Gordon Lightfoot: an Open Elegy

Dearest Gordon,

You don’t know me, but your music was the soundtrack of my youth. I remember your haunting melodies and lyrical poetry pouring out of my dad's vinyl copy of Gord's Gold, and drifting off to sleep to the refrain of Sundown in the back of my parents’ VW bug. Your timeless voice was a comforting presence in the background of my childhood, even before I fully understood the meaning of the pronouncedly adult-themed lyrics.

What a tale your thoughts could tell

Your songs were a lifeline for me: even as I ventured forth into the world of punk rock performance, I kept that LP hidden behind my Misfits and Dead Boys records. And when I lost that precious record, I replaced it with a CD that I played on repeat, all the while cursing under my breath that my all-time favorite track — Affair on 8th Avenue — was cut to fit the double-disc set.

I might have even borrowed the 6/8 feel of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald when I wrote my song Epitaph for my college alternative band. People said it sounded like Joy Division, but I knew the true source. That will be our little secret, eh? Speaking of which…

But heroes often fail

I don’t know if you ever tried to shake down Michael Masser for blatantly cribbing the chorus of If You Could Read My Mind in his smash Whitney Houston hit The Greatest Love of All, but lord knows you could have. Perhaps mellowness won out in the end, with you taking it as a compliment and moving on.

But stories always end

I was told by peers that your music was dated and cheesy, a relic from a now-irrelevant time. But for now love, let’s be real: if the legendary Bob Dylan says “Every time I hear a song of his, it's like I wish it would last forever” and the equally legendary figures such as Johnny Cash and Neil Young cover your work… well, I think we both know where the cluelessness truly lies.

Now you’re a ghost that we can’t see

Your long life has come to an end, but your music will always be timeless. I will miss your voice, your melodies, and your spirit. Thank you for sharing your gift with the world, Gordon Lightfoot. You will always be a legend, and your legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. Rest in power.