While we were out at the Dakota last night taking in British folk giant Richard Thompson came the news that the singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot had died at the age of 84. He was a proud Canadian, but one wouldn’t call him a Canadian folk giant. He was a folk giant simply — a brilliant songwriter, an old-fashioned carouser who was also an incurable romantic, and a pensive kind of man’s man. …

In 1999 Warner Archives/Rhino issued a four-disc boxed set of Lightfoot’s work that it simply titled Songbook. It covers roughly thirty years and 88 songs. When I went to the cashier to pay for it at the Electric Fetus in Minneapolis — a store that specializes in music way cooler than Lightfoot — the cashier started singing “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” to give me grief. It’s a fantastic song in the great tradition, but even so, he knew nothing! The set is a revelation.

[Simply put, there is no better observer on music in the conservative commentariat than my friend Scott Johnson. I loved Gordon Lightfoot’s music and Scott puts it into fine perspective here. He also includes some of Lightfoot’s work, including my personal favorite, “If You Could Read My Mind.” RIP and Godspeed, Gordon, and thanks for all of the lovely music. — Ed]