Don Quixote

Gordon Lightfoot

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 28, 1994)
• Original Release Date: 1972
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002MSS
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,597 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

1. Don Quixote

2. Christian Island (Georgian Bay)

3. Alberta Bound

4. Looking at the Rain

5. Ordinary Man

6. Brave Mountaineers

7. Ode to Big Blue

8. Second Cup of Coffee

9. Beautiful

10. On Susan's Floor

11. Patriot's Dream

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gordon Lightfoot's Perfect Album!, July 12, 2000

By	Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I have always been a fan of Canadian Gordon Lightfoot's music. From the first time eI heard Peter, Paul and Mary's wonderful covers of Lightfoot songs like "Early Morning Rain" and "For Loving Me", I knew anyone who could write songs like that was a huge talent. So when I got turned onto his own voice and music I was astonished by just how good he was (and still is). This is a perfect album because, like several of his other releases, each of the dozen songs included is something you smile at as it first comes on because it is a special favorite. So the song cycle here is unforgettable. The first song is "Christian Islands, and friends of mine who sail say Lightfoot must be a sailor because he had caught the essence of the experience here. "Don Quixote" is a special statement much along the lines of other works like "If You Could Read My Mind" etc that is done in a colorful and unique prose style that leaves the listener to interpret what Lightfoot is talking about.

And so on with each of the songs here. My personal favorites are the two mentioned above as well as "Ode To Big Blue" "Second Cup Of Coffee", and "On Susan's Floor", but I really love them all. If one listens to all of the similarly terrific albums Lightfoot put out over a seven or eight-year period one comes up with literally dozens and dozens of wonderful and memorable songs that could fill several double albums. This guy was far more prolific than anyone else producing work in the sixties and seventies. Buy this album, and after listening to it for a week or so you will be back for "Sundown", "Summertime Dream", "Cold On The Shoulder" and "If You Could Read My Mind". They are all great. Enjoy this one of a kind artist and his amazingly consistent flood of terrific and appealing mainstream folk albums.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lightfoot At His Best, April 18, 2000

By	Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Gordon Lightfoot came to my attention back when I was in Jr. High. I first heard him on old San Diego adult contemporary station KDEO and have been a fan ever since. He played in San Diego while Don Quixote was current and seeing him live then gave me an unshakable attachment to the album. Lightfoot has rarely received the commercial acclaim he deserves although the romantic "Beautiful" was a minor hit. While a very good song, it is not the best on Don Quixote. There is something for everyone here: Lightfoot the romantic, Lightfoot the storyteller, Lightfoot in tune with the outdoors, and Lightfoot man of peace. All songs are well-written and well-arranged and performed in vintage Lightfoot fashion. My favorite cuts are "Looking at the Rain", "Ordinary Man", "Big Blue", and "Second Cup of Coffee". The album is so good, you can see that Lightfoot was inspired. He has given us much through the years, but Don Quixote ranks as one of his best.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful, highly original piece of work, January 22, 2003

By	Midnight_PhoenixFlames (Australia) - See all my reviews

Being a teenage girl, I guess people wouldn't be expecting me to like this album, let alone have even heard of Gordon Lightfoot.

I first heard this album when I was 13 (I'm 16 now). I was staying at my Dad's house and my uncle put it on, saying that it was a really nice album, and the minute I heard the first song, I had no choice but to instantly agree with him.

Gordon's voice has a warm, rich feel to it, and, combined with his beautiful but simple poetic lyrics, the combination just takes my breath away every time I listen to this album.

1. DON QUIXOTE: More of a story than a song about the legendary Don Quixote and the conflicted people in life. Surprisingly catchy for a folk-song and the guitar is magical. 8.5/10

2. CHRISTIAN ISLAND: A much slower song about spending a summer on an old, faithful boat in the Christian Islands. Very soothing melody. 8/10

3. ALBERTA BOUND: Not one of my favourites as is kind of disrupts the relaxed feel of the album and the guitar doesn't sound as good as the other songs, but still not a bad song. 6.5/10

4. LOOKING AT THE RAIN: One of my all-time favourites. It's more of a poem about the thoughts that go through your head while staring at the rain out of the window. Just a beautiful song. 9/10

5. ORDINARY MAN: A rather strange but still quite nice ballad about a man who claims he's not your typical man and always feels the presence of the lady he loves stalking him. Has a rather haunting underlayer. The guitar riffs complete the song, making it near perfect. 8/10

6. BRAVE MOUNTAINEERS: This would definately have to be my favourite song as the lyrics make me remember my life when I was younger and have an sweet, innocent manner. 10/10

7. ODE TO BIG BLUE: An ode to an ancient whale that the fishermen could never catch. Is actually darker than I make it sound and the guitar riffs have an almost haunting quality. 8.5/10

8. SECOND CUP OF COFFEE: I just LOVE this song to death. Basically, it's about all the problems we think about first thing in the morning, wondering how we can face the day, remembering how we dealt with things and people in the past, and also thinking about all the good and the bad things that life gives us and is still offering us. 10/10

9. BEAUTIFUL: Just a simple ballad for a longed-for one and about how they've been friends for such a long time and how beautiful that person is. 7.5/10

10. ON SUSAN'S FLOOR: A rather sad song, actually, about a woman (Susan) who would take in the homeless at night and allow them to sleep by her fireplace.

Seems to be written from the POV of an alcoholic homeless who stayed there every night, remembers the happiness Susan and her fireplace bought him and many others. He left because he began to fall in love with Susan and often wonders what would've happened if he'd stayed one more night to share his music with Susan and the other derelicts. 10/10

11. THE PATRIOT'S DREAM: This song takes on a different quality to most of the other ones in this album. In fact, not only is it extremely sad, it's also quite dark. It's a song about the Civil War in America and how all the Patriotic Men lost their lives fighting for "The Patriot's Dream" and how it affected those who loved them such as their wives/fiancees, children and parents. 9/10

It's surprising that so few seem to have heard of Gordon except through his song "If you could read my mind" (A sweet, sad song that was later updated into disco-feel song for the movie "54").

It's actually a big disappointment since Gordon has proved in this album that not only does he have a wonderful voice, he also has the rare talent to write beautiful, memorable lyrics that stay in your head long after hearing his songs. If you haven't heard any of his songs yet, I highly recommend you look for this album (Unfortunately, it's hard to find) or his 'Greatest hit's' album "GORD'S GOLD."