The fact Gordon Lightfoot (creator of the song) asked for permission by the families of the crew and gave full royalties of the song to them just makes me feel really happy but also a bit sad.
Amen to that RIP all ..Gordon and all 😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇. Fly to the angels every time I hear this I cry 😭...I was a small girl when this happened lived on Lake Superior until 2005 now Lake Michigan..in my town, Marquette Michigan ,it hit our town and our family we all mourned and still mourn😢❤...
Gordon Lightfoot our Canadian son ensures that the world will never forget "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"!! Lord be with all those lost and their families and now Gordon!
I read that when Mr. Lightfoot passed away that they rang the bell again. Instead of 29 times but 30 times ..... Adding that extra ring for Gordon Lightfoot.
❤❤❤❤❤sure did .RIP Gordy .I met Gordy after his concert at the palace theater in Lorain ,Ohio years ago.omg what a highlight in my life .the man was so awesome and gracious to speak with me .I told him I'm a great lakes mariner at the time ,he asked me how I liked it and I told him I loved being a sailor 25 year veteran mariner since retired .he shook my hand and told me to take care .
I read that when Mr. Lightfoot passed away that they rang the bell again. Instead of 29 times but 30 times ..... Adding that extra ring for Gordon Lightfoot. Mr. Lightfoot gave all his royalies of this song to the families of those who perished on the Edmund Fittzgerald.
I have spent 38 years on the oceans. Been through some of the worst storms. I have a pice of steel railing that I kept for a reminder. The safety railing I was holding onto snapped like a twig (solid steel). Stories about this of the Mariner’s who lost their lives gives me a blessing to them and that I have been blessed with and survived it. Christopher Wayne Alexander AB.
The Great Lakes can put many oceans to shame with their storms. I grew up near both Erie and Ontario and they are magnificent when calm. But, when they decided to roll out their anger and Mothers Nature cuts lose it is unbelievable the fury they unleash. In a way calling them Lakes is not right. They are inland seas. If you want to know how much water we are looking at think about this. All the water comes into Lake Eire. Erie dumbs it into Ontario by the Niagara river. Go to Niagara Falls and look at the water flowing over them. For most of you there will be more water in one second than you will see in your entire life. They say sailing the Lakes is harder than the oceans. I don't know, you can answer that. I've heard that you need special instructions to Captain a ship on them.
I was in the Navy for almost 8 years and have been through some rough seas too. If you want to see rough? Go up close to the Alutian Islands off of Alaska in late November and early December. That is very rough.
Spent alot of time out at sea in the navy hurricanes are no joke. Remember plenty of ti.e the front under water safety equipment straps so I would go overboard RIP 29 brave seaman❤
Thanks for your stories. Always wondered what it would be like during a storm on the sea. Water. The irony. Need it for survival, but natures greatest weapon. I was in Whitefish Point looking out and a storm was brewing. It got black. Waves were kicking on shore. I couldn’t imagine. Saw a freighter on Superior and thought, stay close.
Ive been obsessed with the Fitzgerald pretty much my entire life. This ballad I can listen to it continually all day and I have. I live in Michigan and when I take to the upper peninsula from down in the lower I listen to it all the way. This song, this Ballad is very emotionally powerful to me. As a younger man it was all about the ship and the ' how it happened ' as a older man im very troubled knowing how awful those men died. I was in the Great Lakes Maritime academy same place where cadet David Wise went. I hope I spelled his name correctly. I met one of the instructors who taught David. He knew very well how bad it can be out there. I dont where was worse to die in the bow or stern. This stuff really messes with me. I have a lot of experience on the great lakes not on a freighter, mostly in small craft. I was in a youth volunteer program called U.S. Navel sea cadets. Our division was the great lakes and the navy donated a yard patrol ship, named Pride of Michigan. Look it up its here on TH-cam. This was back in 1990. I served on her for 3 years. In '91 we were working with scientists studying zebra mussels back when they were not as known as they are now. Anyway we were in lake Michigan not far from the summer island and we were heading back to escanba. This huge storm hit us, I was in the pilot house so I heard all the raido traffic. We were in a gale. I sailed on this ship on the Atlantic through big rolling waves I thought that was bad. This was armageddon compaired to the Atlantic. We were fighting 20 foot waves, crashing across the bow which looked like we were going under! There are gauges that mesure the pitch and roll of the ship, we rolled a few times 42 degrees!! I was stationed at the lee helm, there is a iron bar bolted to the ceiling we called it the Jesus Christ bar. I was hanging on to that with both hands and my feet were comming off the deck! The sky was completely overcast dark and it was around 3pm. Lighting striking the water, the waves looked demonic, demons running into the ship from all sides. The verse " does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the Minutes to hours?" That is SO TRUE!!! we were only making 8 to 9 knots. I really believed this was it. The Captain, capitan Clyburn was at the helm he could hardly hang on because we were being tossed around like a cheap toy. I heard an adult in the crews quarters screaming in fear and it was a man. Remember the crew was mostly cadets. So that day of horror I can be sure pales to what the crew of the Fitzgerald went through. I get a bit emotional about that. God bless those men and for all stuck in a storm on the great lakes.
You probably suffer from P.T.S.D. after that and the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald only magnifies the feelings you are having.Real Trauma from the inland seas that are our Great Lakes! You at least survived the trauma to re-live - they took the trauma to their watery graves!
Gad...sounds utterly horrifying. I have nightmares of being on a sinking ship and watching it slowly disappear in the depths and me trying to swim to it to rescue the people in it but I run out of breath and can't reach it. It was so real I will not go on a cruise.
@@billofrightsamend4 Yes it was scary, but the experience, the memories of all the good outweighs the real scary stuff. Sometimes scary stuff makes us a better person, a humble person. The great lakes definitely can be a humbling experience and it doesn't have to be scary to do that. Just the. Beauty the sheer size of them is a wow experience. You shouldn't let your fears rule you kellywiese8991. If you want to go on a cruise do it. I'm 50 and I let alot of time go by just doing the everyday norm. It's been a very long time since I've done anything on the lakes. What I'm trying to say is dont let life pass you by, LIVE it! Thank you for sharing 😁
Years ago my older brother and company were having dinner at a Duluth restaurant. They noticed a gentleman sitting by himself. They asked him if they could join him. He readily agreed. The man was Gordon Lightfoot. He was an absolute gentleman and a fascinating conversationalist. My brother called that evening well spent and an extraordinary opportunity. RIP, Gordon Lightfoot.
I was a kid when this song came out. Listend to it on wls am radio chicago. Later in 1980s I was on a 600 ft ship in south pacific.i was in the navy during persian gulfwar. My ship uss proteus as19. From Guam.we hit a typhoon breaking our keel. We pumped water for 500 Mile's we didn't sink. But having a 90ft wave hit the ship is something I will never forget. Nobody died but we sat 4 months having the ship welded back together. Was hell of a ride. Gordon Lightfoot an Edmund Fitzgerald song always a gem to listen to.
"The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her, " Those lines are heartbreaking. . (If only they made it) It's the only song to consistently bring a tear to my eye every time I hear it RIP crew of the E.F.
Growing up on the shores of Lake Ontario, this song really hits home for me, because I have a friend that lost her uncle during that sinking, and my uncle who also worked on one of the many Great Lakes freighters, also lost a good friend, during the sinking of the Fitzgerald, which affected me deeply. What most people don’t realize is how dangerous the great lakes can be, especially in November. All of the great lakes bottoms are scattered with shipwrecks from centuries gone by. Leave it to a great Canadian, Gordon Lightfoot, to memorialize an honour The Edmund Fitzgerald, and all the crew that were lost in seconds. I can tell you from personal experience, the great lakes are just as dangerous, if not more so, then the oceans, with storms seemingly coming out of nowhere, powerful enough to sink almost any vessel no matter how big. About 10 years ago, a friend of mine, who is also my colleague at the hospital where I work, had just bought himself a private yacht, something he wanted all his life, and sacrificed everything to get. She was so beautiful, almost 100 feet long, with opulent interiors, built by hand from the keel plates up. He invited me out on the lake for a day of fun on her maiden voyage, unfortunately my family couldn’t come, but I went by myself…. Thank God my family was not there. When we left the Toronto harbor, the water was perfectly smooth, not a breath of wind, and sunny skies, on a warm August day. By the time we were about 10 km from shore, literally out of nowhere, an enormous black cloud begin to form, the winds begin to blow hard, and the waves started churning. Within a matter of 10 minutes we went from perfectly sunny clear skies and smooth sailing, to near hurricane force winds, rain, and waves at least 8-10 feet high. Even though we were in his nearly 100 foot long yacht, it was being tossed around in the waves like a dinghy, and with one wave, The engine hatch was knocked open, flooding the engine room, killing all the power. We just sat there helpless, at the mercy of the storm. There were so many times I thought for sure we were going to go under the waves. If it wasn’t for the watertight doors between the engine room and the rest of the ship, we all would have been dead (there were about 30 people aboard, including his own wife and 3 children). We radioed for help immediately (using the back up generator), by the grace of God, there was a military ship that just happened to be only 1 km from us, which is very rare, but in the summertime, The Royal Canadian Navy sails into Toronto’s harbour, docks, and gives tours of one of their frigates for the public. She was on her way back to her home port in Halifax, and it was pure luck they were just passing us soon after we lost power. To make a long story short, they were able to attach a tow line, and take us back to shore, but my friends ship was heavily damaged by the waves. I felt so bad for the poor guy, it was his dream, he saved every penny he ever made to purchase this boat, and planned on living on it all summer, thank God he had insurance, because the storm managed to cause over $200,000 in damages to the boat. But that’s not the worst part. I have been on the water all of my life up until that point, especially because I grew up on the waterfront, but that day changed everything. I was absolutely petrified, convinced we were all going to die, as the little ship was tossed Mercilessly in the 10 foot swells (that’s according to the naval frigate that saved us). At one point, almost the entire ship was underwater after being hit by a huge wave, I’ve never been afraid to be on the water, in fact I loved it, I was always happiest when on the water, but no more. After that day, you could not pay me enough money to set foot on any boat or ship. I know it was just a freak storm, but the psychological damage was irreversible, I even had to see a psychiatrist help deal with it, and my poor friend ended up selling his dream boat, because he too was absolutely terrified, and his wife never liked being on the water to begin with, and after that day, she refused to ever set foot on that boat again. I’m not saying to stay off the water, what happened to us could happen to anyone at any time, but when it does happen, it leaves a scar, a scar that never fully heals. I can only imagine the terror those poor men on the Fitzgerald felt as the ship broke in two and went under the waves in seconds. The lakes and oceans may be a playground for many, but is also deadly for others, treat it with respect, and don’t ever underestimate the power of the water, it can rip a solid steel ship in half in seconds, remember that the next time you want to scoff at those of us afraid to go on the water ever again.
What a great and interesting tale you have there.you are absolutely right,the great lakes are nothing to underestimate.i live on the most northerly point of lake superior and I've seen the waves and weather RIP through so hard that we could hear the waves crashing from my house which was 5 kilometers away..i can only imagine the anxiety you must feel looking back to the day you were on that yaht.absolutely,the great lakes need to be respected and how quickly they brew up storms.there are places in lake superior over 1000 feet deep and it chills me to the bone thinking of those poor souls aboard the fitz.never do I venture too far from shore when cruising Ontario great lakes!thank you for sharing your story and wish you safe travels.gods speed!
well, that is what most who do not live around or near the great lakes understands and that is the problem, they think that they are just `larger lakes', when in a sense, they could be considered what are called inland seas. not to mention they have the capability of creating their own weather.
Just wanted to say you did a hell of a great job on the imagery for this. Using authentic footage and photos really brought it to life and hit all the right emotional notes. Very satisfying, and very close to what my own head imagery for the song has always been.
Gordon's great ballad and your great imagery thank you. you took a great presentation and made it better. now i remember being on a red tractor in sandy creek new york in a crop field with a bush hog attachment over looking the surf of lake erie.in november near thanks giving time. yeah watch out for the november winds over those great lakes.
So true. If you allow yourself the images almost put you there with the absolute horror of knowing your going to die. Thanks for giving us the faces and names--never seen them before.
I had hoped someone would make a song for the US cargo ship El Faro that sank in 2015 off the coast of Jacksonville, FL. This song has always stayed with me because of the sailors who went down with their ship. Shalom
I loved this song when it came out and still do in July 2022. It's beautiful and hauntingly sad. All those precious lives lost. All the families left behind to carry on. God bless those who had to live through this tragedy. ❤️🤟
So haunting is this song. It brings me back to that time when i heard it on the radio. This song will never die. It is beautiful, memorable, and haunting at the same time.
Growing up in Michigan I was raised with these haunting Great Lakes Shipwrecks. People don't realize how deadly our Great Lakes really are. The Fitzgerald was actually headed to Detroit and a Hatch did not open it was taken over by 35 foot waves and higher
wonderful tributes to everyone on the ship, Gordons voice and song perfect to tell everyone this sad story, we must not forget our brave sailors, ever,
I remember playing with my Toy boats in the Pool with this song playing in the background. That was such fun. And then at the Jersey Shore every weekend... Until JAWS came out in the theaters. Talk about empty beaches.
My dad began his career at the Locks,n lived on Superior, in the Sault. This song makes me feel for the familys. I'm 64 now n still remember that November night. May they rest in peace 😢
I remember very well the night, when the Fitzgerald went down. I was 13. Denny Anderson from WDIO (tv station in Duluth, MN) was the first broadcaster in the USA, to break the news. So, so sad. 😢😢😢
It's like being stuck in the Devil's Triangle what happened to me when I was a young girl and my daddy took the 31-foot boat of his to the Bahamas suddenly the sea turned upside down and it was very very scary I'm wondering if that ship rolled over on its side riding the waves back in
As a former member of the Coast Guard, it easy to understand how the ocean can almost be flat at times......and then look so terrifying in short order. When "The Winds of November" blow early......every sailor knows how that feels...
This was a beautifully done tribute. I'm not a sailor but an aviator and this made me tear up. We all share a common bond when our brothers and sisters lose their lives doing a job they love. RIP sailors.
Fantastic job on your video. I was in the Army when this was a big hit on the radio and I have the record on vinyl somewhere. Your video deserves 50 million or so views like the original track which has nothing but a photo of the album cover. (There are several official versions on TH-cam with varying numbers of views.) 🧨
I was born in 1963 so I remember this song playing on AM radio and even as a child just listening to the songs words and the way the music hauntingly carries you along you knew it was serious and the way Gordon sang it gave it a feel and drew on you to take it to heart...... And to hear him sing "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the Gail's of November come early"....... That shakes me to my core, it lets you feel the sense of panic and terror that must come with being on raging waters......😕
The Maritime Cathedral is in downtown Detroit Michigan, every year on the anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald the church bells ring 29 times in memory of the sailors who lost their lives in that terrible storm.
Such an awesome song! Not only that but a wonderful video. This is American history. Needs to be told to generation after generataion. Stay off that lake that has seas like an ocean in November! 😓
My Grandfather was in the Merchant Marine Service out of Sydney Australia. He and some mates in the sevice made pilgrimage to Lake Superior to pay respects to their lost merchant marine brothers. He always talked about the Great Lakes as through they were some snarling beast waiting to snatch you away. Scared the hell out of us as kids.
wow this video ...... !!!!!!!! I live in Illinois and everytime I go to Wisconsin stare at the lake even though this happened in Superior... imagingin their final monents. During the covid lockdown I attended this memorial via online stream... it was eerie .. they rang the original bell and many relatives were there
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald ''The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they called 'gitche gumee' The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead When the skies of November turn gloomy With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty That good ship and crew was a bone to be chewed When the gales of November came early The ship was the pride of the American side Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most With a crew and good captain well seasoned Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms When they left fully loaded for Cleveland And later that night when the ship's bell rang Could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'? The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound And a wave broke over the railing And every man knew, as the captain did too, T'was the witch of November come stealin' The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait When the gales of November came slashin' When afternoon came it was freezin' rain In the face of a hurricane west wind When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck sayin' Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya At seven pm a main hatchway caved in, he said Fellas, it's been good t'know ya The captain wired in he had water comin' in And the good ship and crew was in peril And later that night when his lights went outta sight Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Does any one know where the love of God goes When the waves turn the minutes to hours? The searches all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her They might have split up or they might have capsized They may have broke deep and took water And all that remains is the faces and the names Of the wives and the sons and the daughters Lake Huron rolls, superior sings In the rooms of her ice-water mansion Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams The islands and bays are for sportsmen And farther below Lake Ontario Takes in what Lake Erie can send her And the iron boats go as the mariners all know With the gales of November remembered In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed, In the maritime sailors' cathedral The church bell chimed till it rang twenty-nine times For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down Of the big lake they call 'gitche gumee' Superior, they said, never gives up her dead When the gales of November come early''
I remember enjoying this as a kid. I cranked it up and sang along every tiime it came on the radio. Imagine my shock and absolute horror when I realized that wile containg some inaccuracies it was a true story. The line 'At 7 pm the main hatchway gave in " was latter debunked. She was born an my birthday in 1958. She died when I was 4. R.I.P. good ship and crew.
Beautifully produced. Chilling how well it goes perfectly with this haunting song. Only true Lakers will really appreciate it. RIP to all sailors lost at sea.
The first time I heard the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald I broke down and wept. And whenever I was in my car, and it came on the radio I had to pull over, because I couldn't see where I was driving. Here it is 2023 and the tears still come. I will never forget those 29 and the family who lost their loved ones.
I've love this song since a very young child, felt like I was there with them. God bless their souls and as a kids, the story along with the song captured my attention, thinking about what they were dealing with and it wasn't a happy Sunday Night Disney movie with a happy ending. I have the record from the 70s on 45 to this day.
The fact Gordon Lightfoot (creator of the song) asked for permission by the families of the crew and gave full royalties of the song to them just makes me feel really happy but also a bit sad.
Cool
Full royalties of the song? Is that another way of saying that they had the rights?
@@reapergamingcentral4238it means the money he got from the song he gave to the families
@@reapergamingcentral4238idiot
AS IT DOES I
Ring the bell 30 times.
29 for the crew
1 for Gordon
Rest easy men. Your legends live on.
The Mariners Church in Detroit rang the bell 30 times the day after Gordon Lightfoot died. The video of part of the tribute is on TH-cam.
Amen 🙏❤
Amen ❤❤❤❤ 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Amen to that RIP all ..Gordon and all 😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇😇. Fly to the angels every time I hear this I cry 😭...I was a small girl when this happened lived on Lake Superior until 2005 now Lake Michigan..in my town, Marquette Michigan ,it hit our town and our family we all mourned and still mourn😢❤...
@@melissadavis225 ⚓🚢❤️
Rest in Peace, Gordon Lightfoot! Your legend will live on in Minnesota and beyond!
Gordon Lightfoot our Canadian son ensures that the world will never forget "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"!! Lord be with all those lost and their families and now Gordon!
I read that when Mr. Lightfoot passed away that they rang the bell again. Instead of 29 times but 30 times ..... Adding that extra ring for Gordon Lightfoot.
I have listened to this song since I was a child. I'm 58 yrs old now. It still brings chills to my soul.
I too have been listening to this song for many many years. Thank you Dad! I’m also 58.
I am almost 60. Same sentiment!
Same
Me too. Grew up with it.
You learn about ship wrecks like Titanic, it was surreal to have it around us
Thank you Gordon Lightfoot for such a memorable song of these lost souls. Rest In Peace Gordon 05-01-2023✝️
Probably the best song no other musician will ever cover.
I agree.
It's been covered. By a band called, the Headstones.
@@gregoryhagen8801 did it compare ?
@@idiot-983 It's OK. More up tempo.
It was also covered by a group called “Punch Brothers”. It’s different for sure, very dark.
RIP Gordon Lightfoot, one of the GREATEST songs EVER WRITTEN☝️☝️🙏🙏🙏💔💔😢😢🙏
❤❤❤❤❤sure did .RIP Gordy .I met Gordy after his concert at the palace theater in Lorain ,Ohio years ago.omg what a highlight in my life .the man was so awesome and gracious to speak with me .I told him I'm a great lakes mariner at the time ,he asked me how I liked it and I told him I loved being a sailor 25 year veteran mariner since retired .he shook my hand and told me to take care .
Still brings a tear to your eye, all these years later. Godspeed to the families and the lost crew
Ditto
even in 2022
It affects me so deeply, every time I hear this song, I keep a box of Kleenex at hand.
Even in 2023😞
Reminds me of Crisp Fall afternoons in Michigan
I read that when Mr. Lightfoot passed away that they rang the bell again. Instead of 29 times but 30 times ..... Adding that extra ring for Gordon Lightfoot. Mr. Lightfoot gave all his royalies of this song to the families of those who perished on the Edmund Fittzgerald.
I have spent 38 years on the oceans. Been through some of the worst storms. I have a pice of steel railing that I kept for a reminder. The safety railing I was holding onto snapped like a twig (solid steel). Stories about this of the Mariner’s who lost their lives gives me a blessing to them and that I have been blessed with and survived it. Christopher Wayne Alexander AB.
The Great Lakes can put many oceans to shame with their storms. I grew up near both Erie and Ontario and they are magnificent when calm. But, when they decided to roll out their anger and Mothers Nature cuts lose it is unbelievable the fury they unleash. In a way calling them Lakes is not right. They are inland seas. If you want to know how much water we are looking at think about this. All the water comes into Lake Eire. Erie dumbs it into Ontario by the Niagara river. Go to Niagara Falls and look at the water flowing over them. For most of you there will be more water in one second than you will see in your entire life. They say sailing the Lakes is harder than the oceans. I don't know, you can answer that. I've heard that you need special instructions to Captain a ship on them.
I was in the Navy for almost 8 years and have been through some rough seas too. If you want to see rough? Go up close to the Alutian Islands off of Alaska in late November and early December. That is very rough.
Spent alot of time out at sea in the navy hurricanes are no joke. Remember plenty of ti.e the front under water safety equipment straps so I would go overboard RIP 29 brave seaman❤
Chris Alexander, just checking to hear you are still with us, your the kind of person I'd listen to all day, total respect,and admiration,my captain
Thanks for your stories. Always wondered what it would be like during a storm on the sea. Water. The irony. Need it for survival, but natures greatest weapon. I was in Whitefish Point looking out and a storm was brewing. It got black. Waves were kicking on shore. I couldn’t imagine. Saw a freighter on Superior and thought, stay close.
Ive been obsessed with the Fitzgerald pretty much my entire life. This ballad I can listen to it continually all day and I have. I live in Michigan and when I take to the upper peninsula from down in the lower I listen to it all the way. This song, this Ballad is very emotionally powerful to me. As a younger man it was all about the ship and the ' how it happened ' as a older man im very troubled knowing how awful those men died. I was in the Great Lakes Maritime academy same place where cadet David Wise went. I hope I spelled his name correctly. I met one of the instructors who taught David. He knew very well how bad it can be out there. I dont where was worse to die in the bow or stern. This stuff really messes with me. I have a lot of experience on the great lakes not on a freighter, mostly in small craft. I was in a youth volunteer program called U.S. Navel sea cadets. Our division was the great lakes and the navy donated a yard patrol ship, named Pride of Michigan. Look it up its here on TH-cam.
This was back in 1990. I served on her for 3 years. In '91 we were working with scientists studying zebra mussels back when they were not as known as they are now.
Anyway we were in lake Michigan not far from the summer island and we were heading back to escanba. This huge storm hit us, I was in the pilot house so I heard all the raido traffic. We were in a gale. I sailed on this ship on the Atlantic through big rolling waves I thought that was bad. This was armageddon compaired to the Atlantic. We were fighting 20 foot waves, crashing across the bow which looked like we were going under! There are gauges that mesure the pitch and roll of the ship, we rolled a few times 42 degrees!! I was stationed at the lee helm, there is a iron bar bolted to the ceiling we called it the Jesus Christ bar. I was hanging on to that with both hands and my feet were comming off the deck! The sky was completely overcast dark and it was around 3pm. Lighting striking the water, the waves looked demonic, demons running into the ship from all sides. The verse " does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the Minutes to hours?" That is SO TRUE!!! we were only making 8 to 9 knots. I really believed this was it. The Captain, capitan Clyburn was at the helm he could hardly hang on because we were being tossed around like a cheap toy. I heard an adult in the crews quarters screaming in fear and it was a man. Remember the crew was mostly cadets. So that day of horror I can be sure pales to what the crew of the Fitzgerald went through. I get a bit emotional about that. God bless those men and for all stuck in a storm on the great lakes.
That really painted a picture, thank you. Intense.
You probably suffer from P.T.S.D. after that and the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald only magnifies the feelings you are having.Real Trauma from the inland seas that are our Great Lakes! You at least survived the trauma to re-live - they took the trauma to their watery graves!
Gad...sounds utterly horrifying. I have nightmares of being on a sinking ship and watching it slowly disappear in the depths and me trying to swim to it to rescue the people in it but I run out of breath and can't reach it. It was so real I will not go on a cruise.
@@billofrightsamend4
Yes it was scary, but the experience, the memories of all the good outweighs the real scary stuff. Sometimes scary stuff makes us a better person, a humble person. The great lakes definitely can be a humbling experience and it doesn't have to be scary to do that. Just the. Beauty the sheer size of them is a wow experience.
You shouldn't let your fears rule you kellywiese8991. If you want to go on a cruise do it. I'm 50 and I let alot of time go by just doing the everyday norm. It's been a very long time since I've done anything on the lakes. What I'm trying to say is dont let life pass you by, LIVE it! Thank you for sharing 😁
Lake Supreme
Just heard Gordon passed away yesterday! He touched so many lives an souls with his music!
R.I.P Gordon Lightfoot 1938-2023 I will always remember your legendary song. 🙌
Years ago my older brother and company were having dinner at a Duluth restaurant. They noticed a gentleman sitting by himself. They asked him if they could join him. He readily agreed. The man was Gordon Lightfoot. He was an absolute gentleman and a fascinating conversationalist. My brother called that evening well spent and an extraordinary opportunity. RIP, Gordon Lightfoot.
I was a kid when this song came out. Listend to it on wls am radio chicago. Later in 1980s I was on a 600 ft ship in south pacific.i was in the navy during persian gulfwar. My ship uss proteus as19. From Guam.we hit a typhoon breaking our keel. We pumped water for 500 Mile's we didn't sink. But having a 90ft wave hit the ship is something I will never forget. Nobody died but we sat 4 months having the ship welded back together.
Was hell of a ride. Gordon Lightfoot an Edmund Fitzgerald song always a gem to listen to.
“Fellas, it’s been good ta know ya” always gets me.
"The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her, "
Those lines are heartbreaking. . (If only they made it)
It's the only song to consistently bring a tear to my eye every time I hear it
RIP crew of the E.F.
Great video. The song is brilliantly written, and as the history guy says, "It's history that deserves to be remembered."
From the Chippewa on down Gordon's music will flow beyond the Great Lakes forever. R.I. P Gordon and the 29 mariners ❤.
RIP Gordon Lightfoot , your music will always live on forever.❤
what a hauntingly beautiful song Thank you Gordon Lightfoot.
I tear up EVERY time I hear this song, remember these men. Rest in Peace, Mariners.
Yep, me too!
Same here. May thay all RIP
Its still so sad
Goosebumps- “ The church bell chimed till it rang 29 times for each man on the #EdmundFitzgerald “ 🔔 🔔 🔔 ❤️🩹
They do it every year in their memory....sadly, they never found anyone's remains... I wonder what on Earth or in Heaven could be responsible for that
@@kristenkiene8939 i’m fairly certain they’ve found all of them. i know they found one not to long ago
And the 30th time, for the man who made sure none of them will be forgotten....
Growing up on the shores of Lake Ontario, this song really hits home for me, because I have a friend that lost her uncle during that sinking, and my uncle who also worked on one of the many Great Lakes freighters, also lost a good friend, during the sinking of the Fitzgerald, which affected me deeply. What most people don’t realize is how dangerous the great lakes can be, especially in November. All of the great lakes bottoms are scattered with shipwrecks from centuries gone by. Leave it to a great Canadian, Gordon Lightfoot, to memorialize an honour The Edmund Fitzgerald, and all the crew that were lost in seconds. I can tell you from personal experience, the great lakes are just as dangerous, if not more so, then the oceans, with storms seemingly coming out of nowhere, powerful enough to sink almost any vessel no matter how big. About 10 years ago, a friend of mine, who is also my colleague at the hospital where I work, had just bought himself a private yacht, something he wanted all his life, and sacrificed everything to get. She was so beautiful, almost 100 feet long, with opulent interiors, built by hand from the keel plates up. He invited me out on the lake for a day of fun on her maiden voyage, unfortunately my family couldn’t come, but I went by myself…. Thank God my family was not there. When we left the Toronto harbor, the water was perfectly smooth, not a breath of wind, and sunny skies, on a warm August day. By the time we were about 10 km from shore, literally out of nowhere, an enormous black cloud begin to form, the winds begin to blow hard, and the waves started churning. Within a matter of 10 minutes we went from perfectly sunny clear skies and smooth sailing, to near hurricane force winds, rain, and waves at least 8-10 feet high. Even though we were in his nearly 100 foot long yacht, it was being tossed around in the waves like a dinghy, and with one wave, The engine hatch was knocked open, flooding the engine room, killing all the power. We just sat there helpless, at the mercy of the storm. There were so many times I thought for sure we were going to go under the waves. If it wasn’t for the watertight doors between the engine room and the rest of the ship, we all would have been dead (there were about 30 people aboard, including his own wife and 3 children). We radioed for help immediately (using the back up generator), by the grace of God, there was a military ship that just happened to be only 1 km from us, which is very rare, but in the summertime, The Royal Canadian Navy sails into Toronto’s harbour, docks, and gives tours of one of their frigates for the public. She was on her way back to her home port in Halifax, and it was pure luck they were just passing us soon after we lost power. To make a long story short, they were able to attach a tow line, and take us back to shore, but my friends ship was heavily damaged by the waves. I felt so bad for the poor guy, it was his dream, he saved every penny he ever made to purchase this boat, and planned on living on it all summer, thank God he had insurance, because the storm managed to cause over $200,000 in damages to the boat. But that’s not the worst part. I have been on the water all of my life up until that point, especially because I grew up on the waterfront, but that day changed everything. I was absolutely petrified, convinced we were all going to die, as the little ship was tossed Mercilessly in the 10 foot swells (that’s according to the naval frigate that saved us). At one point, almost the entire ship was underwater after being hit by a huge wave, I’ve never been afraid to be on the water, in fact I loved it, I was always happiest when on the water, but no more. After that day, you could not pay me enough money to set foot on any boat or ship. I know it was just a freak storm, but the psychological damage was irreversible, I even had to see a psychiatrist help deal with it, and my poor friend ended up selling his dream boat, because he too was absolutely terrified, and his wife never liked being on the water to begin with, and after that day, she refused to ever set foot on that boat again. I’m not saying to stay off the water, what happened to us could happen to anyone at any time, but when it does happen, it leaves a scar, a scar that never fully heals. I can only imagine the terror those poor men on the Fitzgerald felt as the ship broke in two and went under the waves in seconds. The lakes and oceans may be a playground for many, but is also deadly for others, treat it with respect, and don’t ever underestimate the power of the water, it can rip a solid steel ship in half in seconds, remember that the next time you want to scoff at those of us afraid to go on the water ever again.
What a great and interesting tale you have there.you are absolutely right,the great lakes are nothing to underestimate.i live on the most northerly point of lake superior and I've seen the waves and weather RIP through so hard that we could hear the waves crashing from my house which was 5 kilometers away..i can only imagine the anxiety you must feel looking back to the day you were on that yaht.absolutely,the great lakes need to be respected and how quickly they brew up storms.there are places in lake superior over 1000 feet deep and it chills me to the bone thinking of those poor souls aboard the fitz.never do I venture too far from shore when cruising Ontario great lakes!thank you for sharing your story and wish you safe travels.gods speed!
@@derekirons8577 thanks Derek!
That was a fascinating,& wonderfully told story! Thanks for sharing
Grew up on Atlantic Ocean and after watching this stuff and your post I can say those lakes terrify me unlike the ocean.
well, that is what most who do not live around or near the great lakes understands and that is the problem, they think that they are just `larger lakes', when in a sense, they could be considered what are called inland seas. not to mention they have the capability of creating their own weather.
Just wanted to say you did a hell of a great job on the imagery for this. Using authentic footage and photos really brought it to life and hit all the right emotional notes. Very satisfying, and very close to what my own head imagery for the song has always been.
I agree. Great editing!
Gordon's great ballad and your great imagery thank you. you took a great presentation and made it better.
now i remember being on a red tractor in sandy creek new york in a crop field with a bush hog attachment over looking the surf of lake erie.in november near thanks giving time. yeah watch out for the november winds over those great lakes.
So true. If you allow yourself the images almost put you there with the absolute horror of knowing your going to die. Thanks for giving us the faces and names--never seen them before.
Tv junk face preacher Head donn comes late preacher. Like the vid2
Fish dimension .you're right .the video Edmund Fitzgerald great
This is the most heart wrenching song that has ever been written
Yes,, what a tribute to the men and conditions on the great lakes that people don't know about! And I'm short changing it!
I disagree. th-cam.com/video/J3vu-DKNeOc/w-d-xo.html
Kind of fitting that an American Indian would pay tribute to EF and the crew. A beautiful heart wrenching song. Talent of Gordon Lightfoot.
@@joshuabrown9609 He is not Native American infact the name Lightfoot is Anglo-Saxon
AGREE
So heart touching......huge respect for the singer and all soul of this Edmund Fitzgerald
I had hoped someone would make a song for the US cargo ship El Faro that sank in 2015 off the coast of Jacksonville, FL. This song has always stayed with me because of the sailors who went down with their ship. Shalom
Rip Gordon Lighfoot. Tks for all the yrs of hits and meaningful music
The legend lives on! Rest in peace. Gordon Lightfoot
Excellent video.. this song is always haunting.. these clips make it even more so..
I loved this song when it came out and still do in July 2022. It's beautiful and hauntingly sad. All those precious lives lost. All the families left behind to carry on. God bless those who had to live through this tragedy. ❤️🤟
Just one of those songs I can’t make it through without tears.
R.I.P. Edmund Fitzgerald Crew 🙏
Thank you for a very well done video,....... you spent a lot time n effort putting this together!!
So haunting is this song. It brings me back to that time when i heard it on the radio. This song will never die. It is beautiful, memorable, and haunting at the same time.
Thank you Gordon Lightfoot. Your music will be treasured by all. You will be missed. R.I.P.
one of my all time favorites from Gordon Lightfoot, may he RIP 🥰
Rest in peace Gordon, your music and legacy will continue for centuries
Life is Short. Make sure you make a difference.
And please, make that difference in a GOOD way. We have more than we need of those doing it in a bad way.
Resist medical tyranny......make the difference! We all have a divine right to just be!
@@shaman9628 ???
@@davidpallin772 🐑
One of the best compilations.
Awesomè video. Pictures. Always loved the song and Gordon Lightfoot. R.i.p. men.
So sad you've passed.😢such a great singer..heartfelt songs
This is my first memory of news in my childhood.
Growing up in Michigan I was raised with these haunting Great Lakes Shipwrecks. People don't realize how deadly our Great Lakes really are. The Fitzgerald was actually headed to Detroit and a Hatch did not open it was taken over by 35 foot waves and higher
I grew up in Cleveland in the '70s. The song hit close to home. Still does, every time I hear it.
First heard this on a portable radio somewhere on the slopes of Mount Washington, NH, ca. 1976. Never forgot it.
wonderful tributes to everyone on the ship, Gordons voice and song perfect to tell everyone this sad story, we must not forget our brave sailors, ever,
I love his music. He has so much feeling in it. You are almost there when he sings every word.
Watch this in Apr 2022. Become emotional for the men and their families.
Thank you for the great video. Thanks, Gordon for a great songs remembered.
I remember playing with my Toy boats in the Pool with this song playing in the background. That was such fun. And then at the Jersey Shore every weekend... Until JAWS came out in the theaters. Talk about empty beaches.
I remember when this happened. I was in elementary school in Michigan. It was quite a different time!
R.I.P. gordan lightfoot.
the music world lost a famous singer.
may he rest in peace forever.
This a reminder to honor all the persons that put their lives on the line ever day to make the world function. GOD BLESS THEM ALL.
REST IN PEACE my friend. you will be missed by many.
I first heard this in fall of 1977, it still chills me! I am originally from Massachusetts, and was in Georgia at the time. Such a sad song!
Beautiful tribute to the men of the Edmond Fitzgerald.
I remembered the day this happened. The song is haunting, god rest their souls. What a song, truly a fine tribute.
Thank you for adding this video to Gordon Lightfoot’s amazingly crafted song.
My dad began his career at the Locks,n lived on Superior, in the Sault. This song makes me feel for the familys. I'm 64 now n still remember that November night. May they rest in peace 😢
I remember very well the night, when the Fitzgerald went down. I was 13. Denny Anderson from WDIO (tv station in Duluth, MN) was the first broadcaster in the USA, to break the news. So, so sad. 😢😢😢
Those 29 men made me cry as hard as the number of victims on the Titanic, Hood, and Bismarck.
Sometimes I think I can hear them, wailing and moaning at the bottom of Superior.
This made me so sad. Prayers to the sailors and their families
why tho
It's like being stuck in the Devil's Triangle what happened to me when I was a young girl and my daddy took the 31-foot boat of his to the Bahamas suddenly the sea turned upside down and it was very very scary I'm wondering if that ship rolled over on its side riding the waves back in
@@edwardpapak4234 because 29 men lost their lives in a storm?
Such a beautiful touching song to tribute all the men on the Edmond fritzgerald. Us michiganders will never forget this tragedy.
As a former member of the Coast Guard, it easy to understand how the ocean can almost be flat at times......and then look so terrifying in short order. When "The Winds of November" blow early......every sailor knows how that feels...
This song still gives me goosebumps. RIP to all on the Edmund Fitzgerald and Gordon Lightfoot.
This was a beautifully done tribute. I'm not a sailor but an aviator and this made me tear up. We all share a common bond when our brothers and sisters lose their lives doing a job they love. RIP sailors.
Superb , outstanding video,
Seriously touching. Nicely done. This is so respectful. Thanks
That was one hellava tribute to all those brave men
R.I.P to a great man.
It is very cool that Graham Greene ( Kicking Bird) was pictured in this video.
I've loved this song since I was a kid. It wasn't until I was older I realized what the song was about. RIP all.
Same
@@allencollins6031 a lot of good men lost their lives that day
@@mehchocolate1257 true
@@allencollins6031 most of them where grandfathers
@@mehchocolate1257 yes
I have been up there on vacation and viewed what they brought up from the Fitzgerald some years ago.... Place is beautiful to my eyes....
Rip to a great musician
Such a haunting song and beautifully put together with film clips. Had to favourite this one.
I remember this song from when I was young. Made such a big impact on me for the men and ship. Thanks for this reminder.
May he rest 🙏 in peace.
Thank you for keeping history alive for future generations.
One of my most loved songs sad but a beautiful song!
My goodness what a beautiful tribute you've put together along with Gordon singing. Thank you.
Fantastic job on your video. I was in the Army when this was a big hit on the radio and I have the record on vinyl somewhere.
Your video deserves 50 million or so views like the original track which has nothing but a photo of the album cover. (There are several official versions on TH-cam with varying numbers of views.) 🧨
O k
“Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours”
They are the most haunting lyrics of this song.
I was born in 1963 so I remember this song playing on AM radio and even as a child just listening to the songs words and the way the music hauntingly carries you along you knew it was serious and the way Gordon sang it gave it a feel and drew on you to take it to heart...... And to hear him sing "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the Gail's of November come early"....... That shakes me to my core, it lets you feel the sense of panic and terror that must come with being on raging waters......😕
The Maritime Cathedral is in downtown Detroit Michigan, every year on the anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald the church bells ring 29 times in memory of the sailors who lost their lives in that terrible storm.
The church rang the bells 30 times the day after Lightfoot died.
Such an awesome song! Not only that but a wonderful video. This is American history. Needs to be told to generation after generataion. Stay off that lake that has seas like an ocean in November! 😓
This song hits me very hard because I am from Michigan
My Grandfather was in the Merchant Marine Service out of Sydney Australia.
He and some mates in the sevice made pilgrimage to Lake Superior to pay respects to their lost merchant marine brothers. He always talked about the Great Lakes as through they were some snarling beast waiting to snatch you away. Scared the hell out of us as kids.
This song hits me hard because it's beautiful and purely haunting based on real events.
Lake Freighters should not exist. If they were smart like the Chippewa, they would not go out during the Witch of November’s hunt.
My family has been in Michigan for 1,000’s of years.
wow this video ...... !!!!!!!! I live in Illinois and everytime I go to Wisconsin stare at the lake even though this happened in Superior... imagingin their final monents. During the covid lockdown I attended this memorial via online stream... it was eerie .. they rang the original bell and many relatives were there
a lifelong favorite... brings extra meaning as growing up in Marshall, MI in the 70s
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
''The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they called 'gitche gumee'
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and crew was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ship's bell rang
Could it be the north wind they'd been feelin'?
The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the captain did too,
T'was the witch of November come stealin'
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the gales of November came slashin'
When afternoon came it was freezin' rain
In the face of a hurricane west wind
When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck sayin'
Fellas, it's too rough to feed ya
At seven pm a main hatchway caved in, he said
Fellas, it's been good t'know ya
The captain wired in he had water comin' in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when his lights went outta sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Does any one know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searches all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her
They might have split up or they might have capsized
They may have broke deep and took water
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters
Lake Huron rolls, superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man's dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed,
In the maritime sailors' cathedral
The church bell chimed till it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call 'gitche gumee'
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early''
This song is a masterpiece that gives me chills and fills my eyes no matter what or when I hear it
My brothers & I watched her leave Duluth, MN.
She was something to behold.
I remember enjoying this as a kid. I cranked it up and sang along every tiime it came on the radio. Imagine my shock and absolute horror when I realized that wile containg some inaccuracies it was a true story. The line 'At 7 pm the main hatchway gave in " was latter debunked. She was born an my birthday in 1958. She died when I was 4. R.I.P. good ship and crew.
This is a beautiful tribute to the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald. You did a phenomenal job on the video.
Beautifully produced. Chilling how well it goes perfectly with this haunting song. Only true Lakers will really appreciate it. RIP to all sailors lost at sea.
GREAT video. thank-you #RIP #Lightfoot
The first time I heard the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald I broke down and wept. And whenever I was in my car, and it came on the radio I had to pull over, because I couldn't see where I was driving. Here it is 2023 and the tears still come. I will never forget those 29 and the family who lost their loved ones.
I remember this like it was yesterday... born and raised in Burton Michigan and still in school at the time. Will never forget this.
The best tribute to the ship crew and their families. I was 13 and still get goosebumps evey time I hear this song. Thank you Gordon Lightfoot.
I've love this song since a very young child, felt like I was there with them. God bless their souls and as a kids, the story along with the song captured my attention, thinking about what they were dealing with and it wasn't a happy Sunday Night Disney movie with a happy ending. I have the record from the 70s on 45 to this day.
Great song! Looks like a younger Graham Greene at :46.
Nice Tribute Great Song Rest in Peace Gordon.
Watched the documentary about this vessel after coming across this song ,a tragic story ,hats off to Gordon lightfoot