Song for a Winter's Night
December 17, 2020 2:54 PM Subscribe
The indie folk group The Good Lovelies have done a beautiful cover of "Song for a Winter's Night." The song was originally written in 1965 by Gordon Lightfoot on a very hot summer evening when he was playing clubs in Cleveland, USA, missing his wife back home and thinking of snowy Canadian winters. It has been covered many times, often in a slower, more melancholy tempo than Lightfoot's original: Sarah McLachlan's ethereal 1990s cover; a rare Harry Belafonte live cover; Blue Rodeo's gentle country-rock cover. Bonus: a charming French bluegrass version by The Confinement Band, four musicians recording in four different French cities.
Sarah McLachlan's rendition (correct link)
posted by Rash at 4:55 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Rash at 4:55 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
(Oops, thanks Rash for the heads up—I’ve asked the mods to replace it!)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 6:38 PM on December 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 6:38 PM on December 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
Oh, that French bluegrass cover!
posted by desuetude at 9:50 PM on December 17, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by desuetude at 9:50 PM on December 17, 2020 [3 favorites]
1. The Sarah McLachlan cover was my wedding song (Spouse and I married on winter's night).
2. I can't believe I have not heard the Blue Rodeo cover until today.
3. The French bluegrass cover is beyond lovely.
4. It is the first day of my vacation and my day 1 activity will be to dive into The Good Lovelies catalog and take a listen.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 4:22 AM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
2. I can't believe I have not heard the Blue Rodeo cover until today.
3. The French bluegrass cover is beyond lovely.
4. It is the first day of my vacation and my day 1 activity will be to dive into The Good Lovelies catalog and take a listen.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 4:22 AM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
One of my favorite songs and beautiful versions all. Thanks!
posted by mermayd at 8:17 AM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by mermayd at 8:17 AM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
the man could write a song. One of my fave recent discoveries is Nico's take on I'm Not Sorry, with Jimmy Page and Brian Jones in the background.
But more and more I'm coming around to loving his first impressions. His is somewhat of an odd voice for his time, an upright (never uptight) baritone that feels grounded in some pre-20th century tradition. I definitely lean toward his take on Winter's Night as my fave, though all of these sound okay to my ears.
posted by philip-random at 8:47 AM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
But more and more I'm coming around to loving his first impressions. His is somewhat of an odd voice for his time, an upright (never uptight) baritone that feels grounded in some pre-20th century tradition. I definitely lean toward his take on Winter's Night as my fave, though all of these sound okay to my ears.
posted by philip-random at 8:47 AM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
Those were all quite lovely. Thank you.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 1:46 PM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Big Al 8000 at 1:46 PM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
theBigRedKittyPurrs, what a beautiful wedding song!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:36 PM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 3:36 PM on December 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
Previously mentioned on Metafilter, late 80's Canadian rock sensation Glass Tiger also has a lovely version.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 10:03 AM on December 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 10:03 AM on December 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
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posted by New Frontier at 3:38 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]