If You Could Read My Mind - wikipedia If You Could Read My Mind For the album sometimes known by the same name, see Sit Down Young Stranger. `` If You Could Read My Mind '' Single by Gordon Lightfoot from the album Sit Down Young Stranger B - side `` Poor Little Allison '' Released December 1970 Recorded 1970 Genre Soft rock, Folk rock Length 3 : 48 Label Reprise Songwriter ( s ) Gordon Lightfoot Producer ( s ) Lenny Waronker and Joseph Wissert Gordon Lightfoot singles chronology `` Approaching Lavender '' ( 1970 ) `` If You Could Read My Mind '' ( 1970 ) `` This Is My Song '' ( 1971 ) `` Approaching Lavender '' ( 1970 ) `` If You Could Read My Mind '' ( 1970 ) `` This Is My Song '' ( 1971 ) `` If You Could Read My Mind '' is a song by Canadian singer - songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. It reached number one on Canadian music charts and was his first recording to appear on the American music charts, reaching number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in February 1971. Later in the year it reached number 30 in the UK. The song also reached number one for one week on the Billboard Easy Listening chart, and was the first of four Lightfoot releases to reach number one. This song first appeared on Lightfoot 's 1970 album Sit Down Young Stranger, which was later renamed If You Could Read My Mind following the song 's success. Lightfoot has cited his divorce for inspiring the lyrics, saying they came to him as he was sitting in a vacant Toronto house one summer. At the request of his daughter, Ingrid, he performs the lyrics with a slight change now : the line `` I 'm just trying to understand the feelings that you lack '' is altered to `` I 'm just trying to understand the feelings that we lack. '' He has said in an interview that the difficulty with writing songs inspired by personal stories is that there is not always the emotional distance and clarity to make lyrical improvements such as the one his daughter suggested. In 1987 Lightfoot took a lawsuit out against the writer of `` The Greatest Love of All '', alleging plagiarism of 24 bars of `` If You Could Read My Mind ''. Lightfoot has stated that he dropped the lawsuit when he felt it was having a negative effect on the singer Whitney Houston, as the lawsuit was about the writer and not her. The song is in A major and uses the subtonic chord. Contents 1 Chart performance 1.1 Weekly charts 1.2 Year - end charts 2 Other versions 3 See also 4 References 5 External links Chart performance Weekly charts Chart ( 1970 - 71 ) Peak position Canadian RPM Top Singles Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary US Billboard Easy Listening US Billboard Hot 100 5 New Zealand Singles Chart 19 Australian Go - Set Chart 28 UK Singles Chart 30 Year - end charts Chart ( 1971 ) Rank Canada Top Singles 17 US Billboard Hot 100 38 Other versions `` If You Could Read My Mind '' Single by Stars on 54 from the album 54 : Music from the Miramax Motion Picture, Volume 2 Released 1998 Format CD single Recorded 1998 Genre Dance - pop Length 3 : 26 Label Tommy Boy Music ( UK ) Songwriter ( s ) Gordon Lightfoot Producer ( s ) The Berman Brothers The song was covered by Barbra Streisand on her 1971 album, Stoney End. In 1980, Viola Wills peaked at number two for five weeks on the dance / disco charts with a dance version of the song. The house music collective Stars on 54 recorded a version of the song for the 1998 film, 54, reaching number three on Australia 's ARIA Singles Chart and Canada 's RPM Singles Chart, as well as number six on New Zealand 's RIANZ Singles Chart. The song has been covered by many other artists, including Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Petula Clark, Jack Jones, Ultra Nate, Don Williams, Johnny Cash, Duane Steele, Don McLean, Kalan Porter, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Olivia Newton - John, Liza Minnelli, Diana Krall and Sarah McLachlan, Glen Campbell, Gene Clark, Aurora featuring Marcella Detroit, Amber, Gordon Haskell, Vikki Carr, Daliah Lavi, the Mexican Actress / model / singer Isabel Madow ( in Spanish, as `` Sí Pudieras Leer Mi Mente '' ), Beckie Menzie and Joe Dassin ( with French lyrics as `` Si tu peux lire en moi '' ), Hector ( in Finnish, as `` Jos Lukisit Kuin Kirjaa '' ), etc. The covered version by The Spotnicks was adopted as an unofficial theme for the 1972 Summer Olympics. ( 1 ) Country music artist Dwight Yoakam performs the song in his live sets on a regular basis. Holly Cole covers this song on the 2012 album Night. Canadian singer Connie Kaldor recorded the song on the Gordon Lightfoot tribute album Beautiful. A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot in 2003. Canadian musician Neil Young released a cover of this song on his 2014 album A Letter Home. Canadian jazz singer Diana Krall released a cover as a duet with Sarah McLachlan on `` The Complete Sessions '' release of Krall 's 2015 album Wallflower. It has also been used in motion pictures and television shows, including : Paperback Hero ( 1973 ), starring Keir Dullea and Elizabeth Ashley Gremlins 2 : The New Batch ( 1990 ) 54 ( 1998 ) by Stars on 54 ( Amber, Ultra Naté, and Jocelyn Enriquez ) Trigger Happy TV ( 2000 ) Closing sequence of Wonderland ( 2003 ) Cold Case, episode `` Honor '' ( episode 8, season 3, 2005 ) We Are Marshall ( 2006 ) The Blacklist, episode `` Mato '' ( episode 2, season 4, 2016 ) UK CD maxi single by Stars on 54 ( 1998 ) No. Title Length 1. `` If You Could Read My Mind '' ( Original Edit ) 3 : 27 2. `` If You Could Read My Mind '' ( Hex Hector Club Mix ) 7 : 48 3. `` If You Could Read My Mind '' ( Original Club Mix ) 6 : 10 Total length : 17 : 25 See also List of number - one adult contemporary singles of 1971 ( U.S. ) References Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2002 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 - 2001. Record Research. p. 146. Jump up ^ `` Gordon Lightfoot ' still out there ' '' South Coast Today ( Martin Griffith, Associated Press ) 4 - Dec - 2000 Jump up ^ Victoria Ahearn ( 2010 - 02 - 02 ). `` How Gordon Lightfoot wrote ' If You Could Read My Mind ' ''. Toronto Star. Retrieved 2010 - 02 - 03. Jump up ^ Lydia Hutchinson ( 2012 - 11 - 17 ). `` Happy Birthday, Gordon Lightfoot ''. Performing Songwriter Magazine. Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ Wake, Matt. `` Gordon Lightfoot on Elvis, Dylan covering his songs, not suing Whitney over ' The Greatest Love of All ' ''. AL.com. Retrieved 26 July 2015. Jump up ^ Stephenson, Ken ( 2002 ). What to Listen for in Rock : A Stylistic Analysis, p. 92. ISBN 978 - 0 - 300 - 09239 - 4. Jump up ^ `` Go - Set Australian charts - 22 May 1971 ''. Poparchives.com.au. 1971 - 05 - 22. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 03. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. collectionscanada.gc.ca. Jump up ^ http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1971.htm Musicoutfitters.com Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2004 ). Hot Dance / Disco : 1974 - 2003. Record Research. p. 281. ^ Jump up to : `` STARS ON 54 - IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND ( SONG ) ''. Retrieved 17 June 2017. Jump up ^ `` Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada ''. Retrieved 17 June 2017. Jump up ^ Greene, Andy ( 18 April 2014 ). `` Neil Young 's New Covers Album Available Right Now : Surprise ! ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 19 April 2014. External links Lyrics of this song Page about song at Canadian Encyclopedia Stars on 54 - If You Could Read My Mind Gordon Lightfoot Band musicians Rick Haynes Barry Keane Mike Heffernan Carter Lancaster Former members Red Shea John Stockfish Terry Clements Pee Wee Charles Albums Lightfoot ! ( 1966 ) The Way I Feel ( 1967 ) Did She Mention My Name ? ( 1968 ) Back Here on Earth ( 1968 ) Sunday Concert ( live ) ( 1969 ) Sit Down Young Stranger ( 1970 ) Summer Side of Life ( 1971 ) Don Quixote ( 1972 ) Old Dan 's Records ( 1972 ) Sundown ( 1974 ) Cold on the Shoulder ( 1975 ) Summertime Dream ( 1976 ) Endless Wire ( 1978 ) Dream Street Rose ( 1980 ) Shadows ( 1982 ) Salute ( 1983 ) East of Midnight ( 1986 ) Waiting for You ( 1993 ) A Painter Passing Through ( 1998 ) Harmony ( 2004 ) All Live ( live ) ( 2012 ) Compilations Early Lightfoot ( 1969 ) The Best of Gordon Lightfoot ( 1970 ) Classic Lightfoot ( 1971 ) The Very Best of Gordon Lightfoot ( 1974 ) The Very Best of Gordon Lightfoot, Vol. 2 ( 1975 ) Gord 's Gold ( 1975 ) Early Morning Rain ( 1976 ) Songbook ( 1985 ) Gord 's Gold Volume 2 ( 1988 ) The Best of Gordon Lightfoot ( 1989 ) The Original Lightfoot ( 1992 ) The United Artists Collection ( 1993 ) Songbook ( 1999 ) Complete Greatest Hits ( 2002 ) Singles `` ( Remember Me ) I 'm the One '' ( 1962 ) `` It 's Too Late, He Wins / Negotiations '' ( 1962 ) `` Adios, Adios '' ( 1962 ) `` Day Before Yesterday '' ( 1963 ) `` I 'm Not Sayin ' '' ( 1965 ) `` Ribbon of Darkness '' ( 1965 ) `` Spin Spin '' ( 1966 ) `` Go Go Round '' ( 1966 ) `` The Way I Feel '' ( 1967 ) `` Canadian Railroad Trilogy '' ( 1967 ) `` Black Day in July '' ( 1968 ) `` Bitter Green '' ( 1968 ) `` Me and Bobby McGee '' ( 1970 ) `` If You Could Read My Mind '' ( 1970 ) `` If I Could '' ( 1971 ) `` Talking in Your Sleep '' ( 1971 ) `` Summer Side of Life '' ( 1971 ) `` Beautiful '' ( 1972 ) `` Alberta Bound '' ( 1972 ) `` You Are What I Am '' ( 1972 ) `` The Same Old Obsession '' ( 1972 ) `` Ca n't Depend on Love '' ( 1973 ) `` It 's Worth Believin ' '' ( 1973 ) `` Sundown '' ( 1974 ) `` Carefree Highway '' ( 1974 ) `` Rainy Day People '' ( 1975 ) `` The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald '' ( 1976 ) `` Race Among the Ruins '' ( 1976 ) `` The Circle Is Small ( I Can See It in Your Eyes ) '' ( 1977 ) `` Daylight Katy '' ( 1978 ) `` Dreamland '' ( 1978 ) `` Dream Street Rose '' ( 1980 ) `` If You Need Me '' ( 1980 ) `` Baby Step Back '' ( 1981 ) `` Blackberry Wine '' ( 1982 ) `` In My Fashion '' ( 1982 ) `` Salute ( A Lot More Livin ' to Do ) '' ( 1983 ) `` Without You '' ( 1983 ) `` Anything for Love '' ( 1986 ) `` Stay Loose '' ( 1986 ) `` East of Midnight '' ( 1987 ) `` Ecstasy Made Easy '' ( 1987 ) `` I 'll Prove My Love '' ( 1993 ) `` Waiting for You '' ( 1993 ) `` A Painter Passing Through '' ( 1998 ) `` Inspiration Lady '' ( 2004 ) Related articles Discography Beautiful : A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot Ultra Naté Studio albums Blue Notes in the Basement One Woman 's Insanity Situation : Critical Stranger than Fiction Grime, Silk, & Thunder Hero Worship Singles `` It 's Over Now '' `` Is It Love ? '' `` Rejoicing ( I 'll Never Forget ) '' `` Joy '' `` Show Me '' `` How Long '' `` Free '' `` Free ( The Mixes ) '' `` Found a Cure '' `` New Kind of Medicine '' `` Desire '' `` Get It Up ( The Feeling ) '' `` I Do n't Understand It '' `` Brass in Pocket '' `` Free '' ( remixes ) `` Freak On '' `` Love 's the Only Drug '' `` Automatic '' `` Give It All You Got '' `` Twisted ( Got Me Goin ' Round ) '' `` Faster Faster Pussycat ( Let 's Go ! ) '' `` Hey DJ '' `` Turn It Up '' `` Waiting on You '' Featured singles `` Altitude '' `` Party Girl ( Turn Me Loose ) '' `` 10,000 Screaming Faggots '' `` Partay Feeling '' `` If You Could Read My Mind '' `` Time of Our Lives '' `` Bittersweet Melody '' `` Wonderful Place '' `` No Wasted Hearts '' Labels Warner Bros. Records Strictly Rhythm Records Silver Label / Tommy Boy Entertainment Steve `` Silk '' Hurley discography songwriter `` Music Is The Key '' ( 1985 ) `` Jack Your Body '' ( 1986 ) `` Let the Music Take Control '' ( 1987 ) `` Heart of Passion '' ( 1987 ) `` Cry of the Lonely '' ( 1987 ) `` Work It Out '' ( 1989 ) `` Dream about You '' ( 1991 ) `` Too Blind to See It '' ( 1991 ) `` Seasons of Love '' by Keith Nunnally ( 1991 ) `` Take My Advice '' ( 1992 ) `` Keep on Walkin ' '' ( 1992 ) `` Searchin ' '' ( 1993 ) `` I 'm Not Over You '' ( 1994 ) `` The Word Is Love '' ( 1997 ) `` Nobody Else '' ( 1998 ) `` He Loves Me 2 '' ( 1999 ) `` My Boo '' ( 2000 ) remixer `` Shadows of Your Love '' ( 1986 ) `` Jack Your Body '' ( 1986 ) `` Let the Music Take Control '' ( 1987 ) `` Heart of Passion '' ( 1987 ) `` Cry of the Lonely '' ( 1987 ) `` Fine Time '' ( 1988 ) `` Love Fever '' by Culture Clash Dance Party ( 1990 ) `` Rebels ( Get Righteous ) '' ( 1988 ) `` Uh - Uh Ooh - Ooh Look Out ( Here It Comes ) '' ( 1989 ) `` Work It Out '' ( 1989 ) `` Cold World '' ( 1989 ) `` It Ai n't Over '' by ATC ( 1990 ) `` I Do n't Know Anybody Else '' ( 1990 ) `` Fantasy '' ( 1990 ) `` Love Pains '' ( 1990 ) `` Seasons of Love '' by Keith Nunnally ( 1991 ) `` Baby Love '' ( 1991 ) `` Something Got Me Started '' ( 1991 ) `` Jam '' ( 1991 ) `` Welcome to My Groove '' ( 1990 ) `` Tripping on Your Love '' ( 1991 ) `` Dream about You '' ( 1991 ) `` What Would We Do '' by DSK ( 1991 ) `` Got a Love for You '' ( 1991 ) `` Strange '' ( 1991 ) `` Too Blind to See It '' ( 1991 ) `` Gett Off '' ( 1991 ) `` Makin ' Happy '' ( 1991 ) `` We Got a Love Thang '' ( 1991 ) `` Vibeology '' ( 1992 ) `` Hail to the Queen '' by Sex Trip Netwerk ( 1992 ) `` Symphony '' ( 1992 ) `` You 're Gonna Love It '' ( 1991 ) `` Keep on Walkin ' '' ( 1992 ) `` Take My Advice '' ( 1992 ) `` A Little Bit More '' ( 1992 ) `` Shake Your Head '' ( 1992 ) `` Searchin ' '' ( 1993 ) `` I 'm In The Mood '' ( 1993 ) `` I 'm Not Over You '' ( 1994 ) `` I 'll Wait '' ( 1994 ) `` Take a Bow '' ( 1994 ) `` Invisible '' by Public Demand ( 1996 ) `` The Word Is Love '' ( 1997 ) `` Where You Are '' ( 1997 ) `` Special Love '' ( 1997 ) `` Nobody Else '' ( 1998 ) `` Go Down Moses '' by Kelly G ( 1998 ) `` Rollercoaster '' ( 1998 ) `` If You Could Read My Mind '' ( 1998 ) `` He Loves Me 2 '' ( 1999 ) `` Rush '' ( 1999 ) `` Forever '' ( 1999 ) `` My Boo '' ( 2000 ) `` Free '' by Sevynn ( 2000 ) `` Ai n't It Funny '' ( 2001 ) `` Soul Shakedown Party '' ( 2002 ) `` What About Us ? '' ( 2002 ) `` Runnin ' Away '' ( 2003 ) producer `` Music Is The Key '' ( 1985 ) `` Shadows of Your Love '' ( 1986 ) `` Jack Your Body '' ( 1986 ) `` Let the Music Take Control '' ( 1987 ) `` She 's So Far Away '' ( 1987 ) `` Heart of Passion '' ( 1987 ) `` Cry of the Lonely '' ( 1987 ) `` Rebels ( Get Righteous ) '' ( 1988 ) `` Work It Out '' ( 1989 ) `` Where Do We Go '' ( 1989 ) `` Cold World '' ( 1989 ) `` Welcome to My Groove '' ( 1990 ) `` Love Pains '' ( 1990 ) `` It Ai n't Over '' by ATC ( 1990 ) `` Too Blind to See It '' ( 1991 ) `` What Would We Do '' by DSK ( 1991 ) `` Seasons of Love '' by Keith Nunnally ( 1991 ) `` You 're Gonna Love It '' ( 1991 ) `` We Got a Love Thang '' ( 1991 ) `` Dream about You '' ( 1991 ) `` Got a Love for You '' ( 1991 ) `` Baby Love '' ( 1991 ) `` Take My Advice '' ( 1992 ) `` A Little Bit More '' ( 1992 ) `` Keep on Walkin ' '' ( 1992 ) `` Symphony '' ( 1992 ) `` Shake Your Head '' co-produced with Was ( Not Was ) ( 1992 ) `` Searchin ' '' ( 1993 ) `` I 'm In The Mood '' ( 1993 ) `` Take a Bow '' ( 1994 ) `` Invisible '' by Public Demand ( 1996 ) `` The Word Is Love '' ( 1997 ) `` Nobody Else '' ( 1998 ) `` Special Love '' ( 1997 ) `` If You Could Read My Mind '' ( 1998 ) `` Go Down Moses '' by Kelly G ( 1998 ) `` Rush '' ( 1999 ) `` He Loves Me 2 '' ( 1999 ) `` Forever '' ( 1999 ) `` My Boo '' ( 2000 ) `` Soul Shakedown Party '' ( 2002 ) `` Runnin ' Away '' ( 2003 ) Duane Steele Studio albums P.O. Box 423 This Is the Life I 'll Be Alright Ghost Town Gas and Time Compilation albums Set List Notable singles `` Stuck on Your Love '' `` Anita Got Married '' `` The Trouble with Love '' `` She 's Tough '' `` Tell the Girl '' `` If I Could Just Get to You '' `` If You Could Read My Mind '' Guest singles `` Forever in Love '' ( with Shirley Myers ) Jocelyn Enriquez Studio albums Lovely Jocelyn All My Life Singles `` Do You Miss Me ? '' `` If You Could Read My Mind '' Related Discography Record labels Classified Records Tommy Boy Records Colleen Hewett Studio albums Colleen Hewett ( 1972 ) M'Lady ( 1974 ) Colleen ( 1983 ) Power of Love ( 1986 ) Tenterfield Dreams : The Musical Journey of Peter Allen ( 1997 ) Bulamama ( 2001 ) Black & White ( 2015 ) Compilation albums Greatest Hits ( 1974 ) Notable singles `` Superstar '' `` Day by Day '' `` Carry That Weight '' `` Waltzing Matilda '' `` Sit Yourself Down '' `` I Believe When I Fall in Love '' `` If You Could Read My Mind '' `` Dreaming My Dreams with You '' `` The Wind Beneath My Wings '' `` I Hope I Never '' Television, Film and Theatre The Go ! ! Show ( 1964 -- 1967 ) Godspell ( 1972 ) Tommy ( 1973 ) Pippin ( 1974 ) The Truckies ( 1978 ) Prison : Cell Block H ( 1985 ) Shadows of the Heart ( 1990 ) Return to the Forbidden Planet ( 1991 ) Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left ( 1991 -- 1992 ) The Boy from Oz ( 2006 ) Shout ! The Legend of The Wild One ( 2008 ) The Cup ( 2011 ) Related articles Festival Records Atlantic Records Laurie Allen Revue The Incredible Penguins Australian pop music awards 1972 ) ( 1973 Helpmann Awards Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=If_You_Could_Read_My_Mind&oldid=798287027 '' Categories : Gordon Lightfoot songs 1970 songs 1970 singles 1971 singles 1974 singles 1998 singles Songs written by Gordon Lightfoot Song recordings produced by Lenny Waronker Barbra Streisand songs Colleen Hewett songs Duane Steele songs Viola Wills songs Ultra Naté songs Glen Campbell songs Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles RPM Adult Contemporary number - one singles Number - one dance singles in Canada Reprise Records singles Tommy Boy Records singles Pop ballads Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Track listings with deprecated parameters Talk Read Contents About Wikipedia Nederlands Edit links This page was last edited on 1 September 2017, at 01 : 20. 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Question: who wrote if you could read my mind
Answer: Gordon Lightfoot