Now Available: Gordon Lightfoot, Songbook

First of all, for all you Canadians out there who stood up and saluted as soon as you saw the name “Gordon Lightfoot,” at ease. We understand he’s a national treasure of the Great White North and someone to whom you are legally required to genuflect…

Okay, we actually made up that second one, but there’s no denying that Mr. Lightfoot is a legend of Canadian music, which is why it was such a big deal in 1999 when we – by which we mean our Rhino Handmade imprint – released the four-disc set Songbook, which featured 88 songs from the man’s back catalog, 16 of which had been previously unreleased up to that point. To call it a career retrospective is just about accurate, since he’s only released just one studio album since then (2004’s Harmony, which certainly should not be ignored simply because it came out after this set), but it’s also an elaborate summation of just how much great work the singer-songwriter has done over the course of his career.

As you might be aware,Songbook went the way of most of our Handmade releases, which is to say that it sold out of its initial limited-edition run and has been out of print for many moons, but if you could read our mind, what a tale our thoughts would tell. Oh, all right, we’ll just spill it: it’s back in print again!

Here’s the full track listing for your perusal, which should give you an idea of how comprehensive it is as well as convince you to run order a copy for yourself:

Disc 1:
1. Remember Me (I'm The One)
2. It's Too Late, He Wins
3. For Lovin' Me
4. Early Mornin' Rain
5. The Way I Feel (1993 Remaster)
6. Steel Rail Blues
7. A Message to the Wind
8. Song For A Winter's Night
9. Canadian Railroad Trilogy
10. Go-Go Round
11. Crossroads
12. You'll Still Be Needing Me
13. The Mountains and Maryann
14. The Last Time I Saw Her
15. Did She Mention My Name
16. Pussywillows, Cat-Tails
17. Boss Man (Live)
18. Something Very Special
19. Bitter Green
20. Affair On 8th Avenue
21. 'm Not Sayin' / Ribbon Of Darkness (Live)
22. Softly (Live) [1996 Remaster]
23. Mama Said
24. Station Master

Disc 2:
1. Sit Down Young Stranger
2. If You Could Read My Mind
3. Poor Little Allison
4. The Pony Man
5. Cobwebs & Dust
6. Too Much To Lose
7. Summer Side Of Life
8. Cotton Jenny
9. 10 Degrees & Getting Colder
10. Nous Vivons Ensemble
11. Heaven Don't Deserve Me
12. Same Old Loverman
13. Don Quixote
14. Alberta Bound
15. Beautiful
16. Ode To Big Blue
17. Stone Cold Sober
18. Old Dan's Records
19. That Same Old Obsession
20. Lazy Mornin'
21. Hi'way Songs
22. Can't Depend on Love

Disc 3:
1. Sundown
2. Carefree Highway
3. Seven Island Suite
4. Borderstone
5. Cold On The Shoulder
6. Now and Then
7. Rainy Day People
8. Fine As Fine Can Be
9. All The Lovely Ladies
10. Summertime Dream
11. Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
12. Never too Close
13. Betty Called Me In
14. Endless Wire
15. The Circle Is Small
16. Sea of Tranquility
17. Make Way for the Lady
18. Dream Street Rose
19. Ghosts Of Cape Horn
20. Keep on Yearnin'
21. Canary Yellow Canoe

Disc 4:
1. Shadows
2. She's Not the Same
3. 14 Karat Gold
4. Baby Step Back
5. In My Fashion
6. Never Say Trust Me
7. Why Should I Feel Blue
8. Someone to Believe In
9. Romance
10. Broken Dreams
11. Always on the Bright Side
12. Forgive Me Lord
13. Lifeline
14. East Of Midnight
15. Morning Glory
16. A Lesson In Love
17. A Passing Ship
18. Waiting For You
19. Drink Yer Glasses Empty
20. I'll Prove My Love
21. A Painter Passing Through