Summertime Dream

iTunes Review

Though the album is best known for its mammoth epic hit single “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” Summertime Dream is one of the most rewarding albums in Lightfoot’s extensive catalog. The songs flow so naturally that it’s easy to overlook the incredible craftsman at work. “Race Among the Ruins” is a sweet pacing of warm harmonies and a pedal-steel guitar that trails the leisurely stroll that sets up the tragic sea ballad, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” From there, Lightfoot turns intimate with “I’m Not Supposed to Care,” a sturdy acoustic tune. He kicks up the drama a notch for “I’d Do It Again” and channels sweet memories with “The House You Live In.” The title track, “Never Too Close” and “Spanish Moss” sound like ageless folk and country classics. Lightfoot would never regain this level of mainstream success. His creative moods would lead him to reflect and his stature as a Canadian superstar made him an icon of legendary proportions. Here’s where he did the heavy lifting to get to the top.