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Writing Gordon Lightfoot: The Man, the Music, and the World in 1972
From acclaimed musician and author Dave Bidini comes a brilliantly original look at a folk-rock legend and the momentous week in 1972 that culminated in the Mariposa Folk Festival.
July, 1972. As musicians across Canada prepare for the nation's biggest folk festival, held on Toronto Island, a series of events unfold that will transform the country politically, psychologically--and musically. As Bidini explores the remarkable week leading up to Mariposa, he also explores the life and times of one of the most enigmatic figures in Canadian Gordon Lightfoot, the reigning king of folk at the height of his career. Through a series of letters, Bidini addresses Lightfoot directly, questioning him, imagining his life, and weaving together a fascinating, highly original look at a musician at the top of his game. By the end of the week, the country is on the verge of massive change and the '72 Mariposa folk fest--complete with surprise appearances by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and yes, Lightfoot--is on its way to becoming legendary.
July, 1972. As musicians across Canada prepare for the nation's biggest folk festival, held on Toronto Island, a series of events unfold that will transform the country politically, psychologically--and musically. As Bidini explores the remarkable week leading up to Mariposa, he also explores the life and times of one of the most enigmatic figures in Canadian Gordon Lightfoot, the reigning king of folk at the height of his career. Through a series of letters, Bidini addresses Lightfoot directly, questioning him, imagining his life, and weaving together a fascinating, highly original look at a musician at the top of his game. By the end of the week, the country is on the verge of massive change and the '72 Mariposa folk fest--complete with surprise appearances by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and yes, Lightfoot--is on its way to becoming legendary.
282 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
9 people are currently reading
74 people want to read
About the author
Dave Bidini
20 books51 followersDAVE BIDINI is the author of nine books. His play, "The Five Hole Stories," was performed by One Yellow Rabbit and toured Canada in winter, 2009, and his two "hockumentaries," The Hockey Nomad and The Hockey Nomad Goes To Russia were Gemini-nominated films, and The Hockey Nomad won for Best Documentary.
Bidini is the recipient of numerous National Magazine Awards, and is a weekly columnist in The National Post. In 1994, his former band, Rheostatics, won a Genie Award for the song 'Claire' (from the film Whale Music), and two of their albums were included in the Top 20 Canadian Albums of All Time. His first hockey book, Tropic of Hockey, was named one of the Top 100 Canadian Books of All Time by McCllland and Stewart, and his baseball odyssey, Baseballissimo, is currently being made into a feature film.
He is a board member of Street Soccer Canada, and has attended two Homeless World Cups, traveling with Team Canada to Melbourne and Milan.
David Bidini lives in Toronto with his wife, guitarist Janet Morassutti, and their two children.
Bidini is the recipient of numerous National Magazine Awards, and is a weekly columnist in The National Post. In 1994, his former band, Rheostatics, won a Genie Award for the song 'Claire' (from the film Whale Music), and two of their albums were included in the Top 20 Canadian Albums of All Time. His first hockey book, Tropic of Hockey, was named one of the Top 100 Canadian Books of All Time by McCllland and Stewart, and his baseball odyssey, Baseballissimo, is currently being made into a feature film.
He is a board member of Street Soccer Canada, and has attended two Homeless World Cups, traveling with Team Canada to Melbourne and Milan.
David Bidini lives in Toronto with his wife, guitarist Janet Morassutti, and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 3, 2013
This is a look at Gordon Lightfoot and the folk rock scene in Toronto in the week leading up to the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1972. The author addresses Lightfoot through a series of letters. Some of this is fiction and some of it is not, but the author is clear as to which is and which isn’t. Until he gets to the latter part of the book, it is more about the Canadian music and cultural scene at the time. A different sort of book. I expected something different.
March 25, 2012
Bizarre book, ostensibly about Gordon Lightfoot and one week of a music festival. But I got whiplash from the topic and style changes: one moment, stories of some folks who bust out of prison, and the next, incomprehensible free-form verse about ... drugs maybe? Hard to tell. You ask, um, where's Gordon? Where's the music festival? Excellent questions.
March 23, 2020
This is a much belated review, having enjoyed both of Bidini’s Writing Gordon Lightfoot and Keon and Me years ago.
It was on the strength of Bidini’s Keon that I picked up his Lightfoot book, having previously enjoyed the way he captures the spirit and mood of a period, in this case, a week in July in Toronto 1972, leading up to and during the Mariposa Festival. It is at this festival that Lightfoot shared turf with Bob Dylan, as well as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, et al including Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Cockburn and on and on. I was a boy during this period in Toronto and don’t recall any of this. But reading about it, I now recognize how seminal it was.
The novel revolves around Bidini’s research and speculation about the elusive Lightfoot, who unlike Keon in Keon and Me, never agreed to meet with Bidini. This is a huge gap for biography junkies, but unauthorized, speculative bios are equally common, and perhaps liberating which the author makes full use of.
If Lightfoot is the fuselage of the story, for me the wings are the many interesting tidbits happening around the world at this time that he weaves in to give us an historical and cultural context. These included how music in particular how Can con changed music in Canada, the Fischer-Spassky tournament, a prison escape in Kingston, an eclipse, the prelude to the historic Canada-Soviet hockey series, and so on.
Bidini’s straight up, highly personal writing style, edgy humour, his methodical research and clear love for the material, as well as his ability to capture the zeitgeist of the 70s are obvious strengths. He clearly has talent, skill and knowledge in a range of areas. That he is a musician, a producer and a wordsmith are obvious and it shows in the narrative as he is able to give a broader perspective than most standalone writers or jocks. In fact his personal insights into the music industry and the struggles of smaller and giant musicians like he and Lightfoot respectively, give this bio a degree of authenticity and legitimacy that we won’t find in writers with less range.
For history and music buffs...a strong 4.5 rounded up to 5.
It was on the strength of Bidini’s Keon that I picked up his Lightfoot book, having previously enjoyed the way he captures the spirit and mood of a period, in this case, a week in July in Toronto 1972, leading up to and during the Mariposa Festival. It is at this festival that Lightfoot shared turf with Bob Dylan, as well as Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, et al including Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Cockburn and on and on. I was a boy during this period in Toronto and don’t recall any of this. But reading about it, I now recognize how seminal it was.
The novel revolves around Bidini’s research and speculation about the elusive Lightfoot, who unlike Keon in Keon and Me, never agreed to meet with Bidini. This is a huge gap for biography junkies, but unauthorized, speculative bios are equally common, and perhaps liberating which the author makes full use of.
If Lightfoot is the fuselage of the story, for me the wings are the many interesting tidbits happening around the world at this time that he weaves in to give us an historical and cultural context. These included how music in particular how Can con changed music in Canada, the Fischer-Spassky tournament, a prison escape in Kingston, an eclipse, the prelude to the historic Canada-Soviet hockey series, and so on.
Bidini’s straight up, highly personal writing style, edgy humour, his methodical research and clear love for the material, as well as his ability to capture the zeitgeist of the 70s are obvious strengths. He clearly has talent, skill and knowledge in a range of areas. That he is a musician, a producer and a wordsmith are obvious and it shows in the narrative as he is able to give a broader perspective than most standalone writers or jocks. In fact his personal insights into the music industry and the struggles of smaller and giant musicians like he and Lightfoot respectively, give this bio a degree of authenticity and legitimacy that we won’t find in writers with less range.
For history and music buffs...a strong 4.5 rounded up to 5.
November 22, 2011
A GREAT book: I just finished reading the Dave Bidini book about Gordon Lightfoot...amazing! a good writer holds your attention by telling you stories about subjects you're keen on. but a GREAT writer pulls you into things you didn't even know you were interested in! Dave Bidini is a great writer. and that week of the Mariposa folk festival in july 1972 is a period you need to know better. (Dylan & Prine were at the fest & are featured in the book; also Joni Mitchell, Murray Maclachlan, Jackson Brown, the Stones, Lennon & Ono, and a host of other events that took place in the same general period, a watershed moment in Canadian history...) http://www.mcclelland.com/catalog/dis...
"From acclaimed musician and author Dave Bidini comes a brilliantly original look at a folk-rock legend and the momentous week in 1972 that culminated in the Mariposa Folk Festival.
July, 1972. As musicians across Canada prepare for the nation's biggest folk festival, held on Toronto Island,…"
o
this was the Brad Wheeler review that made me pick up the book http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/a...
"Hey Dave Bidini, Gordon Lightfoot’s just not that into you"
"From acclaimed musician and author Dave Bidini comes a brilliantly original look at a folk-rock legend and the momentous week in 1972 that culminated in the Mariposa Folk Festival.
July, 1972. As musicians across Canada prepare for the nation's biggest folk festival, held on Toronto Island,…"
o
this was the Brad Wheeler review that made me pick up the book http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/a...
"Hey Dave Bidini, Gordon Lightfoot’s just not that into you"
July 24, 2023
I gave this book a 4/5 stars because I really enjoyed it.
I gave this book 4/5 stars because I enjoy the author’s style of writing very much.
I gave this book 4/5 stars because I read while camping in an Ontario Provincial Park, the perfect Canadian backdrop.
However I cannot say this is a book about Gordon Lightfoot. It is neither a biography or an interview.
It is a very interesting that Gordon Lightfoot plays a significant role in. Gordon declined to participate in crafting of this book. As such the author wrote about just that. He wrote to the readers in such a way that conveyed his thoughts and musings about a time and place and what role if any Gordon had in relation to it. I honestly loved the idea and how he ran with it.
The author told tales of how he felt in certain moments and then asked the reader and ultimately Gordon what did we think?
The author tells a fascinating story of music and events . He tells tales that made me want to say “ and then what happened?”
He paint’s Gordon in a somewhat sympathetic light but maintains the grit and mystery of the Canadian great!
If you are looking for the story of Gordon Lightfoot, you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a great story that tells a unique perspective on what it might have like in July of 1972 especially in relation to the ever changing festival scene this book will not disappoint.
I gave this book 4/5 stars because I enjoy the author’s style of writing very much.
I gave this book 4/5 stars because I read while camping in an Ontario Provincial Park, the perfect Canadian backdrop.
However I cannot say this is a book about Gordon Lightfoot. It is neither a biography or an interview.
It is a very interesting that Gordon Lightfoot plays a significant role in. Gordon declined to participate in crafting of this book. As such the author wrote about just that. He wrote to the readers in such a way that conveyed his thoughts and musings about a time and place and what role if any Gordon had in relation to it. I honestly loved the idea and how he ran with it.
The author told tales of how he felt in certain moments and then asked the reader and ultimately Gordon what did we think?
The author tells a fascinating story of music and events . He tells tales that made me want to say “ and then what happened?”
He paint’s Gordon in a somewhat sympathetic light but maintains the grit and mystery of the Canadian great!
If you are looking for the story of Gordon Lightfoot, you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a great story that tells a unique perspective on what it might have like in July of 1972 especially in relation to the ever changing festival scene this book will not disappoint.
October 15, 2025
Enjoyed the glimpse into Ontario folk scene with one of my favourite musicians. Loved the jumping around of current events of the day which provided a nostalgic 70s vibe. Funny and heartwarming.
January 18, 2020
My rating went from a 3 to 4 at the end. I found much of the book a slog, as Bidini tries to paint a picture of 1972 by inserting random news stories and weird anonymous writing about Rolling Stones concerts that were seemingly pointless and just plain uninteresting. And the trope of half the book being a letter to Lightfoot going on about why he refused to be interviewed for the book got old fast...until the end.
The book focuses on a week of the Mariposa Festival held on Toronto Island, which again has lots of boring detail, but the final parts focusing on the weekend where big stars showed up and how festival organizers dealt with it were interesting and poignant.
And the last letter to Lightfoot discussing some hard truths about his womanizing, addictions, and difficult relationship with a "dark angel" girlfriend turned into a touching picture of a legendary Canadian who contributed to a nation's identity and who was also just a nice guy from Orillia who came to peace with his crazy past.
The book focuses on a week of the Mariposa Festival held on Toronto Island, which again has lots of boring detail, but the final parts focusing on the weekend where big stars showed up and how festival organizers dealt with it were interesting and poignant.
And the last letter to Lightfoot discussing some hard truths about his womanizing, addictions, and difficult relationship with a "dark angel" girlfriend turned into a touching picture of a legendary Canadian who contributed to a nation's identity and who was also just a nice guy from Orillia who came to peace with his crazy past.
November 25, 2011
I liked this a lot. The letters worked better in some places than in others, and I'll admit that for me it was the chapters in between that shone. If you know me you know how important music is to me, and Gordon Lightfoot provided much of the soundtrack to my growing up. The scenes from Mariposa are wonderful, and especially cool is to hear commentary from people who were there in 1972, including a very young Colin Linden! Highly recommended.
December 1, 2011
The real meat in this book, surrounding the Festival, could have taken up more of the content. I LOVED reading about the music scene in Toronto around that time and the history of Mariposa. The letters to Lightfoot felt awkward, and lacked, for me, something heartfelt or sincere. Fun to read and the photos are great!
January 22, 2013
This book transported me onto Centre Island in Toronto in 1972. Pioneer 10 just crossed the asteroid belt, the Stones' Exile from Main Street tour was taking place in downtown and on a little island in Toronto Harbour a folk festival was taking place that featured Neil Young, Joni Mitchel, Bruce Cockburn and Gordon Lighftoot. Bob Dylan could also be found on that island.
What a great read!
What a great read!
January 14, 2026
Dave Bidini's wears his passion for music and hockey on his sleeve. In this book, he takes on the task of trying to unearth some light on one of Canada's most celebrated singer-songwriters, Gordon Lightfoot. As many know, Lightfoot was notoriously private, and did not speak to Bidini for this book. But that refusal actually makes this book much better, as Bidini uses open letters to Lightfoot as the anchors for a story he chronicles of an influential Mariposa Festival on Toronto Island. The festival, and Lightfoot's unofficial appearances at it, are part of Bidini's deeper examination of this masterful music artists and his influence on Canadian music and Canada in general. It's obvious by Bidini's writing that he admires Lightfoot, but his honesty at times is quite refreshing. This is not a fan letter to Lightfoot. It's more a snapshot of an interesting moment in Canadian pop music history and a study of a man who doesn't want to be known. Bidini writes as if he's having a conversation with you over beers. He's a gifted storyteller. One of his best books by far.
February 7, 2019
If you're expecting a comprehensive biography about Gordon Lightfoot, this isn't it. This is light, humorous and an informative look at a week in Canadian and some world history. Most specifically the Mariposa Festival at Centre Island in Toronto in 1972. Gordon Lightfoot is more of a conduit for telling a number of other stories all at the same time. That is not to say it is not about Gordon Lightfoot at all, it is. Confused?
I enjoyed the humour in this book, but it was also quite interesting. I felt myself longing for the days of the 1970's once again. Missing those heady days when classic rock and folk music were at their peak. When musicians were musicians. Creating the sounds that all others of the genre would follow and then copy. Will we ever have that kind of musical creativity again? To grasp all that is going on in this book, it is helpful to have been alive in the time that this book takes place, to be Canadian, and to have a quirky sense of humour. Well done!
I enjoyed the humour in this book, but it was also quite interesting. I felt myself longing for the days of the 1970's once again. Missing those heady days when classic rock and folk music were at their peak. When musicians were musicians. Creating the sounds that all others of the genre would follow and then copy. Will we ever have that kind of musical creativity again? To grasp all that is going on in this book, it is helpful to have been alive in the time that this book takes place, to be Canadian, and to have a quirky sense of humour. Well done!
May 3, 2023
This unusual biography of Canada's favourite singer-songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot, has been given a modernist treatment by Dave Bidini.
Bidini sets the landscape for his biography by painting it into the July, 1972 Mariposa Folk Festival scene. I appreciated the way he included the social history as well as the news of the day at that particular point in time. He wove these threads together with a great deal of skill and made the story one that was not only Lightfoot-centric, but an interesting historical presentation.
For balance, his light approach adds a bit of fun to some of the heavier aspects of Lightfoot's story and he genuinely made me laugh out loud. In fairness, I can also understand why some readers may find it difficult to deal with the unconventional switchback style that often moves erratically from news of the day to Mariposa in July of 1972. But keep the faith until the very end readers, because it is all beautifully and satisfyingly brought together.
Bidini sets the landscape for his biography by painting it into the July, 1972 Mariposa Folk Festival scene. I appreciated the way he included the social history as well as the news of the day at that particular point in time. He wove these threads together with a great deal of skill and made the story one that was not only Lightfoot-centric, but an interesting historical presentation.
For balance, his light approach adds a bit of fun to some of the heavier aspects of Lightfoot's story and he genuinely made me laugh out loud. In fairness, I can also understand why some readers may find it difficult to deal with the unconventional switchback style that often moves erratically from news of the day to Mariposa in July of 1972. But keep the faith until the very end readers, because it is all beautifully and satisfyingly brought together.
July 11, 2025
A bit of a strange book in that it is written in the form of "letters" to Gordon Lightfoot who has at some point said that he doesn't want to talk to Mr. Bidini. It does, however, give an excellent history of the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1972. My deceased sister lived in Toronto for many years in the 1970s and attended a number of festivals. Unfortunately, all I ever got to see was the ticket stubs - we did not get the chance to discuss the festivals themselves and who she saw. Pity.
September 12, 2021
Bidini is a very engaging writer, and has created a very entertaining treatment of his subject. He does a wonderful job recreating this moment in time, then interweaving Lightfoot’s story - some unearthered, some imagined. A very worthwhile read for those interested in Lightfoot, and this moment in Toronto’s and Canada’s history.
June 24, 2017
The chapters that were actually about Mariposa and other events of 1972 were quite entertaining and informative. Not so the alternating chapters which were open letters to Lightfoot from the author. Found these tedious, awkward and a bit embarrassing at times.
January 25, 2021
I stumbled across this book and had high hopes for a good read on Gord and the 1972 Mariposa festival, which I was too young to appreciate at the time but heard much about it. The book is a big let down. Most of it is made up and the disconnected writing style makes for a tough read.
June 21, 2024
This book barely talked about Gord. It was more about Mariposa. Also the author admits Gord wouldn't talk to him and that he made up scenarios. Why bother? Should have been called "Mariposa". Very disappointing.
September 21, 2017
Not my kind of book, but I had to read it for a creative writing course.
2.5/5
2.5/5
March 15, 2019
You may never read another music biography like this one. Don't pass up on Writing Gordon Lightfoot.
November 1, 2022
Very disappointing read. Disjointed and really not about Gordon Lightfoot at all.
March 21, 2012
This was a great book for reminiscing about the sixties and seventies. The central theme is the Mariposa Folk Festival on Toronto Island in July, 1972. But it also discusses Gordon Lightfoot in the context of Canada's maturation in the world of music. We went from Bobby Gimby to "American Woman". Not only does it mention songs, groups, places and performers, but also mentions events going on in the world at that time - the Fischer - Spassky chess game, the prison break at Millhaven Penitentiary, the Trudeaus, preparations for the Team Canada - USSR hockey series, the starting of Greenpeace, the Pioneer spaceship heading towards Jupiter and two plane high jackings which set the future tone for airport security. The author tends to veer off towards the end, but if you are of that generation, you will enjoy the memories this book brings back.
February 4, 2013
1972 was an incredible year and the week leading up to the Mariposa Folk Festival was a unbelievable week full of surprises and fascinating history. I did not attend but I did see the Stones in Minneapolis on their 1972 tour. (See page 206). Of course I know Gordon Lightfoot's music and have been listening to him since the 70's. A wonderful reflection of the enigma that is Lightfoot. Perhaps one day there will be a biography but it would have to be with his participation. This is a marvellous attempt at giving us a bit of Lightfoot history and a look into that week in 1972. I loved this book!
March 23, 2012
This book is a 40% Gordon Lightfoot and 60% the world musically, politically, the social consciousness unfolding or collapsing in 1972. It's a year in a week. July 1972. I loved this book so much. I think it's Dave's best writing to date.
Upon reading other reviews, I agree, the letters to Gord were a little awkward, but I think that's what made them personal. At some points I feel like, Dave, you're full of shit on that... but he's making it up, so that's kind of a given.
Page 206 is the best part of the book as far as I'm concerned.
Upon reading other reviews, I agree, the letters to Gord were a little awkward, but I think that's what made them personal. At some points I feel like, Dave, you're full of shit on that... but he's making it up, so that's kind of a given.
Page 206 is the best part of the book as far as I'm concerned.
April 13, 2015
I enjoyed the author's conversational writing style and stories in the book (whether they were true or not), but they were so disjointed. One minute the author is writing about a prison break, then a chess match, then Mariposa, and I couldn't keep track of all the characters. Nor in the end could I understand how they were all connected, other than they were all occurring in 1972. Disappointing.
April 11, 2013
Liked it. Enjoyed seeing Lightfoot treated as a significant songwriter and cultural influence, even liked the "You wouldn't talk to me, Gord, so I had to make some stuff up" conceit. Some bits worked better than others, but all in all a grand ramble through the music scene of the early 1970s.
January 1, 2021
This is my first Dave Bidini book I have read and so far I love it. I really enjoy the way he writes and his style. I feel like he is having a conversation with you and not just lecturing you.
June 9, 2012
An ok book... Maybe it is Mr. Bidini's style but I found he rambled a bit. His choice of language was hmmm... interesting. All in all a good snapshot of the time.
May 15, 2013
I liked this book, but it's probably of most interest to people who were around in '72 - in other words, really old now!
November 24, 2013
Great concept. Great atonement. Great writer. Great slice of Canadian history. Dave is a Canadian asset
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews