no cold shoulder on this carefree highway!

Gordon Lightfoot must love to travel.
Born in 1938, he'll be 79 years old in November... and the man still tours all over the world.

This month, he has been making the rounds of southeastern cities in the USA.
But he had a dilemma.
You see, about forty years ago, he had crafted a song about a Southern seaside town, praising its beauty and romantic nature.
Now, he was set to return to that lovely place...but he was no longer doing full versions of his songs in his concerts. In the interest of giving his audiences the majority of their favorites (his hits), he had truncated many of his works, performing only the first or second verse and then the chorus.
So, even though "Spanish Moss" was still on the set list, the name of the town - and the entire first verse - had been dropped from the performances.
That would not do for his concert at the Lucas Theatre in Savannah, Georgia.
So what did the man do?

Let me tell you what he did,
for love of his fans in this seaport.
He re-wrote that second verse -
the verse he still performed here,
there, and everywhere else -
dropping "kisses mixed with moonshine
and red clay" and substituting
"scenes of Savannah in my mind".
Just for us, he made that change
to his song.
That's a very unselfish act for any songwriter,
but "unselfish" is part of his nature.

I'm sure you're wondering -
did I dance?
Well, you know I did!
I held off for the first three songs,
as I didn't really know them,
but when he strummed those first chords of "Sundown",
a song from my high school years,
I simply had to dance!
Take a listen and I know you will agree - it's irresistible!
That was during the first set,
when he wore his red jacket.

By the time he played "Rainy Day People", I wasn't the only one
feeling the music.
I know you can't see them, but there's a young couple dancing
in the lefthand aisle.
(smile)
They had "caught" me dancing earlier, so I'm thrilled that they joined in!
This was the third one of the second set, with Gordon now sporting a dark blue jacket.

Before "The Soul Is The Rock",
the man did a humorous little wordplay for us!
He led into it saying
"meet me by the rockpile,
I'll be a little bolder!"
Get it?
Boulder!!!
He made a pun!!!
(smile!)
You know how much I adore a man with a sense of humor!

Then he did an Elvis song!
No, I didn't mean Elvis wrote it!
Gordon penned the song in 1964,
then he sold it some folks.
They, in turn, gave it to Elvis
(as well as Peter, Paul, & Mary)
to sing.
How about that small world?
"Early Morning Rain" is such a beautiful and heartsick tune of someone with the travel blues...
Perhaps it was right at home near the end of the concert...
(smile)

i thank God i was so fortunate to finally hear him sing!