Gordon Lightfoot never received any money for the copyrights to this song, he donated all the profits to the families of the crew... This song is a eulogy ,a tale of sadness and loss, hauntingly beautiful... Thank you...
He ended up having deep relationships with the families of the 29, he gave all profits from the song and his time to anything they needed. Incredibly special man. Also, Dylan called him his favourite songwriter, and he actually came up to Canada and did the induction of Gordon into the Canadian Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
She doesn't give up her dead because the water stays so cold on the bottom. The bodies don't float and they don't decompose. They have spotted at least one preserved crew member on the bridge of the Edmond.
This is hallowed text for those of us who live on the Great Lakes. It's true that Lake Superior does not give up her dead, given the lake's fresh water temperature is cold throughout the year. Thank you for your kind reaction to this song, which means so much to so many.
The line about the lake never giving up her dead speaks to the coldness of the depths of the lake. A drowned body doesn't decompose so it never creates the gasses that would normally eventually cause the body to float... the lake never gives up the bodies of those who drown there.
I wrote this a few months ago on another reaction to this song. My Dad was a naval officer during WW2. When this song was first on the radio we were in the car and shortly after the line "Does anyone know where the love of god goes" Dad pulled over and was quiet for a moment then he said "the weather was worse than the fighting: I never felt helpless in combat but when you see those big waves coming at your little ship it feels like a helpless eternity."
"Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh water. The Ojibwe name for the lake is gichi-gami meaning "great sea". - Wiki
Back in 1980 I worked with a guy whose dad went down on that ship. Recently when Gordon Lightfoot passed away the Maritime Sailor's Cathedral bell was run 30 time - to include him. All profits from this song have always gone to the families of those men lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Gordon LIghtfoot was a great performer, Canadian born songwriter/poet and musician. Sadly we lost him last year, he was 84 years old Another of the classic musicians is lost to us, thankfully we still have his music.
Gordon Lightfoot's hometown was Orillia, Ontario, Canada - his bust is outside the Orillia Opera House a few blocks from where his funeral was held. He didn't think the tragedy had received enough public notice and wrote the song to commemorate the sinking. RIP Gordon Lightfoot.
In case you don’t know, the Chippewa were/are an Native American tribe from that area & their name for Lake Superior is Gitche Gumee - which means Big Sea or Huge Water.
My father worked on the boats as a cook for many years.....including the Fitz.... I've been aboard her a few times myself.... We knew many of the men personally...... Rest in Peace.... Michael Armagost- 37- Third Mate- Iron River, Wisconsin Fred Beetcher- 56- Porter- Superior, Wisconsin Thomas Bentsen- 23- Oiler- St. Joseph, Michigan Edward Bindon -47- First Asst. Engineer- Fairport Harbor, Ohio Thomas Borgeson -41- Maintenance Man- Duluth, Minnesota Oliver Champeau- 41-Third Asst. Engineer- Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Nolan Church -55 -Porter -Silver Bay, Minnesota Ransom Cundy- 53- Watchman- Superior, Wisconsin Thomas Edwards-50- Second Asst. Engineer- Oregon, Ohio Russell Haskell -40- Second Asst. Engineer- Millbury, Ohio George Holl -60- Chief Engineer- Cabot, Pennsylvania Bruce Hudson- 22- Deck Hand -North Olmsted, Ohio Allen Kalmon -43- Second Cook- Washburn, Wisconsin Gordon MacLellan- 30- Wiper- Clearwater, Florida Joseph Mazes- 59- Special Maintenance Man -Ashland, Wisconsin John McCarthy -62-First Mate -Bay Village, Ohio Ernest McSorley -63 -Captain -Toledo, Ohio Eugene O'Brien- 50- Wheelsman -Toledo, Ohio Karl Peckol -20- Watchman -Ashtabula, Ohio John Poviach -59- Wheelsman- Bradenton, Florida James Pratt -44- Second Mate- Lakewood, Ohio Robert Rafferty -62 -Steward -Toledo, Ohio Paul Riippa -22 -Deck Hand -Ashtabula, Ohio John Simmons -63 -Wheelsman -Ashland, Wisconsin William Spengler -59- Watchman- Toledo, Ohio Mark Thomas -21- Deck Hand- Richmond Heights, Ohio Ralph Walton -58- Oiler- Fremont, Ohio David Weiss -22 -Cadet -Agoura, California Blaine Wilhelm -52- Oiler- Moquah, Wisconsin
Nice request 👍 Detroit area girl here (Michigan's the Great Lake State). Parts of 4 out of 5 of the Great Lakes form our state boundary. And same for the province of Ontario, Canada. Fun fact: The combined surface area of our 5 Great Lakes is about equal to the size of the UK. Great song. A beast, lyrically. A friend of mine used to play gigs at local Irish pubs and I'd torture him by tossing out this request. 😄 Love how intently you listen, Rory.
Seas, not oceans. They are not the size of the Pacific, the Atlantic, or even the Arctic. The only three oceans our planet has. As far as geographic terms go, they are freshwater seas, referred to as lakes only by American habit.
Hi Rory, First time I have seen a reaction from you. This is a true story that happened in the eastern end of Lake Superior in 1975. I lived in a city near where the wreck happened and remember the storm well. The sadness was palpable on both the Canadian and American side. The Canadian/American border weaves its way through the area. Often pleasure crafters must go through American waters to reach another Canadian place. Thank you for covering this song. It holds a special place in the hearts of many. The sea shanty feel was on purpose. Gordon was a master poet and story teller, Canadian icon and very well loved and admired. He passed away on May 1, 2023 at the age of 85. RIP
It did not take 29 men. It took the ENTIRE crew of 29 men. I was a teen living near the Detroit airport when this happened. It was HUGE news. Lake Superior is a huge body of water. It is so large that adverse weather has time to build wave action that mimics wave action on the open ocean.
Worst line and very disrespectful. The love of GOD is in the wind and waves and freezing rain that drives stubborn heathen humbly to HIM in their last hours so HE can save them instead of letting them go to the truly deserved justice of human sinfulness.
@@friartalk6060talk about disrespectful! Not to mention sanctimonious, judgemental, hypocritical, and possibly the worst way to proselytize. Are you trying to turn folks away from your God?
I’m sure people will tell you he donated the money from this song to the widows, and when he passed they included a bell to Lightfoot . His songwriting and vocals are so nuanced . Amazing troubadour. I was a teenager on the East Coast when the wreck happened,the newspapers were filled with the tragedy , It was a Northern American tragedy ☮️
Gordon Lightfoot was a Canadian legend and treasure. Bob Dylan classified Gordon as one of his favourite songwriters. His songs have been covered by singers like Johnny Cash, Barbra Streisand, Glen Campbell and many more. Gordon wrote this because he was upset with the poor coverage the tragedy got. All proceeds from the songs went to the families of the lost men. He attended every memorial service every year and got to know the families well. Last year when he died the bell rang 30 times instead of 29 to honour Gordon. R.I.P. Gordon we miss you🇨🇦🔔🇨🇦🔔🇨🇦
The Great Lakes are something to see. I grew up on Lake Michigan. Beautiful sunrises. I’m near Lake Superior now. It’s a completely different vibe. So desolate, cold, and gorgeous. They are massive lakes.
On a sunrise you would be looking east at the land and not the water of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron is the sunrise side. Lake Michigan has beautiful sunsets.
I lived in Grand Marais MINNESOTA a town on Lake Superior for the first 12 years of my life. During storms the waves are towering. Unfortunately I have lost friends in the lake
this song and the story behind it has captivated me since the first listen in '76 when i was a mere 23 years of age. last october we took a trip to the black hills of south dakota , the badlands and devil's tower and we went through toledo ohio where the national museum of the great lakes is. amazing place with all kinds of memorabilia from shipwrecks including a lot of recovered stuff from the edmond fitzgerald. kind of spooky looking at the exhibit of the tragedy
I was 18 when this happened, a lifelong resident of Michigan. We were all glued to the news for days hoping for survivors. The Great Lakes, especially Lake Superior, are really freshwater inlands seas, and can be as deadly as the ocean.
Though I am a Tull freak and love your reactions to their songs, I am so pleased that you listened to this masterpiece by Gordon Lightfoot as it is one of my favorite songs of all time Glad you liked it
The lyrics are sheer poetry. And the music & instrumentation is atmospheric & haunting..even the smallest touches serving the story perfectly. I remember when this happened & how dominant it was in the news...tv, radio & print. The subject on everyone's lips. This song's been giving me chills & goosebumps every time I've heard it over all these years. Just did it again. Thanks, Rory, for reacting to it & thanks to Chris for requesting it. 💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙
Beautiful that hits the soul, to imagine the sailors on that ship knowing they were going down, those poor men. And their families. But this song is beautiful because it is an oral history of a real occurrence and it it rich with details. People died snd their families were going to suffer that loss. I always felt sad hearing the song but it touched deep into the soul. All best songs touch you deep.
The lakes are very large. Unfortunately many who have not grown up around them are deceived by the name “lake” and the usual calmness just looking at them - between 2010-2022 just over 1,100 people died in the lakes with Lake Michigan considered the deadliest lake in the US. They really do not act like a normal lake - they have riptides, currents, and very large waves at times that quickly put people who are not aware of the risk into trouble.
Lake Superior is the largest, by surface area, freshwater lake in the world, cover nearly 32000 square miles or 82000 kilometers. It holds enough water to put both North and South America under a foot of water.
Story telling song writing at its finest. The lyrics and swaying cadence make it easy to picture the scene as if the listener is there witnessing the event first hand. Boats still ring their bell 29 times when they pass the wreck site.
You get a very distinct feeling and ambiencd when listening to lightfood… i see and almost feel the dark seaside and rocks and seashore… kindof feel melancholy and lonely now…. But a great storyteller and poet…proud to say he is a Canadian !
Another great story by Lightfoot is The Canadian Railroad Trilogy. Documenting the building of the Canadian railroad. He was an amazing story teller. Was privileged to see his live show once. Beyond amazing. RIP Gordon. You are missed!
Yeah, Fitz went down in Lake Superior. A storm washed over her decks and swamped her. Lake Superior is about the size of Ireland. And the storms are as bad as you might see off the Atlantic. I was a child when that happened. I lived about a hundred miles from where she went down. At my young age I look around me and saw all the adults, they were stricken, heart broken. I understood heartbreak a year later when I heard Gordons tribute. The US Greatlakes are awesome in so many aspects.
The glacier that formed Lake Superior was large enough to upend the platelets of Earth making the Upper Peninsula unique. The vast majority of copper used during the bronze age has been traced to there. You can still today find copper sticking out of the ground. It's believed that part of the glacier still exists underneath the U.P. That and the depth make Superior so cold that bodies never decay causing them to rest on the bottom. Upon diving the wreck of the Edmond they discovered bodies just kinda hovering in the ship.
RiP Mr. Lightfoot. Gordon. He was an amazing singer songwriter and truely a good soul. Carefree Highway Sundown are a couple more of his many great songs.
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area (the much larger Caspian Sea is considered the largest lake if saltwater is included). As the song goes, Superior feeds into Lake Michigan and Lake Huron (the 3rd and 4th largest freshwater lakes in the world). Some argue that Michigan and Huron are technically a single lake (which would make it the largest). Hard to describe just how large these lakes are. Might as well be out in an ocean because one can't see the coast from the middle of them. And those early winter storms can kick up hurricane force winds too. On that night the waves battering the ship were estimated to have been over 25 feet high at least.
There's a couple of really good documentaries about this tragedy on You Tube where they interview family members and rescuers and others. After the ship was determined to be in trouble, another ship that was at sea at the time was sent to go out and find or rescue the Edmund Fitgerald. It was a vicious and horrible storm. The captain of the rescue boat and his crew went towards the estimated location for a while and then turned around. He said that he was being sent on a suicide mission.
He had visited the Detroit church a few times. As a matter of fact One of the mothers scolded him for saying Musky old hall. So he changed the words to say Rustic hall in Detroit . I live right across from Detroit and as a child I would see the ship as it passed through the Detroit river. Every year you can hear the church bells when they chime 29 now 30 times. That was a great tribute to him as well. He wrote the song on a flight to Florida from Toronto Reading it in the paper.
The story I like best about Lightfoot in relation to this song was reflected in some of the newspaper obituaries, in which it was said that Lightfoot didn't just donate the proceeds of this song to the families, he became a personal fixture in many of their lives, taking time to visit them over the years. I had tickets to see him perform in late autumn 2022, here in southern Ontario. Sadly, the performance was cancelled for unspecified reasons. Given his age, I was afraid I had missed out. Reports of his death came out six months after that.
Lake Superior is approximately the size of Austria. The Fitzgerald was being followed by a sister ship, the Arthur M. Anderson, about an hour behind (15 miles or so). The Anderson was guiding them as the Fitz had lost it's radar. It's estimated that they were hit by a wave as high as 35 feet high. It's unknown what actually sent them down, but it was pretty much instant, as they weren't able to send out an S.O.S. There's videos on TH-cam of actual radio conversations between the ships, and there's one between the Coast Guard and the Anderson asking them to go back out and look for survivors. You can hear the fear in the Captain of the Anderson's voice, and you can tell he didn't want to risk it, but he and his crew did anyway. They really didn't get the acknowledgement for that, as they should've. The bodied are still mostly there, as there's no oxygen in the water at that level, the cold, and nothing to eat them.
I love this song and I love Gordon Lightfoot. I heard this song when I was a child and I've always wanted to go and visit that lake and the memorial marker on it. The song really struck deep. I had to go look up the real account.
The story is completely true. What a great storyteller this man was. Gordon died only a couple of months ago. This happened in the early 1970s, and he wrote the song shortly after the event.
Lake Superior is considered one of the most deadly bodies of water on the planet, even though the size is massive, there is no way around a storm when one breaks. There's no sailing around a storm on Lake Superior
When Gordon passed the church chimed thirty times, he had done so much for the families they included him. He was one of the great story Tellers any of his songs are great stories. Enjoy
It was a bad storm that was forecast to pass south of Lake Superior, but it turned after the Edmund Fitzgerald left port and was in open water. She was travelling with another freighter who had left from Two Harbors just after the Fitzgerald left Duluth/Superior port, the Arthur M Anderson. They both were caught in the storm and the Arthur M Anderson's skipper did his best to help the Edmund Fitzgerald after she lost her electronics. Unfortunately it wasn't enough. The Edmund Fitzgerald disappeared off the radar and couldn't be visually spotted either. There was no distress call, so no one knows what happened to this day. The Arthur M Anderson reported her missing and even went back out into the storm to look for survivors. This was in 1975, and the Arthur M Anderson is still sailing the waters, hauling freight , a living reminder of the Fitzgerald. Gordon did a topnotch job of telling the story of the hazards of the Great Lakes shipping industry.
My uncle worked on the Fitzgerald in 72, 73, and 74. Fortunately for him, he decided in 75 he was done working of freighters wanted to try something different. And my grandfather was on the Anderson the boat that was like 10 miles away. I remember that day. The morning news said an iron ore boat sank all hands down. My dad freaked out. After about 5 minutes, the reporter finally said the name. So dad stopped crying.
That must have been so tough on your grandfather and his shipmates! They lived through the same storm and fortunately survived...and what sheer guts and nerve to go back out to look for the Fitz. Blessings to all of those men.
Don't know the history behind this song though I've always loved it over the years. I'm glad you could relate it to the UK sea shanties. Similar feel of the drama and courage of that type of lifestyle. Historically, the sea trade through the Great Lakes of US/Canada was important especially early on for the British fur trappers and then later on for mining.
I’m 72 and I’m out here in California. One of those to go down with the Edmund Fitzgerald was a graduate of my high school in Agoura, California. 😢 Just very sad!
Gordon Lightfoot was one of Bob Dylan's favorite song writers. Canada has way more talent than our small population should have. Whether it's music, comedy or movies you'll find a strangely large number of Canadians. Sadly they are quite often mistaken as being from the US.
You're right about the sea shanty feel; lines like "a good crew and captain well-seasoned" sound like they could have been sung by sailors from centuries past. Those men would also understand "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the wind turns the minutes to hours". Great lyrics in a song that goes right for the heart
I was in the navy in very big storms. I never felt threatened. We werent even zebra still able to go out on the fantail and see swells like well huge. And the frigates in the group? It was early 90s no cameras but it was a blast.
To give you an idea how big Lake Superior is, it takes Lake Erie approximately 2 and a half years to replenish its water while it takes Lake Superior 191 years!
My favorite part of the song is his description of the Great Lakes. Both stunning and accurate. The sound quality didn't really come through though. A buzz that's not in the original ran through the song
this was not the story of an old wreck. The wreck happened just a short time before Gordon wrote and recorded this song. They had all of the modern sea-faring technology including radio, weather reports etc.
Had a friend back in '77 who liked to butcher this tune with twisted, improvised lyrics. We dubbed his version 'The Wreck of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald'. A northwest wind across Lake Superior is not for the faint of heart. Gordon Lightfoot had a brilliant gift for story-telling and cinematic lyrics, and this song was a great example.
Lake Superior is so large that you could cover all of the North American continent in one foot of water just from Lake superior. 1,332 feet deep, or 408 meters.
This year the bell rang 30 times, one more time for Gordon Lightfoot ...
Wow, I had not heard that
Yes I remember when he passed last year . Gordon Lightfoot. A wonderful troubadour he is missed . A great loss . 💔🇨🇦
Oh really? That’s kind of nice to hear.
Awe!
I bought this album when it came out.He was the greatest story teller with his magical voice
Gordon Lightfoot never received any money for the copyrights to this song, he donated all the profits to the families of the crew...
This song is a eulogy ,a tale of sadness and loss, hauntingly beautiful...
Thank you...
He ended up having deep relationships with the families of the 29, he gave all profits from the song and his time to anything they needed. Incredibly special man. Also, Dylan called him his favourite songwriter, and he actually came up to Canada and did the induction of Gordon into the Canadian Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Very well said. Thank you.
You are the first reactor who noticed that this song was in the style of a sea shanty. That it became a big hit is amazing.
She doesn't give up her dead because the water stays so cold on the bottom. The bodies don't float and they don't decompose. They have spotted at least one preserved crew member on the bridge of the Edmond.
This is hallowed text for those of us who live on the Great Lakes. It's true that Lake Superior does not give up her dead, given the lake's fresh water temperature is cold throughout the year. Thank you for your kind reaction to this song, which means so much to so many.
I've heard this song about a million times and I like more every time I hear it, and he says my name. 🙏
The line about the lake never giving up her dead speaks to the coldness of the depths of the lake. A drowned body doesn't decompose so it never creates the gasses that would normally eventually cause the body to float... the lake never gives up the bodies of those who drown there.
I wrote this a few months ago on another reaction to this song.
My Dad was a naval officer during WW2. When this song was first on the radio we were in the car and shortly after the line "Does anyone know where the love of god goes" Dad pulled over and was quiet for a moment then he said "the weather was worse than the fighting: I never felt helpless in combat but when you see those big waves coming at your little ship it feels like a helpless eternity."
"Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area and the third-largest by volume, holding 10% of the world's surface fresh water. The Ojibwe name for the lake is gichi-gami meaning "great sea". - Wiki
Hi, hope you're doing well.
I was just educated buy your information and thank you .
We got our tragedy ballad tradition from you guys. 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🎸
Upon Lightfoot's death, the same cathedral mentioned in the lyrics rang the bell 30 times - one for each crewman and one for Gordon Lightfoot.
Back in 1980 I worked with a guy whose dad went down on that ship. Recently when Gordon Lightfoot passed away the Maritime Sailor's Cathedral bell was run 30 time - to include him. All profits from this song have always gone to the families of those men lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Gordon LIghtfoot was a great performer, Canadian born songwriter/poet and musician. Sadly we lost him last year, he was 84 years old Another of the classic musicians is lost to us, thankfully we still have his music.
It is a sea chanty - you are the first reviewer who figured it out! Well done!
Gordon Lightfoot's hometown was Orillia, Ontario, Canada - his bust is outside the Orillia Opera House a few blocks from where his funeral was held. He didn't think the tragedy had received enough public notice and wrote the song to commemorate the sinking. RIP Gordon Lightfoot.
In case you don’t know, the Chippewa were/are an Native American tribe from that area & their name for Lake Superior is Gitche Gumee - which means Big Sea or Huge Water.
My father worked on the boats as a cook for many years.....including the Fitz....
I've been aboard her a few times myself....
We knew many of the men personally......
Rest in Peace....
Michael Armagost- 37- Third Mate- Iron River, Wisconsin
Fred Beetcher- 56- Porter- Superior, Wisconsin
Thomas Bentsen- 23- Oiler- St. Joseph, Michigan
Edward Bindon -47- First Asst. Engineer- Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Thomas Borgeson -41- Maintenance Man- Duluth, Minnesota
Oliver Champeau- 41-Third Asst. Engineer- Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Nolan Church -55 -Porter -Silver Bay, Minnesota
Ransom Cundy- 53- Watchman- Superior, Wisconsin
Thomas Edwards-50- Second Asst. Engineer- Oregon, Ohio
Russell Haskell -40- Second Asst. Engineer- Millbury, Ohio
George Holl -60- Chief Engineer- Cabot, Pennsylvania
Bruce Hudson- 22- Deck Hand -North Olmsted, Ohio
Allen Kalmon -43- Second Cook- Washburn, Wisconsin
Gordon MacLellan- 30- Wiper- Clearwater, Florida
Joseph Mazes- 59- Special Maintenance Man -Ashland, Wisconsin
John McCarthy -62-First Mate -Bay Village, Ohio
Ernest McSorley -63 -Captain -Toledo, Ohio
Eugene O'Brien- 50- Wheelsman -Toledo, Ohio
Karl Peckol -20- Watchman -Ashtabula, Ohio
John Poviach -59- Wheelsman- Bradenton, Florida
James Pratt -44- Second Mate- Lakewood, Ohio
Robert Rafferty -62 -Steward -Toledo, Ohio
Paul Riippa -22 -Deck Hand -Ashtabula, Ohio
John Simmons -63 -Wheelsman -Ashland, Wisconsin
William Spengler -59- Watchman- Toledo, Ohio
Mark Thomas -21- Deck Hand- Richmond Heights, Ohio
Ralph Walton -58- Oiler- Fremont, Ohio
David Weiss -22 -Cadet -Agoura, California
Blaine Wilhelm -52- Oiler- Moquah, Wisconsin
Nice request 👍 Detroit area girl here (Michigan's the Great Lake State). Parts of 4 out of 5 of the Great Lakes form our state boundary. And same for the province of Ontario, Canada.
Fun fact: The combined surface area of our 5 Great Lakes is about equal to the size of the UK.
Great song. A beast, lyrically.
A friend of mine used to play gigs at local Irish pubs and I'd torture him by tossing out this request. 😄
Love how intently you listen, Rory.
Our lakes are like oceans. There are 5 Great Lakes. The largest fresh water lakes in the world. I believe Lake Superior is the largest of the 5.
It is the largest and the coldest, temperature staying around 47°.
Seas, not oceans. They are not the size of the Pacific, the Atlantic, or even the Arctic. The only three oceans our planet has. As far as geographic terms go, they are freshwater seas, referred to as lakes only by American habit.
@@sarahgould5435They never said they were the size of an ocean!!!! They are like oceans referring to conditions.
@sarahgould5435 They are absolutely lakes, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Superior. Not an American habit.
"Does anyone know where The Love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours". Incredible lyricist, writer and player.
😢 Rest In Peace 29 Good Men & True
Rest In Peace Gordon Lightfoot, too.😢
Yes, the Great Lakes are huge. Superior being the largest, so large, in fact, that it can experience OCEAN sized waves, 30-40ft in height.
They also form in patterns different than oceans, and put more stress on a ships hull than ocean waves do.
@@ffjsb exactly...they're usually smaller but choppier than ocean waves, and can batter ships badly. They can also make ocean sailors really seasick.
Hi Rory, First time I have seen a reaction from you. This is a true story that happened in the eastern end of Lake Superior in 1975. I lived in a city near where the wreck happened and remember the storm well. The sadness was palpable on both the Canadian and American side. The Canadian/American border weaves its way through the area. Often pleasure crafters must go through American waters to reach another Canadian place. Thank you for covering this song. It holds a special place in the hearts of many. The sea shanty feel was on purpose. Gordon was a master poet and story teller, Canadian icon and very well loved and admired. He passed away on May 1, 2023 at the age of 85. RIP
It did not take 29 men. It took the ENTIRE crew of 29 men. I was a teen living near the Detroit airport when this happened. It was HUGE news. Lake Superior is a huge body of water. It is so large that adverse weather has time to build wave action that mimics wave action on the open ocean.
Loved it brother. Best line "does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?"
Me too. I love that line.
Worst line and very disrespectful.
The love of GOD is in the wind and waves and freezing rain that drives stubborn heathen humbly to HIM in their last hours so HE can save them instead of letting them go to the truly deserved justice of human sinfulness.
@@friartalk6060oh, do you mean like line “my God my God why have thou forsaken me?” despair is some times understandable even in the best of us.
@@friartalk6060talk about disrespectful! Not to mention sanctimonious, judgemental, hypocritical, and possibly the worst way to proselytize. Are you trying to turn folks away from your God?
Huge lakes. Superior is the biggest... about 2/3 the size of England
I’m sure people will tell you he donated the money from this song to the widows, and when he passed they included a bell to Lightfoot . His songwriting and vocals are so nuanced . Amazing troubadour. I was a teenager on the East Coast when the wreck happened,the newspapers were filled with the tragedy , It was a Northern American tragedy ☮️
Gordon Lightfoot was a Canadian legend and treasure. Bob Dylan classified Gordon as one of his favourite songwriters. His songs have been covered by singers like Johnny Cash, Barbra Streisand, Glen Campbell and many more. Gordon wrote this because he was upset with the poor coverage the tragedy got. All proceeds from the songs went to the families of the lost men. He attended every memorial service every year and got to know the families well. Last year when he died the bell rang 30 times instead of 29 to honour Gordon. R.I.P. Gordon we miss you🇨🇦🔔🇨🇦🔔🇨🇦
Elvis also covered his "Early Morning Rain".
You are literally the first person I've seen who got the whole sea shanty reference. Of course that's why it's written this way. Good catch.
and It is a lake that looks like the Ocean
The Great Lakes are something to see. I grew up on Lake Michigan. Beautiful sunrises. I’m near Lake Superior now. It’s a completely different vibe. So desolate, cold, and gorgeous. They are massive lakes.
Superior is actually an inland sea, so huge.🇨🇦❤️
On a sunrise you would be looking east at the land and not the water of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron is the sunrise side. Lake Michigan has beautiful sunsets.
@@trivalleyconstruction6946 I live in WI. So, I’m looking east over Lake Michigan for the sunrise.
I lived in Grand Marais MINNESOTA a town on Lake Superior for the first 12 years of my life. During storms the waves are towering. Unfortunately I have lost friends in the lake
this song and the story behind it has captivated me since the first listen in '76 when i was a mere 23 years of age. last october we took a trip to the black hills of south dakota , the badlands and devil's tower and we went through toledo ohio where the national museum of the great lakes is. amazing place with all kinds of memorabilia from shipwrecks including a lot of recovered stuff from the edmond fitzgerald. kind of spooky looking at the exhibit of the tragedy
❤R.I.P. Brave men❤
I was 18 when this happened, a lifelong resident of Michigan. We were all glued to the news for days hoping for survivors. The Great Lakes, especially Lake Superior, are really freshwater inlands seas, and can be as deadly as the ocean.
Canadian Railroad Trilogy is another great story song of his.
You picked a good one here. This one stays in your mind for a bit after listening to it. Thanks for reacting to it.
A Canadian treasure, Gordon Lightfoot. ❤
Though I am a Tull freak and love your reactions to their songs, I am so pleased that you listened to this masterpiece by Gordon Lightfoot as it is one of my favorite songs of all time Glad you liked it
The lyrics are sheer poetry. And the music & instrumentation is atmospheric & haunting..even the smallest touches serving the story perfectly.
I remember when this happened & how dominant it was in the news...tv, radio & print. The subject on everyone's lips.
This song's been giving me chills & goosebumps every time I've heard it over all these years. Just did it again.
Thanks, Rory, for reacting to it & thanks to Chris for requesting it.
💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙🌿💙
All of Gordon's songs are great. And if you like sea shantys, look into Stan Rogers. Another great Canadian musician
Beautiful that hits the soul, to imagine the sailors on that ship knowing they were going down, those poor men. And their families. But this song is beautiful because it is an oral history of a real occurrence and it it rich with details. People died snd their families were going to suffer that loss. I always felt sad hearing the song but it touched deep into the soul. All best songs touch you deep.
The lakes are very large. Unfortunately many who have not grown up around them are deceived by the name “lake” and the usual calmness just looking at them - between 2010-2022 just over 1,100 people died in the lakes with Lake Michigan considered the deadliest lake in the US. They really do not act like a normal lake - they have riptides, currents, and very large waves at times that quickly put people who are not aware of the risk into trouble.
Lake Superior is the largest, by surface area, freshwater lake in the world, cover nearly 32000 square miles or 82000 kilometers. It holds enough water to put both North and South America under a foot of water.
i havent heard this song in forever. Im with you, storytelling songs are some of the best. Nice reaction
Story telling song writing at its finest. The lyrics and swaying cadence make it easy to picture the scene as if the listener is there witnessing the event first hand. Boats still ring their bell 29 times when they pass the wreck site.
You're exactly right...Gordon had been working on an idea for an Irish-inspired tune. And that's what he turned into this song.
You get a very distinct feeling and ambiencd when listening to lightfood… i see and almost feel the dark seaside and rocks and seashore… kindof feel melancholy and lonely now…. But a great storyteller and poet…proud to say he is a Canadian !
❤is Canada a Country?😮
Yes @@Steve-gx9ot
Another great story by Lightfoot is The Canadian Railroad Trilogy. Documenting the building of the Canadian railroad. He was an amazing story teller. Was privileged to see his live show once. Beyond amazing. RIP Gordon. You are missed!
Yeah, Fitz went down in Lake Superior. A storm washed over her decks and swamped her. Lake Superior is about the size of Ireland. And the storms are as bad as you might see off the Atlantic. I was a child when that happened. I lived about a hundred miles from where she went down. At my young age I look around me and saw all the adults, they were stricken, heart broken. I understood heartbreak a year later when I heard Gordons tribute. The US Greatlakes are awesome in so many aspects.
The glacier that formed Lake Superior was large enough to upend the platelets of Earth making the Upper Peninsula unique. The vast majority of copper used during the bronze age has been traced to there. You can still today find copper sticking out of the ground. It's believed that part of the glacier still exists underneath the U.P. That and the depth make Superior so cold that bodies never decay causing them to rest on the bottom. Upon diving the wreck of the Edmond they discovered bodies just kinda hovering in the ship.
RiP Mr. Lightfoot. Gordon.
He was an amazing singer songwriter and truely a good soul.
Carefree Highway
Sundown
are a couple more of his many great songs.
Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area (the much larger Caspian Sea is considered the largest lake if saltwater is included).
As the song goes, Superior feeds into Lake Michigan and Lake Huron (the 3rd and 4th largest freshwater lakes in the world). Some argue that Michigan and Huron are technically a single lake (which would make it the largest).
Hard to describe just how large these lakes are. Might as well be out in an ocean because one can't see the coast from the middle of them. And those early winter storms can kick up hurricane force winds too. On that night the waves battering the ship were estimated to have been over 25 feet high at least.
I got to hear him sing this in concert years ago. It was mesmerizing.
I was 11 years old when this happened. I remember the nightly news talking about it.
There's a couple of really good documentaries about this tragedy on You Tube where they interview family members and rescuers and others. After the ship was determined to be in trouble, another ship that was at sea at the time was sent to go out and find or rescue the Edmund Fitgerald. It was a vicious and horrible storm. The captain of the rescue boat and his crew went towards the estimated location for a while and then turned around. He said that he was being sent on a suicide mission.
Lake Superior is an "Ice Water Mansion" like referred to in the song. Once you get 5 feet down the water never gets above 47 degees or 8.3 C
He had visited the Detroit church a few times. As a matter of fact One of the mothers scolded him for saying Musky old hall. So he changed the words to say Rustic hall in Detroit . I live right across from Detroit and as a child I would see the ship as it passed through the Detroit river. Every year you can hear the church bells when they chime 29 now 30 times. That was a great tribute to him as well. He wrote the song on a flight to Florida from Toronto Reading it in the paper.
he wrote so many great songs....the Canadian railway Trilogy is a favourite
1975. Seems like yesterday. I was 15 and living near Cleveland.
I think the word you were looking for, at the end, was "dirge".
Gordon Lightfoot said this was the work he was most proud of! 💔💖😘
The story I like best about Lightfoot in relation to this song was reflected in some of the newspaper obituaries, in which it was said that Lightfoot didn't just donate the proceeds of this song to the families, he became a personal fixture in many of their lives, taking time to visit them over the years.
I had tickets to see him perform in late autumn 2022, here in southern Ontario. Sadly, the performance was cancelled for unspecified reasons. Given his age, I was afraid I had missed out. Reports of his death came out six months after that.
Lake Superior is approximately the size of Austria. The Fitzgerald was being followed by a sister ship, the Arthur M. Anderson, about an hour behind (15 miles or so). The Anderson was guiding them as the Fitz had lost it's radar. It's estimated that they were hit by a wave as high as 35 feet high. It's unknown what actually sent them down, but it was pretty much instant, as they weren't able to send out an S.O.S. There's videos on TH-cam of actual radio conversations between the ships, and there's one between the Coast Guard and the Anderson asking them to go back out and look for survivors. You can hear the fear in the Captain of the Anderson's voice, and you can tell he didn't want to risk it, but he and his crew did anyway. They really didn't get the acknowledgement for that, as they should've. The bodied are still mostly there, as there's no oxygen in the water at that level, the cold, and nothing to eat them.
I love this song and I love Gordon Lightfoot. I heard this song when I was a child and I've always wanted to go and visit that lake and the memorial marker on it. The song really struck deep. I had to go look up the real account.
The story is completely true. What a great storyteller this man was. Gordon died only a couple of months ago. This happened in the early 1970s, and he wrote the song shortly after the event.
I remember being 13 when this came out and it was on the radio constantly. I was drawn to songs that told stories so this was one of my favorites.
Lake Superior is considered one of the most deadly bodies of water on the planet, even though the size is massive, there is no way around a storm when one breaks. There's no sailing around a storm on Lake Superior
When Gordon passed the church chimed thirty times, he had done so much for the families they included him. He was one of the great story Tellers any of his songs are great stories. Enjoy
S/o whoever requested this, one of the best stories ever told!
It was a bad storm that was forecast to pass south of Lake Superior, but it turned after the Edmund Fitzgerald left port and was in open water. She was travelling with another freighter who had left from Two Harbors just after the Fitzgerald left Duluth/Superior port, the Arthur M Anderson. They both were caught in the storm and the Arthur M Anderson's skipper did his best to help the Edmund Fitzgerald after she lost her electronics. Unfortunately it wasn't enough. The Edmund Fitzgerald disappeared off the radar and couldn't be visually spotted either. There was no distress call, so no one knows what happened to this day. The Arthur M Anderson reported her missing and even went back out into the storm to look for survivors. This was in 1975, and the Arthur M Anderson is still sailing the waters, hauling freight , a living reminder of the Fitzgerald. Gordon did a topnotch job of telling the story of the hazards of the Great Lakes shipping industry.
My uncle worked on the Fitzgerald in 72, 73, and 74. Fortunately for him, he decided in 75 he was done working of freighters wanted to try something different. And my grandfather was on the Anderson the boat that was like 10 miles away. I remember that day. The morning news said an iron ore boat sank all hands down. My dad freaked out. After about 5 minutes, the reporter finally said the name. So dad stopped crying.
That must have been so tough on your grandfather and his shipmates! They lived through the same storm and fortunately survived...and what sheer guts and nerve to go back out to look for the Fitz. Blessings to all of those men.
For my money the line "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours" is the best line ever written.
The great lakes are more like inland seas that get rougher than the ocean.
Great song, nice lyric's😊
The Mariners Church in Detroit at the Canadian US border..Think for the Edmund Fitzgerald 🇨🇦
Don't know the history behind this song though I've always loved it over the years. I'm glad you could relate it to the UK sea shanties. Similar feel of the drama and courage of that type of lifestyle. Historically, the sea trade through the Great Lakes of US/Canada was important especially early on for the British fur trappers and then later on for mining.
There have been more shipwrecks on the great lakes than all of the oceans combined!
I’m 72 and I’m out here in California. One of those to go down with the Edmund Fitzgerald was a graduate of my high school in Agoura, California. 😢 Just very sad!
Amazing imagery.. even the rhythm of the guitars feels like rolling waves.
Gordon Lightfoot was one of Bob Dylan's favorite song writers. Canada has way more talent than our small population should have. Whether it's music, comedy or movies you'll find a strangely large number of Canadians. Sadly they are quite often mistaken as being from the US.
It just struck me that Dylan was from the Iron Range and Duluth himself.
You're right about the sea shanty feel; lines like "a good crew and captain well-seasoned" sound like they could have been sung by sailors from centuries past. Those men would also understand "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the wind turns the minutes to hours". Great lyrics in a song that goes right for the heart
A great Dylan song is Lily, Rosemary And the Jack Of Hearts. An interesting story with memorable lines.
FYI, Gitche Gumee is Chippewa (Native American tribe) for Lake Superior.
Most folks who are over 50 in the great lakes regions know this song. Great lakes are very big.. I'm not sure anything to compare in europe.
yeah, next time you go to a game of 'footies' notice the length of the pitch is one half the size of the Edmond Fitzgerald!
A couple of suggestions for you-Irish folk legend Christy Moore with 'Victor Jara' and Americana legends 'The handsome family' with the song 'Arlene'.
I was in the navy in very big storms. I never felt threatened. We werent even zebra still able to go out on the fantail and see swells like well huge. And the frigates in the group? It was early 90s no cameras but it was a blast.
To give you an idea how big Lake Superior is, it takes Lake Erie approximately 2 and a half years to replenish its water while it takes Lake Superior 191 years!
My favorite part of the song is his description of the Great Lakes. Both stunning and accurate.
The sound quality didn't really come through though. A buzz that's not in the original ran through the song
Last year at the memorial they rang the bell 30 times. One extra for Gordon. RIP
My dad was Chippewa my grandparents came out of Canada course I'm born in bridge Georgia
this was not the story of an old wreck. The wreck happened just a short time before Gordon wrote and recorded this song. They had all of the modern sea-faring technology including radio, weather reports etc.
Had a friend back in '77 who liked to butcher this tune with twisted, improvised lyrics. We dubbed his version 'The Wreck of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald'. A northwest wind across Lake Superior is not for the faint of heart. Gordon Lightfoot had a brilliant gift for story-telling and cinematic lyrics, and this song was a great example.
One of the best songs ever. The surface area of the five US-Canada Great Lakes exceeds that of the entire UK.
Lake Superior is so large that you could cover all of the North American continent in one foot of water just from Lake superior.
1,332 feet deep, or 408 meters.
If you would like to listen to a proper Canadian Sea Shanty I would recommend ” Barrett’s Privateers” by Stan Rogers.
It’s more like the rhythm of the waves. The ship and the crew are still at the bottom of Lake Superior.
THE STRUMMING PATTERN HE GOT FROM CHRISTY MOORE BACK HOME IN DERRY
Its not a lake its effin a huge lake.