Cover of If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lightfoot

Community Recordings Audio-Video Of You Playing
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This one brings back memories for me. I used to sing along with Gordon when it came up on the radio when I was about fourteen. Did not attempt the second guitar part. Sorry for the dark video - forgot to turn on the lights.

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Wow that was a truly great cover, I put you up on the tv so we could both watch - and we both loved it. Your vocals are outstanding, and the arrangement you’re playing is beautiful. I listened to a lot of Gordon Lightfoot growing up too, and this is one of my many favorites. Where did you get the arrangement from? I used to pick this song with just any old picking pattern, but I love the arrangement you’re playing and wouldn’t mind learning it.

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Thank you so much, Mari! I got the picking pattern from a guy named Larry L who teaches it on YouTube. Just search How to play If You Could Read My Mind and he will come up.

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Thanks lots, Jay, I bookmarked that tutorial and will check it out tomorrow :slightly_smiling_face:

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Hi Jay,

that was very well played and sung. Not only did you capture the guitar playing, but you are sooo close to Gordon’s voice! It is a beautiful song, and I too heard it often as a youngster, not really having a clue what it was about. I derived meaning from the lyrics only later in life …

Some 20 years back Johnnie Cash covered this song, its a heavier interpretation with regrets dripping from each syllable, but nonetheless very beautifully done. Have you heard that version?

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Thanks for sharing this Jay, really enjoyed it. :smiley:

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Thanks Tjeerd. I had never heard the Johnny Cash version before - just listened to it. I didn’t know so many famous people had covered that song until I did a search on it.

I too had no real idea what that song was about until years later even though I remember singing the with great feeling at age 14. :joy:

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Very nicely played and sung. Thank-you for sharing.

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A beautiful song I remember from my childhood, beatifully played and sung! Bravo! Great playing and vocals!

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Wonderful performance, Jay. Really well played, sung, and recorded. The tone of both guitar and voice really is fabulous. A Thursday afternoon treat!

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Great song to choose. I always enjoyed listening to Gordon Lightfoot. You played and sang beautifully. I loved it!

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Sounds great. I really liked it.

Also thanks for introducing me to Gordon Lightfoot.

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This is a superb recording.
I love your guitar playing, perfectly laid, in harmony with your vocals.
The reverb is perfectly mixed.
Very emotional singing, very well done!!!
Thanks for this beauty!!!

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Great performance, reminds me a lot of when I first started to play finger style it was one of my first songs, however I don’t sing, my wife does :joy:

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That was wonderful!! I had to make sure your lips were moving, at first I thought it was Gordon singing!

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That was simply wonderful Jay. Beautiful fingerstyle playing and a superb vocal that as has been said already, sounds just like the original.
Well done, a lot of work has gone into that one.

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Wow! I’d never heard that song before but after listening to it 3 times on repeat, I won’t forget it now. That was sublime Jay. Truly beautiful

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That was excellent Jay, love the vocals and finger style. Superb work well done :clap::clap:

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Hello Jay, wow, that was absolutely awesome :astonished: . So beautiful :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: - both, picking and singing. Very soulful.
Simply excellent :star_struck:.

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Sitting here with my afternoon cup and listening to your excellent performance of this piece and the mix that matches. Good stuff all 'round.

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