What music from your country do you think every foreigner should listen to at least once?
This one by Gordon Lightfoot is one of the finest examples of songwriting I have ever heard. I never tire of hearing it, and shamelessly envy not having written it myself.Early Morning Rain -- Thoroughly captures the misery of being completely and utterly f***ed by your own doing.I have worked in remote parts of northern Canada, sometimes for long isolated stretches, far away from my family and friends. Some who go up north for work make a small fortune; others lose their shirts, fall into addiction, or lose those they care about most. The love and familiarity get eaten up and rendered by the miles.While working up there I have seen on many faces a sublime grief, like a grim painted wash. That same grief is captured in the words and sounds of this fifty year old song. I have put bold type on the lyrics of this song that cut me every time I listen, and it's like I am that remorseful drunk on the runway.Boeing 707If you take the time to soak in the lyrics, you may note how skillfully the words are put together. You may take note of the images the words evoke. They capture the importance of have others in your life, of accountability to yourself and others. The words capture how small and lonely you can feel in this big harsh country when you have nothing left and life is moving on without you.Early Morning Rainwritten by Gordon Lightfoot in 1964In the early morning rainWith a dollar in my handWith an achin' in my heartAnd my pockets full of sandI'm a long way from homeLord I miss my loved ones soIn the early morning rainWith no place to go Out on runway number nineBig seven-o-seven set to goAnd I'm stuck here in the grassWith a pain that ever grows Now the liquor tasted goodAnd the women all were fastWell there she goes my friendShe'll be rollin' down at last Hear the mighty engines roarSee the silver wing on highShe's away and westward boundFar above the clouds she'll flyWhere the mornin' rain don't fallAnd the sun always shinesShe'll be flyin' o'er my homeIn about three hours time This old airport's got me downIt's no earthly good to me'Cause I'm stuck here on the groundAs cold and drunk as I can beYou can't jump a jet planeLike you can a freight trainSo I'd best be on my wayIn the early morning rainYou can't jump a jet planeLike you can a freight trainSo I'd best be on my wayIn the early morning rainIan Tyson -- Four Strong WindsHere's another example of great Canadian songwriting from about the same era.