Gordon Lightfoot - Canadian Railroad Trilogy

[@katherinedemerson8817]

The debut of Gordon Lightfoot's classic "Canadian Railroad Trilogy". This version was televised January 1, 1967 on the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), which commissioned Gordon to write a song commemorating Canada’s 100th birthday. A 40-piece orchestra accompanies Lightfoot’s magnificent arrangement.

[@nbenefiel]

I grew up in Detroit. We used to go over to the University of Windosr to watch Lightfoot sing

[@eleni1968]

Lucky you!!

[@williamtennent6882]

Wow I wonder if those who watched this 50 years ago could imagine what wonderful songs were still to come from this icon of music.Like Dylan said,everytime I hear a Gordon LIghtfoot song I wish it would never end.Cheers Gord

[@billdang3953]

I wonder if those who did watch this back in the day would have thought that a song like Edmund Fitzgerald would come later.

[@gregdebaggis5032]

RIP Gordon Lightfoot one of the greatest songwriters ever! Thank you for over 6 decades of great songs and memories. See you on the Carefree Highway. ❤

[@GuitarLessonsBobbyCrispy]

This song is like 110% Canadian!!

[@Red-Is-III]

correction: 150% Canadian

[@chuckcline9054]

Don't be fooled... it's the chords that are easy.... the strumming, timing of vocals and time changes during the Trilogy and overall performance is very difficult, but amazingly satisfying when the performer has it down! (I was not one of them--)

[@narlycat]

Canada and Australia also did partake in the wild west, it didn't all happen in western US and the Canadian experience of building her transcontinental railroad echoed the US experience in many similar ways but not completely identical. They were both built within 2 decades of each other anyway. Rest assured Gordon Lightfoot's music was larger even than Canada which is already great @#$%^&* big to begin with.😅 Gordon was not just Canadian, he was North American and he was Universal.😊

[@fionafitzgerald9015]

Inspiring me to pick up a guitar at 60 years of age, and giving it a go!! Thanks Gordon.....

[@okamphorst1967]

You can't get more Canadian than Gordon Lightfoot!

[@atimtambaby]

You cannot get more HUMAN than Gordon Lightfoot (IMHO)

[@Morrkevi1963]

Gordon Lightfoot is our National Treasure 😊🤓🇨🇦🎼🎸

[@kenlan3347]

RIP, Gordon. What a sad evening tonight on May 1st

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Although I'm not Canadian, either by birth, or residence, I still enjoy Canadian singers. Among my favourite singers are Gordon Lightfoot, Anne Murray, and Joni Mitchell.

[@SuperCarver2011]

This is an iconic song done by a Canadian Icon. In spite of his age, he has been invited to appear at Canada's sesquicentenial (150 year anniversary) celebration on July 1st. I hope he will do this song again like he did for the Centennial in 1967.

[@johnnyjensen6067]

I've said it before, and I'll say it now again, he makes me proud to be Canadian. He's a national treasure!

[@Baci302]

The CBC commissioned Gordon to write a song about this subject. It took him but 3 days to write this masterpiece.

[@dougzilla]

This is an absolute treasure.

[@RodCornholio]

Entire movies flash before my eyes when I listen to many of his songs. They give me visions without the shrooms. No other singer-songwriter does this to me. The guy is a magician. His music are spells.

[@Jungla694]

yeah. i say the same. I see the people he sings of.

[@jasoncarpp7742]

*"We are the navvies who worked upon the railway, swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun, layn' down tracks and buildin' bridges, bendin' our backs 'til the railroad is is done."*

[@jaywerk6835]

A Drink to the Livin', a Toast to the Dead HAPPY CANADA DAY

[@Buzzbox3rd]

Im Aussie and bloody love this !!!!!!!!!!!

[@ivangranger8494]

What a Treasure. The loss of Gordon, still stings.

[@flatonia]

A work of art complete with a choreographed reenactment of the construction of the railways.

[@andreasboose5611]

His voice sounds so smooth like the vibrato so much ❤

[@karenp.1977]

When I went to live in Europe for a couple of years as a young woman, I brought Gordon Lightfoot's music with me to console me whenever I was homesick.

[@rosiemandujano5500]

Karen Pawson .9

[@rosiemandujano5500]

Karen Pawsonj

[@rosiemandujano5500]

Karen Pawson y

[@Kokopilau77]

This has to be the coolest music video I’ve ever seen. Captures the moment of the song

[@jasoncarpp7742]

Awesome song! Awesome singer! This is among my favourite songs by Gordon Lightfoot, with *"The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald"* coming in at a close second. :)

[@johntobey1558]

This is an extremely patriotic song. God bless 🇨🇦, keep you unified and strong. Blessings from Philadelphia, Pa. Aiming to have trade partners strong fir tge next two centuries, indeed.

[@jimwiskus8862]

Priceless, absolutely priceless.

[@ellesnyder942]

Rest in peace sir.

[@Impostertot]

6:10 Risque moment but probably typical at that time (when the railways were built). Thank God we have a treasury of his songs. He will surely be missed. RIP.

[@ivangranger8494]

Yes, it was a little shocking to see that. Huge age difference and I thought it was a corpse,😳 at first.

[@dorianlindberg1662]

I feel this is the real story of the immigrants making Canada making it the way it is today. it is so wonderful.

[@georgehare2915]

u nlike?? todays mooc hers no easy freebies for them

[@kenttalsma7906]

...and many are the dead men, Too silent, To be real. Man, that chokes me up, every time!!

[@keywestjj]

I didn't realize he was ever this young!! ;-)

[@babel232]

and I ask when the hell did he get so old? ;)

[@g.d.graham2446]

There's always something so soothing about Gordon Lightfoot's singing. A true singing storyteller of his time (My gorgeous girlfriend, this comment was for you 😉). Glad I bumped into this song. 😁

[@djkingsley51]

I used to nail this in my coffeeshop troubadour days.

[@chuckcline9054]

Had to be the premiere of the song. A major production for TV of the time... First time seeing this-- Very moving! A CLASSIC, indeed!!!

[@5kdamian]

"This song was commissioned from Lightfoot by the CBC for a special broadcast on January 1, 1967, " according to wikipedia

[@allanprice1087]

My old camp (New Moon) is having a reunion this year and I remembered that in 1967 we had a Centennial Camp Fire with all the other camps across the country. There were poems and speeches and I sang this song. Gordon Lightfoot is the greatest of all our singer/songwriters.

[@Lowdenjim]

Love the 7 Brides for 7 Brothers dance routines!

[@maggieball40]

This makes me cry with gratitude.

[@BrettOwen71]

This is amazing! Surely one of the great songs from one of the greatest singer-songwriters that ever lived!

[@marilynkoletzke8299]

What a gift! One loses so very much living a-way down here south of the boarder

[@andrewdobrzanski3548]

First time I've seen this version! Fabulous!

[@conductorjereocheerio]

Incredible video and song of Lightfoot. Love it.

[@elizabethwannop5539]

I loved this song and still love it, am brought to tears by it. It is a magnificent testimony to the unmatched incredible talent that is Gordon Lightfoot. I have always loved his amazing storytelling and beautiful voice.

[@johnnygeejr500]

Always top shelf ! A treasure !

[@Julia-oo5cm]

I miss you my sweet husband Stephen. Rest in peace sweetheart until we'll hug in Heaven with beautiful music like this. 🕊💕 You introduced me to this beautiful music. So sorry you passed out of USA!!!!!! In a country that caused you pretty much pain.

[@eleni1968]

This is interesting. This song could be the basis of a musical theatrical production; That is proof how great a song writer and story teller Gordon Lightfoot is; It really should be considered they did it with Bob Dylan's "Girl From The North Country" and that really worked until COVID 19 hit.

[@luvmuzik4me]

Rest in peace Gordon, you will be missed.

[@LadyHuggington]

WOW I thought the CBC had taken down all copies of this version! Thank you!

[@Bongofury361]

Wow, that was quite the interesting production of a masterpiece by Gordon Lightfoot!

[@greatunz67]

CBC needs to find the original tapes of this (and everything they have of Lightfoot) and restore them, we must preserve the greatness that was Gordon Lightfoot, the word legend is often used to describe musicians, but in this case there should be an even stronger word, Gord was Canada.

[@deaconjones2243]

OMG!! Where did you find this? It is wonderful.Thank you.

[@steveassante6797]

Wow, very nice, I wasn't aware that this version/video production of CRT existed. Lightfoot's CRT is one of those "Songs"(& calling it "Just a Song" always seems to trivialize it a bit too much for myself) that I can't hear enough versions of due to all the melodic inventions going on at the same time. I normally don't care for "Orchestrations" of music that doesn't need it. This wasn't my reaction to this video as the various Tempi & melodic contrasts are "rich" enough to work with the sparse enhancement added to the music.... Thanks for posting

[@andywood5699]

The CBC commissioned Gordon Lightfoot to write this song. Is this the first time Canadians got to hear this? 1967

[@MIKECNW]

Hopes this last.YT has been removing these 1960's Lightfoot songs.

[@dowsemeister]

as many as 17,000 Chinese laborers suffered greatly building the railroad through Canada. Could have shown a few in the video.

[@58landman]

Great idea. Why don't YOU write your own song, dig up some old interviews with Chinese laborers, make a social cause out of it and there you go. Look doofus, the song is about the building of the Canadian RR and everyone knows that thousands of workers of various nationalities contributed to its construction. Nothing was PC, people were just working and Gord's tune is great.....how's about you sticking that in your pc pipe? eh.

[@dowsemeister]

Whoa! settle down there big fella. Gordy is a great part of Canadian culture and his music painted such a vivid picture of Canadian life for a new landed immigrant fresh off the boat in the '60's. Just thought it could have been portrayed better by CBC. Oh, I just finished playing bass for David Foster last week so I know a thing or two about music and writing songs.

[@58landman]

Well, good. Now we understand each other but sorry, I've never heard of you or Foster.

[@keywestjj]

They can't choreograph like the white boys around 3 minutes ....

[@savantleo]

An excellent post , thank you...

[@debikami1]

Wonderful video🥰

[@jmrivera5390]

❤

[@mamabearkitchen5780]

Thank you ❤

[@goldieschemanski9022]

so young!!

[@rickjarmin]

God bless our Gord. ❤️

[@amcken9316]

Happy Birthday, Gordon!

[@jimwoolley53]

December 31st 1966 to celebrate the new Canadian centennial celebratory year coming

[@lesleybrar74]

I like him so much.

[@greatunz67]

This version is so much better the studio version on the album, it's great too but this one is more haunting

[@lorrainec.3163]

I think this is the first music video ever!

[@MIKECNW]

It was one of many from that time.

[@ghostboy3767]

Its funny because those people working wasn't Chinese and the song never had the word Chinese in it. But i still love the song ^^

[@abaldeagle5574]

REAL MUSIC DOES EXIST...................

[@davidreichert9392]

Back when Canadian musicians wrote songs about Canada.

[@sevelatula]

An icon is gone.

[@janzielinsky2521]

GlJANE BORN 09/07/1962 HAMILTON ONTARIO CANADA

[@nmtoc]

Too bad this show wasn't videotaped. The picture and sound quality of those old kinescope films is terrible.

[@sarahedwards2]

Pause at 0:19 and look at the top! :)

[@sarahedwards2]

The first three numbers are his date of birth!

[@abaldeagle5574]

oh... i saw 18:12 by accident.

[@blancobasnett]

Pity they didn't shoot this on colour film for posterity.

[@SidecarBob]

My favourite Lightfoor song but man those dancers in the middle look phony. Especially when they hit the rails with their sledge hammers. Anyone that missed the spikes that often would have been fired.....

[@An0nAm0nda]

You’re right! But I bet the set builders asked them not to mess up their props too bad 😜

[@ksf84]

An incredible song. However, I think the woke crowd nowadays would not let it be sung on television & would demand anyone associated with its production publicly apologize.

[@johntobey1558]

The dancing seems inspired by tge hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian, amd Russian immigrants of tge late 1800's to the west to build the raillroads.

[@bignalgas1]

every song Gordon sings is a masterpiece... how in the fuck a dude like me that grew up in the hoods of LA ends up listening to him every night is beyond me..i would love to see Gordon at the Hollywood bowl with an orchestra...