The Complete Greatest Hits

by Gordon Lightfoot

Overview

There must be something in the water, or the beer, but Canada has given the world some of the strongest singer-songwriters of the modern pop era. Gordon Lightfoot emerged in the mid-'60s, first as a composer and soon after as a noted performer whose virile yet sensitive voice and striking songs quickly established him as one of the most gifted folk-inspired artists in a era bursting with talent. By the 1970s, Lightfoot went on to reach superstardom with a series of hit albums and singles. Complete Greatest Hits provides a career overview drawing on many of the Canadian bard’s signature songs, touching on those that first drew public attention (“Early Morning Rain,” “For Lovin’ Me,” “Pussywillows, Cat-tails”) before moving forward into the glory years (“If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown,” “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”) and beyond (“Stay Loose,” “Restless,” “Daylight Katy”). Although Hits only scratches the surface of Lightfoot’s rich oeuvre, it provides a fine entry point to explore the work of a genuine legend.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/02/2002
Label:	Rhino
UPC:	0081227828721
Rank:	877

Tracks

1. Early Morning Rain
2. For Lovin' Me
3. Go-Go Round
4. Canadian Railroad Trilogy
5. Pussywillows, Cat-Tails
6. Bitter Green
7. If You Could Read My Mind
8. Summer Side of Life
9. Cotton Jenny
10. Beautiful
11. Sundown
12. Carefree Highway
13. Rainy Day People
14. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
15. Race Among the Ruins
16. Daylight Katy
17. The Circle Is Small
18. Baby Step Back
19. Stay Loose
20. Restless

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Gordon Lightfoot   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Bill Lee   Bass
Jerry Shook   Guitar
Kenny Buttrey   Drums,Percussion
Farrell Morris   Percussion
Bob Mann   Guitar
Jim Isbell   Drums
Red Shea   Dobro,Guitar
Terry Clements   Guitar,Vocals (Background)
Chip Young   Guitar
Jackie Ward   Vocals (Background)
Barry Keane   Drums,Hand Drums,Percussion,Tambourine
Herb Lovelle   Drums
John Stockfish   Bass
Vesta Williams   Vocals (Background)
Charlie McCoy   Bells,Guitar,Celeste,Harmonica
Gene Martynec   Moog Synthesizer
Dean Parks   Guitar
Dennis Pendrith   Bass
Vassar Clements   Fiddle
Vern Dorge   Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor)
Hugh McCracken   Guitar
Nick DeCaro   Piano,Accordion
Richard Marx   Vocals (Background)
Tom Szczesniak   Bass,Keyboards
Michael Landau   Guitar
Hoyt Hawkins   Vocals (Background)
Pee Wee Charles   Pedal Steel
Buddy Harman   Drums
Gordon Stoker   Vocals (Background)
Jack Zaza   Recorder,Harmonica,Harmonium,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Flute (Alto),Horn (English),Sax (Baritone),Clarinet (Bass)
Herb Pedersen   Vocals (Background)
Rick Haynes   Bass,Vocals (Background)
James Newton Howard   Synthesizer
David Rea   Guitar
Hargus "Pig" Robbins   Piano
Doug Riley   Piano,Piano (Electric)
Lou Pomanti   Organ
Robbie Buchanan   Synthesizer
Jim Gordon   Drums,Percussion
Millie Kirkham   Vocals (Background)
David Foster   Keyboards
Ray C. Walker   Vocals (Background)
Michael Francis   Guitar
Milt Holland   Percussion
Laverna Moore   Vocals (Background)
Henry Strzelecki   Bass
Neal Matthews   Vocals (Background)
Victor Feldman   Percussion
James Rolleston   Bass
Sheree Jeacocke   Vocals (Background)
Suzie McCune   Vocals (Background)
Mike Heffernan   Keyboards
Catherine Smith   Vocals (Background)
Roy M. "Junior" Husky   Bass
Bruce Langhorn   Guitar
Mitchell Clarke   Bassoon

Technical Credits

Patrick Milligan   Project Supervisor
Bill Inglot   Producer,Remastering
Ken Friesen   Producer
Elliot Mazer   Producer
Steve Woolard   Project Supervisor
Joseph Wissert   Producer
Dean Parks   String Arrangements
Hugh Brown   Art Direction
Lenny Waronker   Producer
Nick DeCaro   Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Gordon Lightfoot   Composer,Producer
John Simon   Producer,String Arrangements
John Court   Producer
David McLees   Project Assistant
Doug Riley   String Arrangements
Thane Tierney   Liner Notes,Compilation Producer
Sheryl Farber   Editorial Supervision
Ginger Dettman   Project Assistant
Randy Perry   Project Assistant
Nancy L. Hopkins   Design
Daniel Hersch   Remastering
Andrew Garver   Remastering
Tom Bert   Cover Photo
Leigh Hall   Liner Note Coordination
Jim Marshall   Photography

Editorial Reviews

Rhino's 2002 collection The Complete Greatest Hits is certainly welcome for presenting what is essentially all of his most popular songs on one 20-track disc, but, the thing is, that's actually a trickier task with Gordon Lightfoot than you might think. On both volumes of Gord's Gold, he re-recorded early songs and mixed them with current hits -- which meant that a new "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" sat next to the hits like "Sundown," but on Gord's Gold, Vol. 2, newer songs (which weren't quite hits) were next to re-recorded versions of staples like "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." This, needless to say, was a bit of an irritant, but this is well-executed enough to make up for the years of awkward compilations by covering everything from his UA recordings to his latter-day recordings for Warner in the mid-'80s. Some might say there should be a little bit more of the earlier songs, but, for most listeners, this will contain all the major items and is as close to definitive as possible to get.