Template:Refimprove Template:Infobox single "Sundown" is a song by Canadian folk artist Gordon Lightfoot, from the eponymous album, released as a single in March 1974.
"Sundown" reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and easy listening charts[1] and number thirteen on the Hot Country singles chart,[2] as well as number one in Canada on RPMTemplate:'s national singles chart. It was Lightfoot's only single to reach number one on the Hot 100.
Content[]
The song's lyrics seem to describe a troubled romantic relationship, with the narrator recounting an affair with a "hard-loving woman [who's] got me feeling mean".
There are rumours that "Sundown" was inspired by Lightfoot's then girlfriend, Cathy Smith, later more infamously known for her involvement in the 1982 drug-related death of actor John Belushi. Lightfoot has commented in interviews that Smith was "the one woman in my life who most hurt me".Template:Citation needed
Chart performance[]
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Weekly charts[]
Chart (1974) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Kent Music Report [3] | 4 |
Canadian RPM Top Singles | 1 |
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary | 2 |
Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 4 |
German Singles Chart | 30 |
Irish Singles Chart | 14 |
Netherlands [4] | 16 |
New Zealand (Listener) [5] | 2 |
UK Singles Chart | 33 |
US Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
US Billboard Easy Listening | 1 |
US Billboard Hot Country Singles | 13 |
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Year-end charts[]
Chart (1974) | Rank |
---|---|
Australian KMR [6] | 35 |
Canadian RPM Top Singles [7] | 3 |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 [8] | 27 |
U.S. Cashbox Top 100 | 32 |
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Other versions[]
- The musical project/collaboration of singer-songwriters Elwood covered the song in 2000. This version peaked (July 8, 2000) at #33 on BillboardTemplate:'s "Modern Rock Tracks' chart.[9]
- American country music singer Deryl Dodd's version of the song peaked at #59 on BillboardTemplate:'s Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1999. It was later included on his album, Pearl Snaps (2002).
- American-Canadian country artist Jesse Winchester covered this on Beautiful: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot (2003)
- Country singer Toby Keith included a live cover version on the deluxe edition of his album Bullets in the Gun (2010).
- Canadian rock musician Luke Doucet covered it on the album Steel City Trawler (2010).
- French singing duo Marie-Ève Janvier and Jean-François Breau covered the song in French as "L'amour c'est comme l'été", on the compilation album Quand le country dit bonjour... (2012).
- Ed Kuepper covered the song, including it on his greatest hits album
Personnel[]
Engineered by Lee Herschberg
Recorded at Eastern Sound Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- Gordon Lightfoot: Vocal, 12-string guitar
- John Stockfish: Bass
- Red Shea: Lead electric guitar
- Terry Clements: Lead acoustic guitar
- Jim Gordon: Drums
In other media[]
- "Sundown" is the ending song of The Blacklist season 1, episode 13: "The Cyprus Agency (No. 64)" (January 27, 2014).[10]
- The song entered the Amazon UK chart at number 97 on 18 March 2014, after The Blacklist episode, "The Cypress Agency (No. 64)" was shown on UK television.Template:Citation needed
- "Sundown" is featured after the opening credits of Supernatural Season 10, Episode 5 "Fan Fiction" (November 11, 2014).
See also[]
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1974 (U.S.)
- List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1974 (U.S.)
- List of RPM number-one singles of 1974
References[]
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External links[]
- Template:MetroLyrics song
Template:Gordon Lightfoot
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