightfoot! ("Early Morning Rain," "Ribbon of Darkness," "I'm Not Sayin'," "For Loving Me," "Steel Rail Blues") that are now considered to be Lightfoot classics--it's interesting now to hear the original arrangements. Lightfoot was in his mid-20s when this album was released, and you can hear the youthful optimism in his voice.

The Way I Feel begins to more clearly define the Lightfoot sound and his future musical direction: still folk oriented, but with a larger influence of both country and pop. By this time, he had established his first regular touring band and on this album you'll hear some outstanding lead guitar work by the ever-innovative Red Shea, plus very rhythmic bass work on the part of John Stockfish. Nashville sessions musicians Kenney Buttrey (drums) and Charley McCoy also appear on The Way I Feel. (Until 1976, Lightfoot did not use a drummer as part of the touring band, and thus both Stockfish, and his successor, Rick Haynes, have a more rhythmic approach to bass playing than what you'll normally hear in an acoustic setting, laying down a very solid bottom beat.)

More Lightfoot classics appear on "The Way I Feel", such as "Song For a Winter's Night" (recently covered by Sarah Maclachan), "Softly," and the song that propelled him from popular artist to Canadian icon: "Canadian Railroad Trilogy." In addition, there is a re-make of the song "The Way I Feel," which in fact made its first appearance on Lightoot!.

Having these first two UA albums on one compact disc affords the listener the opportunity to hear Lightfoot at the threshold of a remarkable career which continues to this day. The first album served notice that this was an extremely talented songwriter making his debut album; the second, which sounds more confident, mature and self-assured, seems to be emphatically saying that he had not only arrived but he was going to stay around for a long, long time.

And so he has.

This CD includes a sizeable booklet with a good essay by Richard Flohill, lots of photographs, and complete lyrics.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Lightfoot!, March 11, 2000

By 

Sarah Knight - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lightfoot / Way I Feel (Audio CD)

I bought my first copy of this album in 1971, from a cut-out bin! I quickly became a Lightfoot fanatic and learned most of the songs on it by heart, playing a lot of them in my own stage act. The CD release is a return to the original, for many years, you couldn't find this album with 'Canadian Railroad Trilogy' on it. It's a very refreshing look at a classic album. Listen to the words in songs like 'Song for a Winter's Night' and you see into the heart of a poet!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classics From The Poet-Laurette Of The Great North, February 13, 2006

By 

Brian E. Erland "Rainbow Sphinx" (Brea, CA - USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lightfoot! / The Way I Feel (Audio CD)

This CD contains Gordon Lightfoot's first two albums, 'Lightfoot', released in '66 and 'The Way I Feel' in '67. These -26 tracks- of now classic tunes began the long and illustrious career of Canada's favorite musical native son and undisputed poet-laurette of our neighbor to the Great North.

Tunes like; 'Early Morning Rain', 'For Lovin' You', 'I'm Not Sayin' and 'Canadian Railroad Trilogy' (what I like to consider the unofficial National Anthem of Canada) will echo within your heart and mind long after the music stops. Classic Lightfoot!