The Music: Gordon Lightfoot’s “Endless Wire”
This would be what, his 13th album? I think so, anyway. Weird, given I’m writing this on April the 13th.
Anyway, it was recorded at Eastern Sound in nearby Toronto, in November of 77, and released in 1978, and made it’s presence felt nearly all the Billboard lists of the day, in some fashion.
I suppose that you can’t live anywhere near the Canadian border, without becoming at least somewhat familiar with the music of Gordon Lightfoot. The man’s been around forever, And if you listen the Canadian stations at all, everybody and their brother is playing at least a little of him. (Canadian content regulations being what they are. ) By 78, when this album came out, he was pretty much an institution in the western world.
Still, I’m glad for the introduction; I have a fairly substantial collection of his stuff, and this particular LP is pivotal in his career. Yes, I’m aware that it was pretty much a continuation of “Summertime dream” but in that continuation was a statement; “I’m not going back to the old style… to the “If you could read my mind/Sit down young stranger” genre… Lightfoot was moving away from the ‘Peter Paul and Mary’ -ish sound of his earlier stuff, which was quite respectable, and some of his best, but dreadfully limiting. “Summertime dream” was at the time of its release considered a onetime shot, that he would retreat from. This album closed the door on that speculation.
There were those who suggested that the changes had something to do with the marital troubles he was having at the time, and his battle with the bottle. Personally I don’t think so. Musicians, particularly writers, tend to grow. My perception of the folk music types of that time… and I knew quite a few for reasons I won’t get into here, except to say I mixed sound for quite a few… was that for all the talking about a world changing all the time and for the better, they couldn’t deal with the changes Lightfoot took on.
Their loss, I suppose, because grow he did. By 77 and 78, his music had started to take on a number of different directions simultaneously, some pop, some commentary, some blues, but always Lightfoot…. and always comfortable, like the Saturday clothes he once sang about. And there are times when that just feels right.
Backed by a number of the regulars, Red Shea, Terry Clements among them, this one is worth your time.
* After pointing to polls which, as with one voice, say the polled are against the firing of Imus, Billy concludes, understandably:
I think the networks are simply not paying attention to market reality on the street. They are afraid of something out there that doesn’t exist.
Well, certainly, popular support for the move isn’t there. But I’m not sure it can be said that they’re reacting to ghosts, however. Look, most people can’t stand Jackson, or Sharpton… Democrats…even most blacks, far as I can see. And yet, that lack doesn’t seem to lessen their power in the society. Since when have leftists ever needed a majority to hold sway in society?
OTOH, look at this from the perspective of the owners; Imus has NEVER drawn huge ratings, even in the Musicradio/W*N*bc days, in comparison to the amounts of money invested. The talk show has been more expensive yet. The issue from the perspective of the networks was is and always shall be, the bottom line.
The people that reacted to what really wasn’t there was the ADVERTISERS. Advertisers will be more prone to reacting so to a small vocal minority. (No pun intended).
Remember, too, that the Jacksons and the Sharptons of the world have a rather long track record of shaking down major corporations…. advertisers.. to get their way… including their massive funding. I guarantee you that’s what drove all this.
Mind you, I’m not overly happy about it; I can think of an awful lot of reasons to be blowing him out the door. But because I was being blackmailed (No pun intended) by Jackson and Sharpton, and their ilk, would not be first on my list.
As to why the gruesome twosome would be flexing their muscles just now; I wonder how many people it’s occurred to, that we’re on the cusp of a presidential election season? I suspect and suppose that now that the baby has a cookie, and a pat on the head, he’s now going to want some milk, too.
* Reader “Paul” says:
Take 60 seconds to do this, I guarantee you will show someone else, it’s too funny not to.
1. go to www.google.com/
2. click on “maps”
3. click on “get directions”
4. type ” New York ” in the first box (the “from” box)
5. type ” London ” in the second box (the “to” box)
(hit get directions)
6. scroll down to step #23
Ummmm… Yeah. Have a nice trip. Make sure you install new wipers before you leave, OK?
* A number of people have made comments about Jon Corzine riding around in an SUV as opposed to the thimbles we’re all supposed to be driving now. there’s a lot of merit, in what’s being said. However, I’m willing to sit back and wait until yet some of the hospital and start spouting off again. Something he would not be capable of doing, if he had been driving something smaller. You know, if the nanny state is so interested in keeping us “safe” , why is it that they insist on us riding around in little boxes made of tin foil? I’ll keep BitsBox, thanks.
* We’re supposed to be getting another winter storm, Saturday night. Gee, just what I wanted. They’ve got storm watches up for our entire neighborhood, essentially everything north and east of Pittsburgh. personally, as I did look at the maps, however, unless the system that were sitting under right now is an awful lot weaker than it looks, I suspect that the whole thing is going to pass to our southeast… clobber Binghamton..(Sorry Billy) and maybe up to Syracuse and then on a track northeast from there.
* The trailer’s ready to go, the RV place tells me. Good. Now all I have to do is wait for the snow to melt. Meanwhile, I’m shivering. Oh, well. At least I’ve got the playoffs… game two, at Buffalo, tomorrow.
Tags: BitsBlog, Nightly Ramble
