I haven’t forgotten about Gordon Lightfoot Week—it’s just been spread over a month.
“Rich Man’s Spiritual” is the first song on Lightfoot’s best album (picture of album below, and I’ll brook no dissent): “Lightfoot!”, released in 1965. The song rests loosely on Jesus’s “camel/eye of the needle” saying from Matthew, and here a rich man tries to buy his way into heaven. The song was written by Lightfoot.
easily his best, without a doubt
later stuff was over-produced IMO
I really appreciate the diversity of your posts! Rock on JAC!
Oh My Gord!
The loveliest spiritual I’ve ever heard is by a band called Spacemen 3 – it’s called Lord Can You Hear Me?. Their stuff is neo-psychedelia with liberal drug/religion references.
They’re not religious, and I don’t know if Lightfoot was either, but then not many modern rock/folk musicians are, or if they are they keep it quiet. Off the top of my head the lead singer of The Killers is a Mormon and Dylan had his evangelical phase – Prince is a Jehovah’s Witness. Can’t think of many others.
I bought “Lightfoot!” (comes on a single CD with his album “The Way I Feel”) on your recommendation and haven’t regretted it a bit!
I had not heard this song until a friend brought over the CD of the United Artists compilation and immediately fell in love with it. Still one of my faves.
I really enjoy singing this song while playing my 12-string guitar. Mitt Romney, we hardly knew ye…