Wanderer2007

<p>"Early Morning Rain" is a song written, composed, and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. The song appears on his 1966 debut album, 'Lightfoot!' and, in a re-recorded version, on the 1975 compilation 'Gord's Gold.'</p><p><br></p><p>Lightfoot wrote and composed the song in 1964, but its genesis took root during his 1960 sojourn in Westlake, Los Angeles. Throughout this time, Lightfoot sometimes became homesick and would go out to the Los Angeles International Airport on rainy days to watch the approaching aircraft. The imagery of the flights taking off into the overcast sky was still with him when, in 1964, he was caring for his 5-month-old baby son and he thought, "I'll put him over here in his crib, and I'll write myself a tune." "Early Morning Rain" was the result. The lyrics describe someone down on his luck, standing at an airport fence and observing the thunderous takeoff of a Boeing 707 jet airliner. The general narrative of the song can be taken as a jet-age musical allegory of a hobo of yesteryear lurking around a railroad yard attempting to surreptitiously board and ride a freight train to get home. The song ends with the lyrics, "You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train," leaving this jet-age downtrodden man unable to get home.</p><p><br></p><p>Many artists recorded cover versions of the song. Notably, Elvis Presley recorded and played the song live dozens of times. </p>