"Songbook" by GORDON LIGHTFOOT – Singles, Album Tracks and Previously Unreleased from 1962 to 1998 on ABC Paramount, United Artists, Reprise and Warner Brothers Records (June 1999 US Warner Archives/Reprise/Rhino 4CD 88-Track Career Retrospective featuring 16 Previously Unreleased Tracks/Rarities, A 60-Page Hardback Book in a Brick Block Box Set with Andrew Garver, Bill Inglot and Ron McMaster Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Songbook-Gordon-Lightfoot/dp/B00000J63I?crid=13LOXAW5HUX33&keywords=081227580223&qid=1704462176&sprefix=081227580223%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=1aade2bc0f54d505e47b9dc3e8d7cd8e&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

RATING: ***** 

"…Just Like An Old Time Movie…"

In a 1968 magazine interview, Canadian Folk-Rock Singer-Songwriter GORDON LIGHTFOOT professed rather gloomily that he might not be remembered until after he was gone. Permanently moustachioed Gord had been making music since 1962 and come four studio albums and one live with United Artists between 1966 and 1969, seemed to have little by way of commercial success to show for it. And this despite some genuinely gorgeous Sixties Ballads that should have put him up with the likes of say Nilsson or Donovan or even someone as crossover as say Glen Campbell.

But all of that changed big time in November 1970 with a 45-single issued by Reprise from his "Sit Down Young Stranger" album of April 1970. The plaintive and moving "If You Could Read My Mind" became his first bona-fide American charter stomping all the way up to No. 5 on the US Billboard Rock and Pop charts (a more modest No. 30 in the UK). So, with the artist's permission, Reprise quickly re-titled the LP after the song "If You Could Read My Mind" (took until 1971 in the UK for that change to happen) and a fully-fledged album-selling singer-songwriter chronicler of the heart career was born. Lightfoot would switch to Warner Brothers in the late Seventies and stay there to 1998 where this 88-Track expanse ends. It has been a long-time coming – but with its lovely presentation, quality remastering and fair share of unreleased - "Songbook" felt like (and in 2024) – remains an event. Let's get Alberta bound. Here are the details…

US released 15 June 1999 (6 May 2016 in the UK on Rhino 081227946975) - "Songbook" by GORDON LIGHTFOOT on Reprise/Rhino R2 75802 (Barcode 081227580223) is a 4CD 88-Track Remastered Career Retrospective Brick-Block Box Set covering 36 years (1962 to 1998) that plays out as follows:

CD1 (75:45 minutes):
1. (Remember Me) I'm The One
2. It's Too Late, He Wins
3. For Lovin' Me
4. Early Morning Rain
5. The Way I Feel
6. Steel Rail Blues
7. A Message To The Wind
8. Song For A Winter's Night 
9. Canadian Railroad Trilogy
10. Go-Go Round
11. Crossroads
12. You'll Still Be Needing Me
13. The Mountains And Maryann
14. The Last Time I Saw Her
15. Did She Mention My Name
16. Pussywillows, Cat-Tails
17. Boss Man
18. Something Very Special
19. Bitter Green
20. Affair On 8th Avenue
21. Medley: I'm Not Sayin'/Ribbon Of Darkness
22. Softly
23. Mama Said
24. Station Master
NOTES ON CD1: 
Track 1 is a US-only 45-single from 1962 on ABC-Paramount 45-10352 (as Gord Lightfoot), A-side (itself a reissue of Chateau 142 out of Canada n 1962) – Reissued first time on album on the 1971 Canadian LP "Early Lightfoot" on AME Records AME 7000 (no UK issue)
Track 2 is a US-only 45-single on ABC-Paramount 45-10373 (as Gord Lightfoot), A-side (itself a reissue of Chateau 148 out of Canada) - Reissued first time on album on the 1971 Canadian LP "Early Lightfoot" on AME Records AME 7000 (no UK issue) – both Tracks 1 and 2 feature the Anita Kerr singers, Track 2 features Floyd Cramer on Piano
Tracks 3 to 6 from his debut album "Lightfoot!", March 1966 US LP on United Artists UAS 6487 in Stereo, released September 1969 in the UK as "Early Lightfoot" on United Artists UAS 29012 in Stereo only
Tracks 8 to 11 are from his second album "The Way I Feel", April 1967 US LP on United Artists UAS 6587 in Stereo, first released July 1971 in the UK on Sunset SLS 50231 in Stereo Only
Tracks 13 to 18 from his third studio album "Did She Mention My Name?", April 1968 US LP on United Artists UAS 6649 in Stereo, September 1968 in the UK on United Artists SULP 1199 in Stereo only
Tracks 19 and 20 from the studio album "Back Here On Earth", November 1968 US LP on United Artists UAS 6672 in Stereo, March 1969 in the UK on United Artists SULP 1239 in Stereo only
Tracks 21 and 22 from his first Live Album "Sunday Concert", October 1969 US LP on United Artists UAS 6714 in Stereo, November 1969 in the UK on United Artists UAS 29040 in Stereo
Tracks 7 and 12 (1967), 23 (1969) and 24 (1970) are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

CD2 (75:12 minutes):
1. Sit Down Young Stranger
2. If You Could Read My Mind
3. Poor Little Allison
4. The Pony Man
5. Cobwebs & Dust
6. Too Much To Lose
7. Summer Side Of Life
8. Cotton Jenny
9. 10 Degrees & Getting Colder
10. Nous Vivons Ensemble
11. Same Old Loverman
12. Heaven Don't Deserve Me
13. Don Quixote
14. Alberta Bound
15. Beautiful 
16. Ode To Big Blue
17. Stone Cold Sober
18. Old Dan's Records
19. That Same Old Obsession
20. Lazy Mornin'
21. Hi'way Songs
22.Can't Depend On Love
NOTES on CD2:
Tracks 1 to 5 are from the US album "If I Could Read Your Mind" on Reprise RS 6392. The LP was initially issued Stateside as "Sit Down Young Stranger" in April 1970 - then changed (with the artist's permission) in November 1970 to "If I Could Read Your Mind" when that song became a huge hit single - both issues on Reprise RS 6392. It became known as the "If I Could Read Your Mind" album thereafter. The same applied to the UK release, but in the following year – January 1971 for Reprise RSLP 6392 as "Sit Down Young Stranger", then reissued June 1971 as "If You Could Read My Mind" on Reprise K 44091. The album also featured Ry Cooder on Guitar and Mandolin, Harmonica by John Sebastian (of The Lovin' Spoonful), Harmonium by Van Dyke Parks and String Arrangements by Randy Newman and Nick De Caro
Tracks 7 to 11 are from his album "Summer Side Of Life", April 1971 US LP on Reprise MS 2037 and June 1971 in the UK Reprise K 44132
Tracks 13 to 16 are from the album "Don Quixote", February 1972 US LP on Reprise MS 2056 and April 1972 in the UK on Reprise K 44162
Tracks 18 to 22 are from the album "Old Dan's Records", November 1972 US LP on Reprise MS 2116 and November 1972 in the UK on Reprise K 44219
Tracks 6 (Sep 1972), 12 (Sep 1972) and 17 (1974) are PREVIOUSLY UNISSED

CD3 (76:17 minutes):
1. Sundown
2. Carefree Highway
3. Seven Island Suite
4. Borderstone
5. Cold On The Shoulder
6. Now And Then
7. Rainy Day People
8. Fine As Fine Can Be
9. All The Lovely Ladies
10. Summertime Dream
11. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
12. Never Too Close
13. Betty Called Me In
14. Endless Wire
15. The Circle Is Small
16. Sea Of Tranquility
17. Make Way For The Lady
18. Dream Street Rose
19. Ghosts of Cape Horn
20. Keepin' On Yearnin'
21. Canary Yellow Canoe
NOTES ON CD3:
Tracks 1 to 3 are from the album "Sundown", released January 1974 in the USA on Reprise MS 2177 and June 1974 in the UK on Reprise K 44258
Tracks 5 to 9 are from the album "Cold On The Shoulder", released February 1975 in the US on Reprise MS 2206 and March 1975 in the UK on Reprise K 54033
Tracks 10 to 12 are from the album "Summertime Dream", released June 1976 in the USA on Reprise MS 2246 and June 1976 in the UK on Reprise K 54067
Tracks 14 and 15 are from the album "Endless Wire", released January 1978 in the USA on Warner Brothers BSK 3149 and February 1978 in the UK on Earner Brothers K 56444
Tracks 16 to 19 are from the album "Dream Street Rose", released March 1980 in the USA on Warner Brothers HS 3426 and June 1980 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56802
Tracks 4 (1973), 13 (1976) and 20 and 21 (1981) are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

CD4 (76:15 minutes):
1. Shadows
2. She's Not The Same
3. 14 Karat Gold
4. Baby Step Back
5. In My Fashion
6. Never Say Trust Me
7. Why Should I Feel Blue
8. Someone To Believe in
9. Romance
10. Broken Dreams
11. Always On The Bright Side
12. Forgive Me Lord
13. Lifeline
14. East Of Midnight
15. Morning Glory
16. A Lesson In Love
17. A Passing Ship
18. Waiting For You
19. Drink Yer Glasses Empty
20. I'll Prove My Love
21. A Painter Passing Through
NOTES ON CD4:
Tracks 1 to 5 are from the album "Shadows", released January 1982 in the US on Warner Brothers BSK 3633 and January 1982 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 56970
Tracks 8 to 10 are from the album "Salute", released July 1983 in the USA on Warner Brothers 1-23901 and September 1983 in the UK on Warner Brothers 92-3901-1
Tracks 14 to 17 are from the album "East Of Midnight", released July 1986 in the USA on Warner Brothers 9 25482-1 and October 1986 in the UK on Warner Brothers 925 482-1 (LP)
Tracks 18 to 20 are from the CD album "Waiting For You", released April 1993 in the USA on Warner Brothers 9 45208-2 and in UK/Europe on Warner Brothers 9362-45208-2
Track 21 is from the CD album "A Painter Passing Through", released May 1998 in the USA on Warner Brothers 9 46949-2 and in the UK/Europe on Warner Brothers 9362-46949-2
Tracks 6, 7 and 11 (1982), 12 (1985),13 (1986) are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The Brick Block Hard Card exterior houses four jewel cases and a gorgeous 60-page Hardback Book – interviews, song-by-song appraisals, discography and musician credits, unpublished photos. Using Michael Ochs Archive period photos as the facia front for the single-page inlay to each CD - CD1 then pictures his debut US 45 from 1962 "(Remember Me) I'm The One" on ABC-Paramount on the rear of that insert page. CD2 continues the theme by showing a Mono Promo Copy of "If I Could Read Your Mind" on Reprise from 1970 - CD3 has a stock copy label of "Sundown" on Reprise from 1974 (his first and only No.1 album in the USA and one of his most popular songs) and CD4 uses "Dream Street People" from 1980 on Warner Brothers. The print for the history-essay may be small, but there is at least a lot of it and the overall feel is one of typical Rhino care and class given to what they know is an important artist (few incorrect release dates for the UA LPs).

Remasters are by a team of three – ANDREW GARVER, DAN HERSCH (of Rhino fame) and RON McMASTER and after years of ordinary WEA CD reissues – everything is a revelation. October 1993 saw the superlative "The United Artists Collection" be issued (see separate review) - that EMI Records USA 2CD Anthology giving fans Four Albums Worth and More with Kevin Reeves Remasters. So technically there is some duplication here if you already have that. But the 70s, 80s and 90s Lightfoot material on Reprise is what most fans will be buying this 4CD set for – plus the unreleased – most of which spring from sessions for that famous label. 

After a few words from the maestro, NICOLAS JENNINGS does an essay that lasts from Page 8 to 34 followed rather cleverly by explanations from Lightfoot on every song (Pages 35 to 51 (the rest if credits and discography photos). 
It is a little surprising to see that his only Number 1 album "Sundown" gets only three entries when it could have done with two more. Still the lovely lilt and comforting wanderlust strings of "Carefree Highway" alongside the six minutes across the bay of "Seven Island Suite" will undoubtedly elicit a few tears amongst the party faithful remembering them with such affection – the remasters as warm as you could hope for. Acoustic favourites like "Cold On The Shoulder" and "Rainy Day People" (cry a tear or two) sound fabulous. The audio quality too on the early ABC-Paramount singles material is shockingly good and amongst the previously unreleased stuff like "Borderline" and "Betty Called Me In" could easily have been unashamed B-side material. Unfortunately, heavv-handed crap like "Keepin' On Yearnin'" and the truly terrible cod Rock and Roll of "Canary Yellow Canoe" are cringingly bad and should have stayed in quality-control cans never to see the light of day - ever.

I have always loved those gorgeous Sixties melodies like "Early Morning Rain" (check out the Paul Weller cover of this on his 2004 album "Studio 150" – nailed it), "The Way I Feel" and "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" (there is a melodious simplicity to all of the United Artists material) – but to hear songs like "Beautiful" and the gales of November story-song "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" sound this good is a secret thrill I have to share. Although the vocal still sounds ever-so-slightly bad in the mix, his acoustic style vs. those electric guitar pings carries the builder "Sea Of Tranquility" – another deep album nugget from "Dream Street Rose". Although some of the 80s offerings suffered (like so much from that period) with cluttered over-produced too-shiny instruments – there is no denying the loveliness of "Shadows" or the catchy son-of-a-gun guitar chugs in "She's Not The Same" and "Baby Step Back" (no bad cheques). The remasters too are exceptional. Even the unreleased "Why Should I Feel Blue" is lovely – a throwback to the sound of 70s Reprise – and well-produced too. 

The sticker on the outer shrink-wrap declares that you are buying into '88 Songs, 36 Years, 4CDs and 1 Canadian' – which is true. What it doesn't say is that there is good and bad in here. But thankfully and in all honesty – the goodies far outweigh the dips and Rhino have once again (like John Prine, Tim Buckley, Judee Sill, Fred Neil, John Sebastian and so many more) done the business by a Troubadour who was so much bigger than a legend amongst songwriters (Dylan has always name-checked Lightfoot). 

"How could you be anything but beautiful..." - Lightfoot sang over 50 years ago, and I for one, agree. A lovely thing really, check it out…