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:
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?'[4]
Personnel
Engineered by Lee Herschberg
Recorded at Eastern Sound Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Gordon Lightfoot: Lead and background vocals, 12-string guitar
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 No. 33 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart on July 8, 2000.[24]
American country music singer Deryl Dodd's version of the song peaked at #59 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & 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.
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