The discography of Canadian folk and country music singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot consists of 20 studio albums, three live albums, 16 greatest hits albums and 46 singles. Lightfoot's songs, including "For Lovin' Me", "Early Morning Rain", "Steel Rail Blues", "Ribbon of Darkness"—a number one hit on the U.S. country chart[1] with Marty Robbins's cover in 1965—and "Black Day in July" about the 1967 Detroit riot, brought him wide recognition in the 1960s. Canadian chart success with his own recordings began in 1962 with the No. 3 hit "(Remember Me) I'm the One", followed by recognition and charting abroad in the 1970s.
Gordon Lightfoot discography | |
---|---|
![]() Lightfoot performing at Interlochen, Michigan, in 2009 | |
Studio albums | 20 |
Live albums | 3 |
Compilation albums | 19 |
Video albums | 5 |
Singles | 47 |
B-sides | 3 |
Tribute albums | 3 |
He topped the US Hot 100 and/or AC chart with the hits "If You Could Read My Mind" (1970), "Sundown" (1974); "Carefree Highway" (1974), "Rainy Day People" (1975), and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976), and had many other hits that appeared within the top 40.[2] Several of his albums achieved gold and multi-platinum status internationally.
Studio albums
edit1960s
editTitle | Details | Peak positions |
---|---|---|
CAN | ||
Lightfoot! |
|
— |
The Way I Feel |
|
— |
Did She Mention My Name? |
|
21 |
Back Here on Earth |
|
21 |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
1970s
editTitle | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN |
AUS [3] |
US [4] |
US Country [4] |
UK [5] | |||
Sit Down Young Stranger [A] |
|
12 | 20 | 12 | — | — | |
Summer Side of Life |
|
3 | 40 | 38 | — | — | |
Don Quixote |
|
1 | — | 42 | — | 44 | |
Old Dan's Records |
|
1 | — | 95 | — | — | |
Sundown |
|
1 | 13 | 1 | — | 45 | |
Cold on the Shoulder |
|
3 | 44 | 10 | — | — | |
Summertime Dream |
|
1 | 63 | 12 | — | — | |
Endless Wire |
|
2 | 56 | 22 | 14 | — |
|
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
1980s
editTitle | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN | CAN Country | AUS[3] | US [4] |
US Country [4] | |||
Dream Street Rose |
|
9 | 1 | 76 | 60 | 58 | |
Shadows |
|
16 | — | — | 87 | — | |
Salute |
|
59 | — | — | 175 | — | |
East of Midnight |
|
37 | — | — | 165 | — |
|
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
1990s–2020s
editTitle | Details | Peak chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
CAN | US Indie [4] | ||
Waiting for You |
|
24 | — |
A Painter Passing Through |
|
92 | — |
Harmony |
|
13 | 35 |
Solo |
|
— | — |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Live albums
editTitle | Details | Peak chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
CAN | US [4] | ||
Two Tones at the Village Corner |
|
— | — |
Sunday Concert |
|
21 | 143 |
Live at PBS Soundstage 1979 | Release date: September 8, 1979 | - | - |
All Live |
|
16 | — |
At Royal Albert Hall |
|
— | — |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Compilation albums
editTitle | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [13] |
US [4] |
US Country [4] | |||
Early Lightfoot |
|
69 | — | — | |
The Best of Gordon Lightfoot |
|
— | — | — | |
Classic Lightfoot: The Best of Gordon Lightfoot, Vol. 2 |
|
41 | 178 | — | |
A Lightfoot Collection: The Best of Gordon Lightfoot, Vol. 3 |
|
— | — | — | |
The Very Best of Gordon Lightfoot |
|
— | 155 | — | |
The Very Best of Gordon Lightfoot, Vol. 2 |
|
— | — | — | |
Gord's Gold |
|
6 | 34 | 15 | |
Early Morning Rain |
|
— | — | — | |
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face |
|
— | — | — | |
Songbook |
|
— | — | — | |
Gord's Gold, Vol. 2 |
|
— | — | — | |
The Best of Gordon Lightfoot |
|
— | — | — | |
If You Could Read My Mind |
|
— | — | — | |
The Original Lightfoot |
|
58 | — | — | |
The United Artists Collection |
|
— | — | — | |
Songbook |
|
— | — | — | |
Complete Greatest Hits |
|
21 | 128 | — | |
An Introduction to: Gordon Lightfoot |
|
— | — | — | |
The Complete Singles 1970–1980 (2 CD) |
|
— | — | — | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Tribute albums
editTitle | Artist | Details |
---|---|---|
Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot | Tony Rice |
|
Mac Wiseman Sings Gordon Lightfoot | Mac Wiseman |
|
Beautiful: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot[21] | Various Artists |
|
The Long River: A Personal Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot[22] | J.P. Cormier |
|
Ladies Sing Lightfoot | Various artists [D] |
|
- C ^ Tony Rice Sings Gordon Lightfoot is a compilation of Lightfoot songs recorded by Tony Rice on a number of albums.
- D ^ Ladies Sing Lightfoot features 14 newly recorded performances by Darling West, the Kennedys, Natalie Noone, Shawn Barton Vach, Arwen Lewis, the Textones, Susan Coswill, Ilsey Juber, Katy Moffatt, Sarah Kramer, Kristi Callan, Shayna Adler and Carla Olson.
Singles
edit1960s
editYear | Title | Peak chart positions |
Album | |
---|---|---|---|---|
CAN CHUM RPM | CAN Country | |||
1962 | "(Remember Me) I'm the One"[B][23] | 3 | — | |
"It's Too Late, He Wins" / "Negotiations"[B][24] | 27 | — | ||
"Adios, Adios" | — | — | ||
1963 | "Day Before Yesterday" (UK release) | — | — | |
1965 | "I'm Not Sayin'" | 12 | 2 | Lightfoot! |
"Ribbon of Darkness" | — | — | ||
"Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" | 3 | — | ||
1966 | "Spin Spin" | 7 | — | — |
"Go-Go Round" | 27 | — | The Way I Feel | |
1967 | "The Way I Feel" | 36 | — | |
"Canadian Railroad Trilogy" | — | — | ||
1968 | "Black Day in July" | 68 | — | Did She Mention My Name? |
"Bitter Green" | 44 | — | Back Here on Earth | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
1970s
editYear | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
Album | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN |
CAN AC |
CAN Country |
US [4] |
US AC [25] |
US Country [4] |
UK [5] |
AUS [3] | ||||
1970 | "Me and Bobby McGee" | 13 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | Sit Down Young Stranger | |
"Approaching Lavender" | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"If You Could Read My Mind" | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | — | 30 | 27 | |||
1971 | "This Is My Song" | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Early Lightfoot | |
"If I Could" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Back Here on Earth | ||
"Talking in Your Sleep" | 19 | 2 | — | 64 | 11 | — | — | — | Summer Side of Life | ||
"Summer Side of Life" | 21 | 4 | — | 98 | — | — | — | — | |||
1972 | "Beautiful" | 13 | 1 | — | 58 | 30 | — | — | — | Don Quixote | |
"Alberta Bound" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
"You Are What I Am" | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 32 | — | — | 37 | Old Dan's Records | ||
1973 | "Can't Depend on Love" | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1974 | "Sundown" | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 33 | 4 | Sundown | |
"Carefree Highway" | 11 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 81 | — | 74 | |||
1975 | "Rainy Day People" | 10 | 1 | — | 26 | 1 | 47 | — | — | Cold on the Shoulder | |
1976 | "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 50 | 40 | 46 | Summertime Dream | |
"Race Among the Ruins" | 30 | 11 | 14 | 65 | 13 | — | — | — | |||
1977 | "The Circle Is Small (I Can See It in Your Eyes)" | 6 | 1 | 9 | 33 | 3 | 92 | — | — | Endless Wire | |
1978 | "Daylight Katy" | 44 | 25 | — | — | 16 | — | 41 | — | ||
"Dreamland" | — | 24 | — | — | — | 100 | — | — | |||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
1980s
editYear | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN | CAN AC | CAN Country | US [4] |
US AC [25] |
US Country [4] | |||
1980 | "Dream Street Rose" | — | 1 | 8 | — | 25 | 80 | Dream Street Rose |
"If You Need Me" | — | 5 | 21 | — | — | — | ||
1982 | "Baby Step Back" | — | 6 | — | 50 | 17 | — | Shadows |
"Blackberry Wine" | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | ||
"In My Fashion" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1983 | "Salute (A Lot More Livin' to Do)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Salute |
"Without You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
1986 | "Anything for Love" | 39 | 14 | — | — | 13 | 71 | East of Midnight |
"Stay Loose" | 86 | 10 | — | — | — | — | ||
1987 | "East of Midnight" | — | 11 | — | — | — | — | |
"Ecstasy Made Easy" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
1990s–2010s
editYear | Title | Peak positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
CAN AC | |||
1993 | "I'll Prove My Love" | — | Waiting for You |
"Waiting for You" | — | ||
1998 | "A Painter Passing Through" | 47 | A Painter Passing Through |
2004 | "Inspiration Lady" | — | Harmony |
2016 | "Plans of My Own" | — | |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Charted B-sides
editYear | Title | Peak chart positions | Original A-side | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN | CAN AC | CAN Country | US | |||
1965 | "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" | 3 | 9 | — | — | "Ribbon of Darkness" |
1972 | "That Same Old Obsession" | 3 | 1 | — | 101 | "You Are What I Am" |
1973 | "It's Worth Believin'" | — | — | 12 | — | "Can't Depend on Love" |
"—" denotes releases that did not chart |
Music videos
editYear | Album | Video |
---|---|---|
2004 | Harmony | "Inspiration Lady" |
1982 | Shadows | "Shadows" |
"Baby Step Back" | ||
"In My Fashion" | ||
"Blackberry Wine" |
Video albums and documentaries
edit- Tears Are Not Enough (w/ Northern Lights) (1985)
- Live in Reno (2000)
- Greatest Hits Live (2003)
- Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind (2019)
- Lightheaded (in production)
Notes
edit- A ^ Sit Down Young Stranger was re-released as If You Could Read My Mind in 1971.
- B ^ Credited to Gord Lightfoot. Canada did not have a national singles chart at the time of release—these chart figures are from Toronto's CHUM Chart. All other Canadian chart figures from RPM magazine.
References
edit- ^ "Gordon Lightfoot | Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. November 17, 1938. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
- ^ Adam White & Fred Bronson (1988). The Billboard Book of Hits. Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-8285-7.
- ^ a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 177. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Gordon Lightfoot - Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ a b "GORDON LIGHTFOOT". Official Charts. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – If You Could Read My Mind". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ a b "Cash Box Magazine" (PDF). Cash Box. November 21, 1974. p. 52. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Sundown". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Summertime Dream". Music Canada.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Summertime Dream". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Endless Wire". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – East of Midnight". Music Canada.
- ^ "Gordon Lightfoot Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved May 9, 2023.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Gord's Gold". Music Canada.
- ^ "British album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Gordon's Gold". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Gord%27s Gold". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Gord's Gold Vol. Ii". Music Canada.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Gord%27s Gold, Vol. 2". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Complete Greatest Hits". Music Canada.
- ^ "American album certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Complete Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Release group "Beautiful: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot" by Various Artists". MusicBrainz. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
- ^ "Release group "The Long River: A Personal Tribute to Gordon Lightfooot" by J.P. Cormier". MusicBrainz. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - July 9, 1962".
- ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - December 10, 1962".
- ^ a b "Chart History: Gordon Lightfoot - Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ "American single certifications – Gordon Lightfoot – Sundown". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Gordon Lightfoot". IMDb.com. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
External links
edit- Gordon Lightfoot discography at Discogs