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- Gordon Lightfoot
Songs By Gordon Lightfoot
On The Acoustic
Here on my songs by Gordon Lightfoot page you'll find a collection of demo covers, free pdf chord sheets, rhythm tips and more. If you require full lesson tutorials, they are also available for a small fee from the discount codes on the homepage.
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Songs By Gordon Lightfoot
Pdf's, Chords, Demos, Tutorials
1. 14 Karat Gold
14 Karat Gold is from the 1982 album "Shadows".
The song was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: G/A, A, E, C, D, Am, E7, F, Dm, G
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2. Alberta Bound
Alberta Bound was inspired by a female passenger on a bus ride to Calgary and can be found on the album "Don Quixote".
The single was released in 1972 but failed to chart.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, G, A7
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3. Bitter Green
Bitter Green reached #44 on the Canadian charts when it hit the airwaves back in 1968.
She song hails from the album "Back Here On Earth". A second version was recorded in 1975 for his "Gord's Gold" album. Ronnie Hawkins had a #36 with his version in 1971.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 3rd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: A6, A, D, D/Gb, G, A7, F, E
Chords & Lyrics
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4. Black Day In July
Black Day In July is off of Gordon's 1968 album entitled "Did She Mention My Name?".
The single reached #68 on the Canadian Charts.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: No
- Chords: Em, D, G, C, Em/C#, Em/ C
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5. Carefree Highway
Carefree Highway was another #1 in both the US and Canada for Lightfoot and was released from the "Sundown" album.
I'm looking at several charts when I say #1 because in the US on 3 different charts the song reached, #10, #1 and #81. The same in Canada.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down down up and repeat
- Picking: a little in the rhythm
- Chords: D, C, G, A7sus, A7, Gb, Bm, Bm/A, E7sus, E7
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6. Christian Island
Christian Island is a track from the album "Don Quixote" from1972.
The song was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: 1-2-3- up down up (with 1-2-3 being notes in the chord)
- Picking: no just a few riffs
- Chords: G, C, D
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7. Cotton Jenny
Cotton Jenny can be found on Lightfoot's 1971 album "Summer Side Of Life". Anne Murray later recorded the song and made it a #1 hit in Canada and #11 in the US.
Lightfoot never released the song as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up
- Picking: No
- Chords: G, C/G, C, D, D7, A7
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8. Don Quixote
Don Quixote is a track from the 1972 album of the same name. The song is about a book written in the 1600's with a fictional character with the name Don Quixote.
This song was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 4th fret
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up and repeat
- Picking: a few riffs
- Chords: G, C, D, C/G
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9. Early Morning Rain ... here!
10. For Lovin Me - Did She Mention My Name
For Lovin Me - Did She Mention My Name is a combo that Lightfoot starting doing in concerts. But the first song, For Loving Me is from his debut 1965 album "Lightfoot".
But it was never released as a single. Did She Mention My Name is from the 1967 album of the same name.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: E, G, D, C, Em, A7, D7
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11. Hangdog Hotel Room
Hangdog Hotel Room is a track from Lightfoot's 1978 album "Endless Wire" and has a rock n roll vibe to it which is a bit of a departure from his normal style.
The song was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: down up down up like a steady rock n roll rhythm
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: A, B, D, E, G
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12. If You Could Read My Mind
If You Could Read My Mind was the first #1 for Gordon Lightfoot in Canada and in the US when it was released in 1970.
The track can be found on the album, "Sit Down Young Stranger". The song inspiration came about from a divorce Lightfoot was going through at the time.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: 1-2-3- up down up (with 1-2-3 being notes in the chord)
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, Fmaj7, G7, C, D, Em, G6, Am7
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13. In My Fashion
In My Fashion is a track from the 1982 album "Shadows".
The song was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down down up down up down - down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: some riffs in the rhythm
- Chords: E, Esus, B/E
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14. Race Among The Ruins
Race Among The Ruins was from the Summertime Dream album of 1976.
The song peaked as high as #11 in Canada and reached # 13 in the US.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down down up and repeat
- Picking: a few riffs
- Chords: D, A, G, F
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15. Rainy Day People
Rainy Day People was released in 1975 and was the only single from the album "Cold On The Shoulder".
The song peaked at #1 in both Canada and the US.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 4th fret
- Rhythm: root down up root up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, G, C, Am
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16. Ribbon Of Darkness
Ribbon Of Darkness was a single release back in 1965 from the album "Lightfoot". But his version did not chart. However, Marty Robbins released the single the same year and had a #1 country hits.
Connie Smith, Crystal Gayle and Bruce Cockburn have all done covers on the song.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: G, C, D, Am, D7
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17. Second Cup Of Coffee
Second Cup Of Coffee hails from the "Don Quixote" album from 1972.
This one was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: Yes
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up
- Picking: yes blended into the rhythm
- Chords: D, G, A7, A/Db, Em
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18. Song For A Winters Night
Song For A Winters Night hails from the 1967 album "The Way I Feel". The song was actually written in the summertime heat of Cleveland Ohio in 1967.
The song was never released as a single but was re-recorded for the late album "Gord's Gold" in 1975.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down up down up down up
- Picking: a few riffs in the rhythm
- Chords: G, F, C, D/Gb, Em, Bm, Am, D, B7
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19. Summer Side Of Life
Summer Side Of Life broke into the US charts at #98 back in 1971 and comes from the album of the same name.
In Canada the song peaked at #21 on one chart and #4 on another.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down down up down up down up down up down up down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes blended into the rhtyhm
- Chords: C, F, G, Esus, Am, E
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20. Summertime Dream
Summertime Dream is a track from the 1976 album of the same name.
The song was never released as a single.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: No
- Rhythm: root down root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: D, A, G, A7, Bm, A7sus
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21. Sundown
Sundown was Lightfoot's 2nd #1 song in the US and his only #1 on the US Hot 100 chart. The song was also a #1 in Canada, hit the US Country charts at #13 and reached a #4 in Australia.
The song is from the album of the same name. The song has been covered by Tony Keith, Jesse Winchester and Nana Mouskouri.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: E, B7, A, D
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22. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was a huge hit for Roberta Flack in 1972, but years earlier, folk artists began playing this song that dates back to 1957.
And many of those earlier versions sound nothing like the 1972 hit. And that includes Lightfoot's version here from his debut 1965 album "Lightfoot".
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 4th fret
- Rhythm: 1-2 up root down up down up and repeat (where 1-2 are notes in the chord)
- Picking:
- Chords: D, A, Gbm, Em, G, C, A7
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23. The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald is a great song about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The song reached #1 in Canada and #2 in the US and hit #40 in the UK.
The song can be found on the "Summertime Dream" album from 1976.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: down down up down up and repeat
- Picking: Yes blended into the rhtyhm
- Chords: Asus2, Em, G, D
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24. You are What I Am
You Are What I Am was a single release from the 1972 album "Old Dan's Records". The song was a #1 in Canada and a #32 in the US.
The song also charted in Australia at #37.
- Drop D Tuning: No
- Capo: 2nd fret
- Rhythm: root down root up down up
- Picking: Yes
- Chords: Gb, G, Ab, A, C, D, G, D7, E7, A7
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