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

Gordon Lightfoot Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (November 17, 1938 – May 1, 2023) was a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved worldwide success and helped define the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s. Widely considered one of Canada's greatest songwriters, ...

. 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'', is 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 Christa Päffgen (; 16 October 1938 – 18 July 1988), known by her stage name Nico, was a German singer, songwriter, actress, and model. Nico had roles in several films, including Federico Fellini's '' La Dolce Vita'' (1960) and Andy Warhol's ...

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. Signe ...

. The single had limited success. This version of the song features

Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin. Page began his career as a studio session musician in Lo ...

, 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 Norman Blake &

Tony Rice David Anthony Rice (June 8, 1951 – December 25, 2020) was an American bluegrass guitarist and singer. He was an influential acoustic guitar player in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and acoustic jazz. He was inducted into the In ...

James Booker James Carroll Booker III (December 17, 1939 – November 8, 1983) was an American New Orleans rhythm and blues keyboardist and singer. Flamboyant in personality and style, and a pianist of extraordinary technical skill, he was dubbed "the Blac ...

, Turley Richards,

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 Canadians, Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot's first solo live album, released in 1969 on the United Artists Records, United Artists label. Lightfoot's last recording for United Artists, it was also his first live album and un ...

'' 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 audio recordin ...

chosen by former Smiths frontman

Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey ( ; born 22 May 1959), known :wikt:mononym, mononymously 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 198 ...

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. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of Talk radio, spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at B ...

. 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 1964 songs 1965 singles Gordon Lightfoot songs Songs written by Gordon Lightfoot Nico songs Immediate Records singles