Sundown (Gordon Lightfoot song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Sundown

| cover = Sundown45.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Gordon Lightfoot

| album = Sundown

| B-side = Too Late for Prayin'

| released = March 25, 1974

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre =

Folk rock{{cite web|first= Tom |last= Breihan |title= The Number Ones: Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown"|website= Stereogum |date= May 23, 2019 |url= https://www.stereogum.com/2044755/the-number-ones-gordon-lightfoots-sundown/columns/the-number-ones/|quote= “Sundown” is a pretty atypical piece of mid-’70s folk-rock.|accessdate= June 19, 2023}}
country rock

| length = 3:37

| label = Reprise

| writer = Gordon Lightfoot

| producer = Lenny Waronker

| prev_title = Can't Depend on Love

| prev_year = 1973

| next_title = Carefree Highway

| next_year = 1974

}}

"Sundown" is a song by Canadian folk artist Gordon Lightfoot, from the titular album, released as a single in March 1974.

"Sundown" reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and easy listening charts{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=368}} and number 13 on the Hot Country singles chart,{{cite book |title= The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=201}} as well as number one in Canada on RPM{{'}}s national singles chart. It was Lightfoot's only single to reach number one on the Hot 100.

Content

The lyrics describe a troubled romantic relationship (often cited as Cathy Smith), with the narrator recounting an affair with a "hard-loving woman [who's] got me feeling mean".

In a 2008 interview, Lightfoot said:

{{block quote|I think my girlfriend was out with her friends one night at a bar while I was at home writing songs. I thought, 'I wonder what she’s doing with her friends at that bar!' It's that kind of a feeling. 'Where is my true love tonight? What is my true love doing?'{{cite web |last1=Fink |first1=Matt |title=Gordon Lightfoort: Sunrise to Sundown |url=http://americansongwriter.com/2008/01/gordon-lightfoot-sunrise-to-sundown/ |website=American Songwriter |accessdate=14 September 2018 |date=1 January 2008}}}}

Personnel

Engineered by Lee Herschberg

Recorded at Eastern Sound Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Gordon Lightfoot: Lead and background vocals, 12-string guitar
Red Shea: Lead electric guitar
Terry Clements: Lead acoustic guitar
John Stockfish: Bass
Jim Gordon: Drums

Chart performance

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+Weekly chart performance for "Sundown" !Chart (1974) !Peak position
scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book \|last=Kent \|first=David \|author-link=David Kent (historian) \|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 \|year=1993 \|publisher=Australian Chart Book \|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|4
scope="row"\|Canadian RPM Top Singles{{cite web\|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5056a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5056a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5056a\|title=RPM Top Singles - Volume 21, No. 17\|website=Library and Archives Canada\|date=17 July 2013 \|access-date=November 7, 2024}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|1
scope="row"\|Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary{{cite web\|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5014&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5014.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5014\|title=RPM Adult Contemporary - Volume 21, No. 13\|website=Library and Archives Canada\|date=17 July 2013 \|access-date=November 7, 2024}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|2
scope="row"\|Canadian RPM Country Tracks{{cite web\|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5011&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5011.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5011\|title=RPM Country Singles - Volume 21, No. 12\|website=Library and Archives Canada\|date=17 July 2013 \|access-date=November 7, 2024}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|4
{{single chart\|Germany\|30\|songid=17239\|artist=Gordon Lightfoot\|song=Sundown\|rowheader=true\|access-date=May 9, 2023}}
{{single chart\|Ireland2\|14\|artist=Gordon Lightfoot\|rowheader=true\|access-date=May 9, 2023}}
scope="row"\|Netherlands{{cite web\|author= \|url=http://www.top40.nl/search.aspx?keyword=Gordon%20Lightfoot&jaar=2011&maand=7&week=27 \|title=Top 40 \|website=Top40.nl \|date= \|accessdate=2016-10-10}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|16
scope="row"\|New Zealand (Listener){{cite web\|url=http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=1373#n_view_location \|title=flavour of new zealand - search listener \|website=Flavourofnz.co.nz \|date= \|accessdate=2016-10-10}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|2
scope="row"\|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web\|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989\|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(L).html\|accessdate=5 September 2018}} \|align="center"\|1
scope="row"\|UK Singles Chart{{cite web\|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14347/gordon-lightfoot/\|title=Gordon Lightfoot {{!}} full Official Chart History\|publisher=Official Charts Company\|access-date=May 9, 2023}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|33
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|1\|artist=Gordon Lightfoot\|rowheader=true\|access-date=May 9, 2023}}
scope="row"\| US Easy Listening (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/gordon-lightfoot/chart-history/asi/\|title=Gordon Lightfoot Chart History: Adult Contemporary\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=May 9, 2023}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|1
{{single chart\|Billboardcountrysongs\|13\|artist=Gordon Lightfoot\|rowheader=true\|access-date=May 9, 2023}}
scope="row"\|Yugoslavian Singles Chart \| style="text-align:center;"\|2

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+Weekly chart performance for "Sundown"

!Chart (1974)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |year=1993 |publisher=Australian Chart Book |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}

| style="text-align:center;"|4

scope="row"|Canadian RPM Top Singles{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5056a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5056a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5056a|title=RPM Top Singles - Volume 21, No. 17|website=Library and Archives Canada|date=17 July 2013 |access-date=November 7, 2024}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

scope="row"|Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5014&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5014.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5014|title=RPM Adult Contemporary - Volume 21, No. 13|website=Library and Archives Canada|date=17 July 2013 |access-date=November 7, 2024}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

scope="row"|Canadian RPM Country Tracks{{cite web|url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.5011&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.5011.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.5011|title=RPM Country Singles - Volume 21, No. 12|website=Library and Archives Canada|date=17 July 2013 |access-date=November 7, 2024}}

| style="text-align:center;"|4

{{single chart|Germany|30|songid=17239|artist=Gordon Lightfoot|song=Sundown|rowheader=true|access-date=May 9, 2023}}

{{single chart|Ireland2|14|artist=Gordon Lightfoot|rowheader=true|access-date=May 9, 2023}}

scope="row"|Netherlands{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.top40.nl/search.aspx?keyword=Gordon%20Lightfoot&jaar=2011&maand=7&week=27 |title=Top 40 |website=Top40.nl |date= |accessdate=2016-10-10}}

| style="text-align:center;"|16

scope="row"|New Zealand (Listener){{cite web|url=http://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search%20listener&qartistid=1373#n_view_location |title=flavour of new zealand - search listener |website=Flavourofnz.co.nz |date= |accessdate=2016-10-10}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

scope="row"|South Africa (Springbok Radio){{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(L).html|accessdate=5 September 2018}}

|align="center"|1

scope="row"|UK Singles Chart{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/14347/gordon-lightfoot/|title=Gordon Lightfoot {{!}} full Official Chart History|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=May 9, 2023}}

| style="text-align:center;"|33

{{single chart|Billboardhot100|1|artist=Gordon Lightfoot|rowheader=true|access-date=May 9, 2023}}

scope="row"| US Easy Listening (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/gordon-lightfoot/chart-history/asi/|title=Gordon Lightfoot Chart History: Adult Contemporary|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 9, 2023}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

{{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|13|artist=Gordon Lightfoot|rowheader=true|access-date=May 9, 2023}}

scope="row"|Yugoslavian Singles Chart

| style="text-align:center;"|2

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+2023 weekly chart performance for "Sundown"

!Chart (2023)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|11|artist=Gordon Lightfoot|rowheader=true|access-date=May 9, 2023}}

File:Lead Sheet for Gordon Lightfoot song Sundown (photo by Djuradj Vujcic).jpg)]]

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" \|+Year-end chart performance for "Sundown" !Chart (1974) !Rank
scope="row"\|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web\|url=https://imgur.com/a/dY7i5IF\|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1974\|publisher= Kent Music Report \|issue= 29 \|via= Imgur \|date= December 30, 1974 \|access-date= January 15, 2022 }} \| style="text-align:center;"\|35
scope="row"\|Canadian RPM Top Singles{{cite web\|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3893a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3893a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3893a \|title=Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada \|website=Bac-lac.gc.ca \|date= 17 July 2013\|accessdate=2016-10-10}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|3
scope="row"\|South Africa{{cite web\|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1974\|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1974.html\|accessdate=26 September 2018}} \|align="center"\|4
scope="row"\|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web\|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1974.htm \|title=Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974 \|website=Musicoutfitters.com \|date= \|accessdate=2016-10-10}} \| style="text-align:center;"\|27
scope="row"\|US Cashbox Top 100 \| style="text-align:center;"\|32

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

|+Year-end chart performance for "Sundown"

!Chart (1974)

!Rank

scope="row"|Australia (Kent Music Report){{cite web|url=https://imgur.com/a/dY7i5IF|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1974|publisher= Kent Music Report |issue= 29 |via= Imgur |date= December 30, 1974 |access-date= January 15, 2022 }}

| style="text-align:center;"|35

scope="row"|Canadian RPM Top Singles{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3893a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3893a.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3893a |title=Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada |website=Bac-lac.gc.ca |date= 17 July 2013|accessdate=2016-10-10}}

| style="text-align:center;"|3

scope="row"|South Africa{{cite web|title=Top 20 Hit Singles of 1974|url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/sahits_1974.html|accessdate=26 September 2018}}

|align="center"|4

scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100{{cite web|url=http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1974.htm |title=Top 100 Hits of 1974/Top 100 Songs of 1974 |website=Musicoutfitters.com |date= |accessdate=2016-10-10}}

| style="text-align:center;"|27

scope="row"|US Cashbox Top 100

| style="text-align:center;"|32

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Gordon Lightfoot|title=Sundown

|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1974|certyear=1974|access-date=August 15, 2024}}

In popular culture

The song was featured prominently in the 2024 vampire-themed horror film Salem's Lot, as well as in the film's trailer.

Other versions

Nana Mouskouri recorded a French version, "L'Amour, c'est comme l'été", on her 1974 album Que Je Sois Un Ange.
The musical project/collaboration of singer-songwriters Elwood covered the song in 2000. This version peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart on July 8, 2000.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/301691/elwood/chart |title=Elwood - Chart history |publisher=Billboard |date=2000-07-08 |accessdate=2016-10-10}}
American country music singer Deryl Dodd's version of the song peaked at number 59 on Billboard{{'}}s Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart in 1999. It was later included on his album, Pearl Snaps (2002).
Danish supergroup Dalton covered the song on their first album, Dalton, released in 1992, under the title "Selskabsmadonna".
American country music singer Charles Wesley Godwin covered the song through Amazon Original Music in 2024.