"I'm Not Sayin' is a song written by

Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960 ...

. It was recorded in December 1964 and released as a single A-side in 1965 and on his 1966 debut album ''

Lightfoot! ''Lightfoot!'' is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. Although it was recorded in December 1964, the album was not released until January 1966 on the United Artists label. At the 2017 Polaris Music Prize, the album ...

''. The lyrics detail the singer's promise: not that he can necessarily love the subject, or be true to the subject, but only that he can try to do so. The single peaked at #12 in Canada in June 1965. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' described it as "a rhythmic, folkish ode about a guy who refuses to make any romantic promises to his girlfriend." In late May 1965,

Nico Naftiran Intertrade Company Société à responsabilité limitée#In Switzerland, limited (NICO) is a Switzerland, Swiss-based subsidiary of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC). NICO is a general contractor for the oil and gas industry. NIOC bu ...

recorded a version of the song released on

Immediate Records Immediate Records was a British record label, started in 1965 by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Tony Calder, and concentrating on the London-based blues and R&B scene. History Immediate Records was started in 1965. Signed ...

. Her version is stylistically reminiscent of the work of

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...

. The single only garnered limited success. This version of the song features

Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Page is prolific in creating guitar riffs. His style involves various alternative ...

, then a studio musician, on the 12-string guitar. Nico's version was produced by Page as well, and the promo film was shot at West India Docks in London. Other artists who have recorded this song include

James Booker James Carroll Booker III (December 17, 1939 – November 8, 1983) was a New Orleans rhythm and blues keyboardist born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Booker's unique style combined rhythm and blues with jazz standards. Musician Dr. J ...

Turley Richards Turley Richards (born Richard Turley, June 12, 1941) is an American singer and guitarist. Richards was born in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. He was blinded in the left eye at the age of four in an archery accident and lost sight in t ...

Ian Campbell Folk Group The Ian Campbell Folk Group were one of the most popular and respected folk groups of the British folk revival of the 1960s. The group made many appearances on radio, television, and at national and international venues and festivals. They per ...

, and The Replacements. On Lightfoot's 1975 platinum compilation LP '' Gord's Gold'', the song appears in a re-recorded medley with "

Ribbon of Darkness "Ribbon of Darkness" is a song written by Gordon Lightfoot that was released in 1965 as a single by Marty Robbins. The song was Robbins' eleventh number one on the U.S. country singles chart, where it spent one week at the top and a total of nin ...

". Lightfoot's 1969 live album ''

Sunday Concert ''Sunday Concert'' is Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot's first solo live album, released in 1969 on the United Artists label. Lightfoot's last recording for United Artists, it was also his first live album and until the release of a live DVD in 2 ...

'' also features a medley of the two songs. Nico's version was one of the

Desert Island Discs ''Desert Island Discs'' is a radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It was first broadcast on the BBC Forces Programme on 29 January 1942. Each week a guest, called a " castaway" during the programme, is asked to choose eight recordings (usu ...

chosen by former Smiths frontman

Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey (; born 22 May 1959), known professionally as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. Since then ...

on the show broadcast 29 November 2009 on

BBC Radio Four BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

. The reformed version of The Replacements recorded a version of the song for their 2013 release, '' Songs for Slim'', to benefit their former guitarist, Slim Dunlap.

References

{{Authority control 1965 singles Gordon Lightfoot songs Songs written by Gordon Lightfoot Nico songs Immediate Records singles 1965 songs