Did She Mention My Name/Back Here On Earth (Bear Family)

Gordon Lightfoot | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 28, 1994)
• Label: Bear Family
• ASIN: B000001B0V
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,075,604 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Did She Mention My Name

2. Wherefor and Why

3. The Last Time I Saw Her

4. Black Day in July

5. May I

6. Magnificent Outpouring

7. Does Your Mother Know

8. The Mountains and Maryann

9. Pussywillows, Cat-Tails

10. I Want to Hear It from You

11. Something Very Special

12. Boss Man

13. Long Way Back Home

14. Unsettled Ways

15. Long Thin Dawn

16. Bitter Green

17. The Circle Is Small

18. Marie Christine

19. Cold Hands from New York

20. Affair on 8th Avenue

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Lightfoot's romanticism has always been his trump. He captures wanderlust, love's longing, and unfulfilled dreams as well as any songwriter of his generation. And though it's tempting to call him a confessionalist, his best songs have a timeless folk quality, making them certain hits for artists like Marty Robbins and Peter, Paul & Mary, as well as near standards in bluegrass circles. This 1968 album finds him experimenting with a slightly bigger sound and offering his strongest political tune "Black Day in July" and the whistful "Mountains and Marian," not to mention the title cut, recorded memorably by Frank Christian and J. D. Crowe and the New South. --Roy Francis Kasten --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Product Description

Every '60s singer/songwriter of note expanded their instrumental approach as time went on, and Lightfoot was no exception. For his third album, he worked with John Simon (who would handle the Band and Big Brother), and occasionally used low-key orchestration. Though a tad more erratic than his earlier efforts, his songwriting remained remarkably consistent. His characteristically bright, uplifting outlook became more diverse as well, allowing for the chilling "Black Day in July" (written in response to the 1967 Detroit riots), the odd "Pussywillows, Cat-Tails" (an unusual and successful detour into baroque orchestral pop), and the ambiguous sobriety of "Does Your Mother Know." Back Here on Earth, the second half of this two-fer, was a retrenchment of sorts, recorded in Nashville with a three-piece acoustic lineup and a more countrified approach. It's not quite as outstanding as his first three albums, lacking highlights on the order of "Early Mornin' Rain" or "Black Day in July." Lightfoot never offered weak material on his United Artists efforts, however, and Back Here on Earth is still a very solid set. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Heart And Soul Of Canada, 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: Did She Mention My Name/Back Here On Earth (Beat Goes On) (Audio CD)

Gordon Lightfoot's first album was released in '66, his last to date in '04. Twenty-one albums in all, truly a tremendous body of high quality work has been given to us by the musical poet-laurette of our neighbor to the Great North. This CD contains his third and fourth albums, 'Did She Mention My Name', and 'Back Here On Earth', both of which were orignally released in '68 by United Artists.

Though I have followed Gordon throughout his illustrious career (having seen him in concert 19 times) and have enjoyed his entire body of work my favorite albums will always be the first four. Whether that assessment is meant as an objective critique, or simply a subjective link with fond memories of the '60's, I'll never know for sure.

'Did She Mention My Name' was the first Lightfoot album I purchased back in '68 and I have been in love with his music ever since. His lyrics are poetry at its very best. Every song tells a story, every note touches an emotion and every line offers a glimpse deeper into the soul of a true artist.

This two album CD contains -23 tracks- of Gordon in his prime, when his voice was young and strong. A collection to be listened to and treasured always.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Red Shea..., June 6, 2005

By 

Jeremy Zymerman "The six string stranger" (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Did She Mention My Name/Back Here On Earth (Beat Goes On) (Audio CD)

Just to add something to the previous reviews. I've heard that Bert Jansch from pentangle is considered the "hendrix of the acoustic guitar". I disagree. After to listening to the early Gordon Lightfoot Albums I really don't think anyone can touch the lead runs and gentle acoustic melodies produced by my fellow Countymen Red Shea. As a canadian I may be biased but feel that Red Shea is often overlooked as one of the greatest guitarists period.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the voice..., May 7, 2003

By 

patrick hertzberg (Sweden) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Did She Mention My Name/Back Here On Earth (Beat Goes On) (Audio CD)

I have only this to say: wow!
Gord is not very well known here in Sweden, although his first wife was from these parts. Too bad! My fellow swedes is missing out on one of the best singer-songwriters/folk musicians ever to have wandered the face of north america! He is awsome! His voice lets us know that he is no stranger to suffering the agonies of lost love, or the noble art of courtin' young maids in the morning oh so early for that matter! His guitar picking is outstanding. The only flaw on this solidly talented boy of 60, is that he has a dreadful taste in production techniques!

I can say nothing of this cd featuring two classic lp's but that it is one of the most played cd's in my collection (which is of some significance, I might add...). It contains all the emotions you can expect from a die-hard romantic with a gift for song writing. But the production... These were released in the 60's so the fashion of the sound carried him through the worst of the pitfalls, but wait until he hits the 80's... He persists in having a fat reverb on the vocals (which are way in the back, anyway) and his excellent guitarplaying is often too low in the mix to be enjoyed properly. e is always best when he is alone in the track with only his guitar backing him.

...now you know...