People still have the desire to find an edge, some leverage, some little
thing that makes them better, more successful, or even just a wee bit
more able to survive than their fellows.
So, I don't sing "For Lovin' Me" much any more. First, it's an old
song and, well, my memory ain't what it used to be. Second, I just don't
have a lot of energy to devote to defending myself (or songs I sing) to
people with a specific political bent and no sense of humor.
And then, tonight, I listened again to Cathy singing this song (from
the Caffe Lena gig). And, all of a sudden, I just grinned. How perfect
for a woman to sing it, this ode to chauvinism. I can't help but wonder
what Gord would think. In a woman's hands (lips? words? mouth?) this
song becomes terribly timeless.
I'm sure I've missed some huge issue and that I will be made aware of it
here in short order.
--
Ed Mullen
http://edmullen.net
But Ed, those are the people it would be the most fun to sing it to! Just to
get under their skin a bit. Life is to short to not have fun with the
humorless. :-)
Darin
"Bless you all and keep you with the faith to let it pass"
It does sound chauvinistic, but the cocky attitude in the song can come from
either gender.
Perhaps Richard can shed some light on this??
Mark
"Ed Mullen" <e...@edmullen.net> wrote in message
news:3CF1B25E...@edmullen.net...
"SonataVII" <sona...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20020527022932...@mb-da.aol.com...
I must admit, I was slightly surprised when I discovered GL thought "For Lovin'
Me" was a chauvenistic song. I just found a lot of slightly sardonic humor in
it...or perhaps I just never took it all that seriously. Perhaps it was
because I never took much notice of the song until college when I heard a
female friend sing it--she thought it was really cute. With "I'm Not Saying,"
perhaps my definition of chauvenism is off, but I always heard the song as more
of an ode to self-centeredness, and to non-committment...but, once again, with
a note of sly humor. To me, this was brought to the forefront even more when
GL started juxtaposing "I'm Not Sayin'" with "Ribbon of Darkness." In the
booklet accompanying the set, GL said something like in the first song he's
saying "It's my way or the highway," (which, once again, I don't really equate
with chauvenism--he's just stating who he is and what she's in for) and in the
second song "he's left holding the bag. Pride cometh before the fall."
Finally, I wanted to mention Cathy does indeed do "I'm Not Sayin'!" And
beautifully! She did both songs at our recent Caffe Lena gig!
Happy Memorial Day to all! :)
Derek
Roy
"Richard Harison" <rhNO-SP...@bmts.com> wrote in message news:<10225000...@Virginia.BMTS.Com>...
Ker-ching! there's the 2 cents. 8D
-gary
--
All the Best,
Richard Harison
"Sputnik" <spu...@neobright.net> wrote in message
news:ZsBI8.3721$FL3.4...@cletus.bright.net...
>The bottom line ends up
>with our hero not playing a perfectly good song
it is one of my favorites too.
Jen
Ya know, that interpretation never OCCURRED to me at all until I read it on the
NG some time ago. And I STILL don't get it! :)
Derek
All that being said, I've always considered that song one of GL's underrated,
overlooked gems.
Derek
> make much sense when you look at the lyrics. I suppose an interpretation can
> be attached just based on the title, but it seems to me that's kinda stretching
> things a bit!
>
> Derek
>
And in support of that notion ...
A Message To The Wind - all about flatulence
A Tree Too Weak To Stand - a lament about male impotence
Baby It's All Right - woman's response to ATTWTS
Biscuit City - obviously all about marijuana baked goods
Ecstasy Made Easy - egad - promoting prostitution!
Leaves of Grass - Gord's sequel to Puff The Magic Dragon
Love and Maple Syrup - (too kinky to get into)
Movin' - also known as "The Laxative Song"
My Pony Won't Go - (see ATTWTS)
Ode To Big Blue - (see LAMS)
She's Not the Same - about sex changes
Your Love's Return - triumph over ATTWTS and MPWG
Honest, I've researched it and it's all true!
Richard, you really should print this
out and let Gord see it!
Ed, you really are priceless!!!!!!!
Bru
>
>
>
>
>
Derek,
me too.
All this nonsense is really just that:
nonsense.
Bru
Did She Mention My Name? - a clear reference to Bill Clinton
If You Could Read My MInd - same as DSMMN above...
Bell(e)s of the Evening - Those ladies of the night...
Sit Down, Young Starnger - obviously alluding to gay bathhouses
A lesson In Love - clearly the story of Mary Jo Letourneu (sp?)
Drink Yer Glasses Empty - probably commissioned by Smirnoff...
Gotta Get Away - OJ Simpson's theme song
Mark
"Ed Mullen" <e...@edmullen.net> wrote in message
news:3CF39A61...@edmullen.net...
-Gary
Ohmigod. I've created a monster!
Having been to Orillia twice in the past 6 years, I can readily understand
how GL would have used an beautiful and natural word like "Lavender" to
refer to a lady, only to have it twisted into something tawdry by others.
Mark
"Ed Mullen" <e...@edmullen.net> wrote in message
news:3CF40D77...@edmullen.net...
Sorry for the duplicate post. I hit the wrong keys.
At one concert I was at some years back, someone yelled repeatedly for
"Approaching Lavender." Finally, GL told a story that they were playing in
San Francisco one night when someone in the audience stood up and asked
politely in a high-pitched voice that GL imitated very much politically
incorrectly:
"Mr. Lightfoot, would you do Approaching Lavender for us, please?"
He shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't know how anyone got the message from
that song and told the audience that this song is one he no longer does.
Having traveled Canada, I certainly subscribe to the theory that nature was his
inspiration and any possible connection to the gay community was completely
unplanned.
John
> Definitely a stretch! Consider...homosexuality is a genderless noun.
> Therefore, if about homosexuality, the line "for HER light so warm and pure
> would draw you like a flame" would be grammatically incorrect, the proper
> line being "For ITS light..."
> --
> All the Best,
> Richard Harison, PhD. {:<)
Oh no! LOGIC! Egad. I am humbled in the face of overwhelming reason. Still,
I'm pretty sure that there's something evil in there somewhere. I just gotta
Reverend Ralph. Hey, we're studying these songs, all of them, and we are gonna
find it! Yeah. You betcha. Gotta be some evil in there somewhere. (Although,
I gotta confess, that whole "Sea of Tranquility" thing threw us off for a couple
of seconds. Sounded awfully spiritual for a few moments. Hmmm.)
Ed Mullen
http://edmullen.net
Oh yeah! Well, ah, oh yeah? Err, hey, how about "Oh yeah?" (Cripes, I
really gotta remember to arm myself before I start these things ...)
Roy
(shallow humor on my part-- only rendered to show the absurdity of so-called
*interpretations* of critics or other *know it alls* offer because they do
not have lives of their own)
My deepest respect for innocent victims and NYPD FDNY, Port Authority and
any/all rescue services or other casualties involved)
--
All the Best,
Richard Harison
"Ed Mullen" <e...@edmullen.net> wrote in message
news:3CF41BB9...@edmullen.net...
Richard -
That's a pity - but I can understand
from a writer's point of view.
Ed - you are still a riot! LOL
Bru
Steven
"Char" <lightf...@rogers.com> wrote in message news:<1yLI8.113151$ah_....@news01.bloor.is.net.cable.rogers.com>...
Cathy
"Ed Mullen" <e...@edmullen.net> wrote in message
news:3CF1B25E...@edmullen.net...
> Gordon Lightfoot has said that "For Lovin' Me" is one of his most
> chauvinistic songs. 25 years ago I had a friend (female) who used to
> call certain songs I sang "those double standard songs." In a quarter
> century (oh, just shut up, ok?) I wonder how much has changed.
>
> People still have the desire to find an edge, some leverage, some little
> thing that makes them better, more successful, or even just a wee bit
> more able to survive than their fellows.
>
> So, I don't sing "For Lovin' Me" much any more. First, it's an old
> song and, well, my memory ain't what it used to be. Second, I just don't
> have a lot of energy to devote to defending myself (or songs I sing) to
> people with a specific political bent and no sense of humor.
>
> And then, tonight, I listened again to Cathy singing this song (from
> the Caffe Lena gig). And, all of a sudden, I just grinned. How perfect
> for a woman to sing it, this ode to chauvinism. I can't help but wonder
> what Gord would think. In a woman's hands (lips? words? mouth?) this
> song becomes terribly timeless.
>
> I'm sure I've missed some huge issue and that I will be made aware of it
> here in short order.