If You Could Read My Mind

For the album sometimes known by the same name, see Sit Down Young Stranger.
"If You Could Read My Mind"
Single by Gordon Lightfoot
from the album Sit Down Young Stranger
B-side "Poor Little Allison"
Released December 1970
Genre Pop-Folk
Length 3:48
Label Reprise
Writer(s) Gordon Lightfoot
Producer Lenny Waronker and Joseph Wissert
Gordon Lightfoot singles chronology
"Approaching Lavender"
(1970)		 "If You Could Read My Mind"
(1970)		 "This Is My Song"
(1971)

"If You Could Read My Mind" is a song by Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. It reached number one on Canadian music charts and was his first recording to appear on the American music charts, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in January 1971. Later in the year, it reached number 30 in the UK. Lightfoot has cited his divorce for inspiring the lyrics,[1] saying they came to him as he was sitting in a vacant Toronto house one summer.[2]

This song first appeared on Lightfoot's 1970 album Sit Down Young Stranger. The success of the single led Lightfoot's label, Reprise Records, to retitle the album after the song. The song also reached number one for one week on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.[3] The song was the first of four Lightfoot releases to reach number one.

Contents

Chart performance

Chart (1970) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Top Singles 1
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary 1
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening 1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 5
New Zealand Singles Chart 19
Australian Go-Set Chart[4] 28
U.K. Singles Chart 30

Other versions

"If You Could Read My Mind"
Single by Stars on 54
from the album 54 (film)
Released 1998
Format CD single
Recorded 1998
Genre Dance-pop
Length 3:26

The song has been covered by many other artists, including Don Williams, Johnny Cash, Duane Steele, Don McLean, Kalan Porter, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Olivia Newton-John, Liza Minnelli, Glen Campbell, Gene Clark, The Spotnicks, Aurora featuring Marcella Detroit, Amber, Gordon Haskell, Vikki Carr, the Mexican Actress/model/singer Isabel Madow covered in spanish lyrics under the name of "Sí Pudieras Leer Mi Mente", Beckie Menzie and Joe Dassin (in French lyrics "Si tu peux lire en moi"). The covered version by The Spotnicks was adopted like an unofficial theme for the 1972 Summer Olympics [1]

Country music artist Dwight Yoakam performs the song in his live sets on a regular basis.

It has also been used in motion pictures and television shows, including:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Gordon Lightfoot 'still out there'" South Coast Today (Martin Griffith, Associated Press) 4-Dec-2000
  2. ^ Victoria Ahearn (2010-02-02). "How Gordon Lightfoot wrote 'If You Could Read My Mind'". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/article/758999--how-gordon-lightfoot-wrote-if-you-could-read-my-mind. Retrieved 2010-02-03. 
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 146. 
  4. ^ http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1971/19710522.html
  5. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 281. 
  6. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 20. 

External links

Gordon Lightfoot
Band musicians
  • Rick Haynes
  • Terry Clements
  • Red Shea
  • Pee Wee Charles
  • Barry Keane
  • Mike Heffernan
Albums
Compilations
  • Early Lightfoot (1969)
  • The Best of Gordon Lightfoot (1970)
  • Classic Lightfoot (1971)
  • The Very Best of Gordon Lightfoot (1974)
  • The Very Best of Gordon Lightfoot, Vol. 2 (1975)
  • Gord's Gold (1975)
  • Early Morning Rain (1976)
  • Songbook (1985)
  • Gord's Gold Volume 2 (1988)
  • The Best of Gordon Lightfoot (1989)
  • The Original Lightfoot (1992)
  • The United Artists Collection (1993)
  • Songbook (1999)
  • Complete Greatest Hits (2002)
Singles
  • "(Remember Me) I'm the One" (1962)
  • "It's Too Late, He Wins/Negotiations" (1962)
  • "Adios, Adios" (1962)
  • "Day Before Yesterday" (1963)
  • "I'm Not Sayin'" (1965)
  • "Ribbon of Darkness" (1965)
  • "Spin Spin" (1966)
  • "Go Go Round" (1966)
  • "The Way I Feel" (1967)
  • "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" (1967)
  • "Black Day in July" (1968)
  • "Bitter Green" (1968)
  • "Me and Bobby McGee" (1970)
  • "If You Could Read My Mind" (1970)
  • "If I Could" (1971)
  • "Talking in Your Sleep" (1971)
  • "Summer Side of Life" (1971)
  • "Beautiful" (1972)
  • "Alberta Bound" (1972)
  • "You Are What I Am" (1972)
  • "The Same Old Obsession" (1972)
  • "Can't Depend on Love" (1973)
  • "It's Worth Believin'" (1973)
  • "Sundown" (1974)
  • "Carefree Highway" (1974)
  • "Rainy Day People" (1975)
  • "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976)
  • "Race Among the Ruins" (1976)
  • "The Circle Is Small (I Can See It in Your Eyes)" (1977)
  • "Daylight Katy" (1978)
  • "Dreamland" (1978)
  • "Dream Street Rose" (1980)
  • "If You Need Me" (1980)
  • "Baby Step Back" (1981)
  • "Blackberry Wine" (1982)
  • "In My Fashion" (1982)
  • "Salute (A Lot More Livin' to Do)" (1983)
  • "Without You" (1983)
  • "Anything for Love" (1986)
  • "Stay Loose" (1986)
  • "East of Midnight" (1987)
  • "Ecstasy Made Easy" (1987)
  • "I'll Prove My Love" (1993)
  • "Waiting for You" (1993)
  • "A Painter Passing Through" (1998)
  • "Inspiration Lady" (2004)
Ultra Naté
Studio albums
Singles
"It's Over Now" · "Is It Love?" · "Rejoicing (I'll Never Forget)" · "Joy" · "Show Me" · "How Long" · "Free" · "Free (The Mixes)" · "Found a Cure" · "New Kind of Medicine" · "Desire" · "Get It Up (The Feeling)" · "I Don't Understand It" · "Brass in Pocket" · "Free" (remixes) · "Freak On" · "Love's the Only Drug" · "Automatic" · "Give It All You Got" · "Twisted (Got Me Goin' Round)" · "Faster Faster Pussycat (Let's Go!)" · "Hey DJ" · "Turn It Up"
Featured singles
"Altitude" · "Party Girl (Turn Me Loose)" · "10,000 Screaming Faggots" · "Partay Feeling" · "If You Could Read My Mind" · "Time of Our Lives" · "Bittersweet Melody" · "Wonderful Place" · "No Wasted Hearts"
Labels
Steve "Silk" Hurley discography
songwriter
"Music Is The Key" (1985) · "Jack Your Body" (1986) · "Let the Music Take Control" (1987) · "Heart of Passion" (1987) · "Cry of the Lonely" (1987) · "Work It Out" (1989) · "Dream about You" (1991) · "Too Blind to See It" (1991) · "Seasons of Love" by Keith Nunnally (1991) · "Take My Advice" (1992) · "Keep on Walkin'" (1992) · "Searchin'" (1993) · "I'm Not Over You" (1994) · "The Word Is Love" (1997) · "Nobody Else" (1998) · "He Loves Me 2" (1999) · "My Boo" (2000)
remixer
"Shadows of Your Love" (1986) · "Jack Your Body" (1986) "Let the Music Take Control" (1987) · "Heart of Passion" (1987) · "Cry of the Lonely" (1987) · "Fine Time" (1988) · "Love Fever" by Culture Clash Dance Party (1990) · "Rebels (Get Righteous)" (1988) · "Uh-Uh Ooh-Ooh Look Out (Here It Comes)" (1989) · "Work It Out" (1989) · "Cold World" (1989) · "It Ain't Over" by ATC(1990) · "I Don't Know Anybody Else" (1990) · "Fantasy" (1990) · "Love Pains" (1990) · "Seasons of Love" by Keith Nunnally (1991) · "Baby Love" (1991) · "Something Got Me Started" (1991) · "Jam" (1991) · "Welcome to My Groove" (1990) · "Tripping on Your Love" (1991) · "Dream about You" (1991) · "What Would We Do" by DSK (1991) · "Got a Love for You" (1991) · "Strange" (1991) · "Too Blind to See It" (1991) · "Gett Off" (1991) · "Makin' Happy" (1991) · "We Got a Love Thang" (1991) · "Vibeology" (1992) · "Hail to the Queen" by Sex Trip Netwerk (1992) · "Symphony" (1992) · "You're Gonna Love It" (1991) · "Keep on Walkin'" (1992) · "Take My Advice" (1992) · "A Little Bit More" (1992) · "Searchin'" (1993) · "I'm In The Mood" (1993) · "I'm Not Over You" (1994) · "I'll Wait" (1994) · "Take a Bow" (1994) · "Invisible" by Public Demand (1996) · "The Word Is Love" (1997) · "Where You Are" (1997) · "Special Love" (1997) · "Nobody Else" (1998) · "Go Down Moses" by Kelly G (1998) · "Rollercoaster" (1998) · "If You Could Read My Mind" (1998) · "He Loves Me 2" (1999) "Rush" (1999)  · "Forever" (1999) · "My Boo" (2000) · "Free" by Sevynn (2000)  · "Ain't It Funny" (2001) · "Soul Shakedown Party" (2002) · "What About Us?" (2002) · "Runnin' Away" (2003)
producer
"Music Is The Key" (1985) · "Shadows of Your Love" (1986) · "Jack Your Body" (1986) · "Let the Music Take Control" (1987) · "She's So Far Away" (1987) · "Heart of Passion" (1987)  · "Cry of the Lonely" (1987) · "Rebels (Get Righteous)" (1988) · "Work It Out" (1989) · "Where Do We Go" (1989) · "Cold World" (1989) · "Welcome to My Groove" (1990) · "Love Pains" (1990) · "It Ain't Over" by ATC(1990) · "Too Blind to See It" (1991) · "What Would We Do" by DSK (1991) · "Seasons of Love" by Keith Nunnally (1991) · "You're Gonna Love It" (1991) · "We Got a Love Thang" (1991) · "Dream about You" (1991) · "Got a Love for You" (1991) · "Baby Love" (1991) · "Take My Advice" (1992) · "A Little Bit More" (1992) · "Keep on Walkin'" (1992) · "Symphony" (1992) · "Searchin'" (1993) · "I'm In The Mood" (1993) · "Take a Bow" (1994) · "Invisible" by Public Demand (1996) · "The Word Is Love" (1997) · "Nobody Else" (1998) · "Special Love" (1997) · "If You Could Read My Mind" (1998) · "Go Down Moses" by Kelly G (1998) · "Rush" (1999)  · "He Loves Me 2" (1999) · "Forever" (1999) · "My Boo" (2000) · "Soul Shakedown Party" (2002) · "Runnin' Away" (2003)