Sundown (Gordon Lightfoot song)



"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 and number thirteen on the Hot Country singles chart, as well as number one in Canada on RPM'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".

Other versions

 * The musical project/collaboration of singer-songwriters Elwood covered the song in 2000. This version peaked (July 8, 2000) at #33 on Billboard's "Modern Rock Tracks' chart.
 * American country music singer Deryl Dodd's version of the song peaked at #59 on Billboard'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).
 * 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.
 * "Sundown" is featured after the opening credits of Supernatural Season 10, Episode 5 "Fan Fiction" (November 11, 2014).