About The Song
If You Could Read My Mind” is a folk-rock song written and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. The song was released as a single in 1970 and is one of Lightfoot’s most well-known and enduring compositions. Here are some details about the song:
Release Date: “If You Could Read My Mind” was released in 1970 as a single and also appeared on Gordon Lightfoot’s album titled “Sit Down Young Stranger” in the United States and “If You Could Read My Mind” in Canada.
Songwriter: The song was written by Gordon Lightfoot himself, who is renowned for his songwriting skills.
Genre: “If You Could Read My Mind” is a folk-rock song with introspective and reflective lyrics. It features Lightfoot’s distinctive fingerpicking guitar style and his melodic, expressive vocals.
Lyrics: The lyrics of the song explore the complexities of love, communication, and the difficulties of understanding one another’s thoughts and emotions. The singer expresses a sense of longing and vulnerability, pondering if his partner could truly understand his innermost thoughts.
Success: “If You Could Read My Mind” was a commercial success for Gordon Lightfoot, reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. It also received critical acclaim and has become one of his most beloved songs.
Legacy: The song is considered one of Gordon Lightfoot’s signature songs and is often cited as a classic in the folk-rock genre. It has been covered by numerous artists and continues to be celebrated for its heartfelt and introspective lyrics, as well as its memorable melody.
“If You Could Read My Mind” is a timeless folk-rock classic that showcases Gordon Lightfoot’s songwriting and musical talents. Its emotional depth and universal themes of love and communication have made it a beloved and enduring song in the singer-songwriter tradition.
Video
Lyrics
“If You Could Read My Mind”
If you could read my mind, love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old-time movie
‘Bout a ghost from a wishin’ well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
You know that ghost is me
And I will never be set free
As long as I’m a ghost that you can’t see
If I could read your mind, love
What a tale your thoughts could tell
Just like a paperback novel
The kind the drugstores sell
When you reach the part where the heartaches come
The hero would be me
But heroes often fail
And you won’t read that book again
Because the ending’s just too hard to take
I’d walk away like a movie star
Who gets burned in a three-way script
Enter number two
A movie queen to play the scene
Of bringing all the good things out in me
But for now love, let’s be real
I never thought I could act this way
And I’ve got to say that I just don’t get it
I don’t know where we went wrong
But the feeling’s gone and I just can’t get it back
If you could read my mind, love
What a tale my thoughts could tell
Just like an old-time movie
‘Bout a ghost from a wishin’ well
In a castle dark or a fortress strong
With chains upon my feet
But stories always end
And if you read between the lines
You’ll know that I’m just tryin’ to understand
The feelings that you lack
I never thought I could feel this way
And I’ve got to say that I just don’t get it
I don’t know where we went wrong
But the feeling’s gone and I just can’t get it back
