“The church bells chimed and they rang 29 times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald “, but when Gordon passed the church bells chimed 30 times, to include Gordon !!!! What a tribute ❣️🎶🙏🏽❤️✌️
Would there be many people that would even remember the Edmund Fitzgerald if not for this song? I do because I live by the great lakes and know many lakers (men who work on the boats in the great lakes) but doubt anyone not close to these lakes would. Gordon deserves to be remembered just as these men are still.
My son is a ship captain and I always cry when I hear this song. We have hurricanes in our waters and this song runs through my head but I NEVER play it during a storm when my kid is out at sea. I used to build ships and a captain told us that women were unlucky on ships nd I had to leave the ship that I’d sweated blood n 19 hours a day for months. His shipment down out of Seattle. Karma.
I was thinking about that while I was listening to the song. That, and the fact that he kept in touch with the families all these years. Someone said he’ll finally meet the men whose memory he kept alive. I was a kid when this came out and didn’t even realize until years later how recent the tragedy was. For some reason I thought it had happened in the 1800s. Again, I was a kid and either didn’t understand some of the actual lyrics or I didn’t know enough to realize he was talking about a modern ship. Anyway, the song didn’t make me cry before but thinking about Gordon Lightfoot being honored by having the bell rung an extra time for him made me tear up today.
I was born on the shores of Superior, in Duluth. MN, and grew up watching ships like these many times from the side of the Aerial Bridge, where they entered and left the St.. Louis Bay port. Everyone knew about "the Fitz". She was the pride of the fleet. I know all too well how dangerous that Lake gets in winter. I know a gentleman here in VA who was on the last ship to return to Duluth that night. He remembers how everyone was concerned about the cessation of communications with the Fitz. He said they sat huddled around their radios and phones all night. There is a Museum where I used to play that is dedicated to her and her crew. Such a tragedy.
His lyrics and the way he presents it puts you on the deck of a freighter at the mercy of a terrible storm. Can't you just imagine it? To this day, a Navy vessel whose GPS says they are over the wreckage, stop the vessel and sound 29 times on their ship's bell before proceeding. They have named the wreckage site on the lake bottom as a national cemetery.
This wreck remains in the deep water off the coast of Canada with its crew. The line in the song that says the big lake it says never gives up her dead refers to this. The water is so cold that the bodies will never rise to the surface and can not be retrieved. Canada has made this area sacred, there is no diving permitted without special permission. Cargo ships to this as they pass by will blow their horns or ring their bells once for each man lost. It is sad to know that if they had only left port 5 minutes earlier or traveled a little faster they would've made the bay before the storm. Only 15 miles.
Technically speaking, the bodies won't rise to the surface because the water is too cold for the bacteria that would cause gas to build up in the bodies can't form. No gas, no rising. Some of the bodies have been seen by divers, but it's a cemetery for all intents and purposes now. I believe the ship's bell was retrieved, though. Sorry for the biology part.
What is haunting is the fact that bacteria cannot thrive in the freezing temperatures of the lake. Everything is the same as it was they day the Fitz sank. The boat, its contents and its corpses.
@@jilliant.4550 The Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Lake Superior is considered international waters. At the request of the surviving family members. The wreck is considered a grave site. Which is to remain inviolate until at least fifty years after the death of the last family member(as I understand it).
November 10, 1975! I was extremely young but I remember seeing my pops cry! He worked for Great Lakes Steel which sits on the Detroit River/Lake Erie. He had been on this vessel many times, loading and unloading. A lot of the crew rotated, but there were several who were assigned to the EF. He had gotten to know them and there was a bar near there where they'd go "cut up" (my pops words). The only thing that brought my pops any kind of solace was knowing those guys died doing what they loved! The Mariners church in Detroit used to chime their bells 29 times for every soul lost every November 10. But, for reasons unknown to me, they stopped doing that years ago, until this past May! In honor of the passing of Gordon Lightfoot, the Mariners Church sounded their bells 30 times!
I didn't know they stopped chiming the bells of the church. Kind of ironic the Gordon made the song because he thought there wasn't enough coverage about it in the news and that it had passed too quickly. He wanted the men to be remembered and they were one last time with Gordon's death.
I'm from Michigan & I remember when it happened. This was a tragic story & a beautiful memorial to those who were lost. The Great Lakes can be fierce like the ocean.
@@objectiveobserver4278 So true! Out daughter in law is from TX and lives in FL. She was amazed at the beauty and size of the great lakes, she had no idea.
In a way they can be worse than the oceans. Oceans have big rolling waves, but in comparison the lake waves are smaller and choppy...they can batter things to pieces. Experiences ocean sailors can get really seasick on the Great Lakes.
Also old Navy got out in '86 and the line about the sound oif the wind through the wires you have to have been out to sea to understand how hard that wind was. CVN-65/CV-63 the best 10 years of my life.
Everything you just said...yes. Gordon (recently passed) the best storytelling singer/songwriter ever. I was in high school (in Minnesota) when this shipwreck took place. It hit hard. The ship hauled iron ore from the mines in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin to plants in Ohio and Michigan. I could type volumes, better to just google "Edmund Fitzgerald" and "Lake Superior" . Gordon Lightfoot donated all his profits from this song to the families of those who perished. It's been almost 50 years and this song still brings a tear to my eyes.
I was in grade 11. I remember the news reports everyone was listening and hoping. That hope vanished rather quickly. What breaks my heart was that they were so close to safety in Whitefish Bay. 10-15 miles. So close. Blaming the crew for not fixing the hatch covers was speculation I couldn't buy. Experienced Captain and crew would absolutely have checked them before departing and the minute the wind kicked in. The size of the waves is a much more likely cause. The Fitz was low in the water and likely overloaded. The waves were running 25 ft plus. They absolutely would have been going over the deck. The hatch covers were only tested to deal with 4 feet of water coming across. The wave height that night were 25 plus feet. The water weight on the hatches was way over the safety limits. They could have punched the hatches down easily. The wave size would have smashed the wheel house which would certainly explain no SOS sent. Whatever happened it was incredibly fast.
November of 1975, I lived in a small village about 90 miles from the western tip of Lake Superior. I was a senior in high school, and spent the evening in question doing homework, then reading, while listening to the radio station out of Duluth, MN. Earlier that day the two last ore freighters of the season out of Duluth and Superior left the Harbors and steamed up lake, heading for Lake Michigan and eventually one of the eastern steel cities in Ohio. If memory serves, the Arthur M. Anderson left Duluth Harbor that day, and the Edmund Fitzgerald out of Superior Harbor was running about 10-15 miles behind her. A blizzard had moved into our town in mid to late afternoon, the same storm that eventually caught up with the Fitz out on Lake Superior. The Duluth radio stations began reporting in early evening that the Fitz had been having some trouble. according to Coast Guard reports. The reports came in throughout the evening while I did my homework and reading, at one point reporting that the Fitz had lost ship-to-shore communications but was able to communicate ship-to-ship with the Arthur M. Anderson. When I went to bed, the reports were that she was still struggling, but was nearing safety at the upper east end of the lake. When the radio alarm woke me the next morning, the reports were that the Fitz had lost all radio contact and disappeared from radar, and the Coast Guard was initiating a search for survivors or wreckage. I didn't know anyone on the ship, but a number of my classmates had dads, uncles, and older brothers that worked on the ore freighters, so it was kind of a big deal around school for a while. Months later I was listening to that same radio station while driving to a friend's house, when the dj on the radio said he was about to play the new song by Gordon Lightfoot, about the Fitz. I pulled off to the side of the road to listen, and by the time it was half over had tears on my cheeks. Great song. Side note: At the beginning of the song, Lightfoot refers to "the big lake they call Gitchegumee," that is the what the local population of indigenous people who lived in that area before European settlers came in, called Lake Superior. Gitchegumee = Lake Superior.
I was under the impression that the last communication from the Fitz tithe Anderson was that they were "holding their own." Ten minutes later they vanished from radar. Those last minutes were fast, catastrophically fast. Given the fact she was loaded alot more water as coming up the deck over the hatches...they could handle 4 feet of wash. The waves that night could have put 3 times that amount washing over those hatches. Some think it could have been a rogue wave. Riding low this would have battered the wheelhouse and explained why no final call went out. I remember it very well.
This a true story and Gordon Lightfoot did a masterful job telling the tragic story of these brave men. The proceeds to this day go to the families of the crew. Lake Superior is one of the five Great Lakes that are part of the Canadian/American border. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world and the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes. It measures 31,700 square miles and is 1,332 feet(406 meters deep). It is so large it can as it did that day experience hurricane-force winds. It took some time to even locate the wreckage. To this day the exact reason for its demise is still unknown. Gordon Lightfoot recently died and what a loss to the world as a great singer and storyteller. A great choice for a reaction!
CORRECTION: Lake Baikal in Siberia is the largest freshwater lake - not by surface area, but by volume.. the thing is deeper than the Mariana trench by the time you find the bedrock beneath years of sediment. It is closely studied by all sorts of socientists because of the zoological environment found nowhere else on Earth.
I’m from Chicago and I remember when this happened. I was 10 years old . An old friend of my father’s perished on the Edmund Fitzgerald. It was one of the few times I saw my father cry. This was huge news in the Great Lakes region of the United States.
I live on Georgian Bay part of the Great Lakes. They are massive, deep deadly lakes. The storms on them are fierce. God bless the sailor's and Gordy. ❤🇺🇸🇨🇦
@@lauraclark427 Exactly, a rumor started he donated all the money and he did say that he didn't. The scholarship for all the children was very generous of him and the reason he wrote the song, being to honor the men as he felt the coverage of the story passed just too fast for the tragedy it was.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the biggest freighter on the Great Lakes at the time it was launched in 1957. The Arthur M Anderson (the ship that was 15 minutes ahead of the Fitzgerald) was lengthened to be even bigger A friend of mine told me that her father worked on the Anderson and was on board the night that the Fitzgerald sank. He told her that they didn't get the full brunt of the storm and still almost didn't make port. The waves were coming 25 feet over the bow. I can't imagine how bad it was for the Fitzgerald as the caught the worst of the storm. These are huge ships, meant to run on the Great Lakes, so this was truly a monster storm. RIP Gordon and the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
I was high school when this happened. Gordon was a master story teller and this song is so hauntedly beautiful. At the Whitefish Point Maritime Museum in Michigan located 15 miles from the wreck, they loop this song and play it continuously from the time they open until it closes every day. Gordon will be missed very badly. You have a blessed day
There is extended version where he list the names of each man lost.....very eery, but powerful. This song was the reason I joined the U.S. Navy 32 years ago!
Lightfoot gave all the profits from this song to the families of the victims. He maintained a relationship with them until his recent death. This song was recorded in one take the first time the band played it.
Gordon is ours(Canadian) the tragedy is yours(USA) we connect over this, both nations consider it a maritime graveyard, dive on it upon your peril, take something from it, we will both end you.
Gordon read an article about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and felt that it didn't do justice to the crew and wrote this iconic song. The ship was named after the president or CEO of an insurance company that owned her as an asset. Captain McSworley was 59 and going to retire the next year (1976). The ship was found nine days after she was last heard from. The area where the wreck is, is considered sacred land and off-limits to anyone who wants to dive or film there. The youngest member of the crew was only 22. Gordon was such a Canadian national treasure. He was a storyteller. As several have mentioned the most poignant line is about where God's love goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours. I cannot imagine drowning and going down with the ship in such a terrible way.
Gordon wrote this song because the papers at the time barely carried the story and 29 men had died. He talked to the families and said he wanted to write a song about it. He was a good man and when they didn't like a line he had put in the song he changed it for them and then some of the money made from this song was donated to the families. There is another ship not included in this song that had a brave crew and captain. They made to to cover barely and had lost radio contact with the Fitzgerald. The coast guard asked if he would turn his ship around and go back out into that storm to try to find survivors. He did it but not before he said, "God help us". They found the remnants of a banged up lifeboat and that was all.
The wreck took place on November 10, 1975 on Lake Superior -- one of the Great Lakes bordered by the United States and Cananda. The ship was carrying a heavy load of iron ore pellets. Another ship, the SS Arthur S. Anderson, had reached safe harbor, but was asked to go back out into the storm in search of the Fitzgerald. The Anderson's captain reluctantly did so, risking his own ship and crew. After hours of searching the Anderson found no sign of the lost ship, and returned to harbor.
Thank you for your reaction to this hauntingly beautiful folk song of true events. Gordon was a Canadian icon - musician, songwriter, poet, storyteller all wrapped in one.
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
I worked with a guy whose dad went down on the Edmond Fitzgerald. This is such a classic and iconic song - a tribute to the talent and heart of Gordon Lightfoot.
The long twang he has tune his guitar to is the sound of the wind through the mast cables, antennas ,superstructure. If you have ever been on a ship in a storm you would immediately hear it here.
I'm a 64 year old native Floridian. This was released when I was a teenager. I was vaguely aware that The Great Lakes existed, those blue patches on the maps up near the border with Canada. This made the industry and people of the region real for me. I love artistic works that expand my frame of reference, and this is a wonderful one. RIP men for whom the bell tolled.
A couple of the most heart wrenching lines in music "does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours" and "all that remains is the faces and names of the wives and the sons and the daughters" This is a beautiful haunting song. RIP to the crew of the EF and to GF
Thank you for reacting to this! So many of us who were around in 1975 and aware of the power of the lakes will never forget when it happened or the amazing song Lightfoot (RIP) wrote. The waves on Lake Superior are unusual and move differently because fresh lake water is much less dense than sea water. So, when typically dangerous freezing cold and windy weather hits up there, (I live in the Detroit area), when everything is “right”, the waves become really treacherous. They often come in 3’s - the “3 Sisters”, one fairly quickly after the other, and a ship cannot adjust after being hit by the first, and worse yet, after the second. A twenty foot fresh water wave is all water. There is little, by comparison to a salt water wave, foam, any entrapped air. So, it’s like being hit by a tall wall of concrete vs a longer rise and fall from an ocean wave. The wave face angle is steeper, so there is less introduction to the wave. It is in your face, all of it, right now. And the speed of advance is faster, and a few other things that make a fresh water wave harder to deal with. While 20 foot waves are common on the ocean, they are not so common in fresh water, few lakes have the fetch (distance) and weather conditions to generate them. So, the November weather on Lk Superior generates fast, tall, and hard. You combine these specific waves and weather with the type of freighter that carry ore in the Great Lakes and a heavily overloaded iron ore freighter cannot adjust to being hit by those 20-30 foot 3 sisters. One of the initial theories was that the Fitzgerald broke in half and then sank, with the thought that it was caught between 2 waves. One more current theory is one that proposes that the boat was running so low in the water because of its load, that the hatches giving in helped swamp the boat. When the wave hit, the bow of the boat was forced downward given the shifting of the weight of the ore forward, causing it to sink at a very high angle. It’s thought that the boat hit bottom so hard that it snapped when it hit. Sounds sort of logical. No matter what, ships sink in Superior and the other Great Lakes because weather comes up fast and hard in November. Folks really can’t appreciate the size and power of of them until they see them. They are inland freshwater seas, and so they have tides and generate their own flavor of tsunamis. This was an epic Great Lakes shipping tragedy that still has us listening to the song with quiet reverence. I hope you did some further investigation. Listening to the song with that information is a whole different experience. Cheers! Happy New Year!
thank you for all your research and Facts you have managed to collect,, living in Canada,, I can tell you winds can come in from the North at 80 to 120 km/hr,, living in dry land as I do in the Prairies,, and having to cope with the winds and snow on dry land,, I can't even Imagine what those poor souls had to cope with on a fresh water lake,, overloaded as they were ..... I have seen Lake Superior from #17 Highway on the North side of the lake in March ,,,, when only a gentle wind of only 20 to 30 km/hh wind blowing across it ,,, the waves and Ice are ,, terrifying,, from what I have read ,, The Edmond Fitzgerale did dive Deep,, and broke in half,, after most of the front hatches broke from the pounding of constant waves ...... never the less,, to be in ice cold water,,,, gasping for a breath,,,,,,
@@mauricester, so you know exactly what I’m talking about! I think that unless you’re around them, either the massive nature of the Great Lakes and the vast prairies you live among, it’s hard to imagine just what they do and how weather changes because of how huge they are. Terrifying, for sure, especially when the winds of November, (Dec, Jan, Feb, etc etc), hit either. Even with all of that, they are all so deserving of respect. Thank you for telling me about your experience! Cheers!!
Gordon actually changed that line after seeing a documentary that said that the hatches were probably not the issue. When he sang it in concert after that, he sang "At 7 pm it was dark, it was then he said fellers, it's been good to know ya"
part 2 Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior, Wisconsin, at 2:15 p.m. on the afternoon of November 9, 1975,under the command of Captain Ernest M. McSorley. She was en route to the steel mill on Zug Island, near Detroit, Michigan,with a cargo of 26,116 long tons (29,250 short tons; 26,535 t) of taconite ore pellets and soon reached her full speed of 16.3 miles per hour (14.2 kn; 26.2 km/h).Around 5 p.m., Edmund Fitzgerald joined a second freighter under the command of Captain Jesse B. "Bernie" Cooper, Arthur M. Anderson, destined for Gary, Indiana, out of Two Harbors, Minnesota. The weather forecast was not unusual for November and the National Weather Service (NWS) predicted that a storm would pass just south of Lake Superior by 7 a.m. on November 10. SS Wilfred Sykes loaded opposite Edmund Fitzgerald at the Burlington Northern Dock #1 and departed at 4:15 p.m., about two hours after Edmund Fitzgerald. In contrast to the NWS forecast, Captain Dudley J. Paquette of Wilfred Sykes predicted that a major storm would directly cross Lake Superior. From the outset, he chose a route that took advantage of the protection offered by the lake's north shore to avoid the worst effects of the storm. The crew of Wilfred Sykes followed the radio conversations between Edmund Fitzgerald and Arthur M. Anderson during the first part of their trip and overheard their captains deciding to take the regular Lake Carriers' Association downbound route.The NWS altered its forecast at 7:00 p.m., issuing gale warnings for the whole of Lake Superior.Arthur M. Anderson and Edmund Fitzgerald altered course northward, seeking shelter along the Ontario shore, where they encountered a winter storm at 1:00 a.m. on November 10. Edmund Fitzgerald reported winds of 52 knots (96 km/h; 60 mph) and waves 10 feet (3.0 m) high.Captain Paquette of Wilfred Sykes reported that after 1 a.m., he overheard McSorley say that he had reduced the ship's speed because of the rough conditions. Paquette said he was stunned to later hear McSorley, who was not known for turning aside or slowing down, state that "we're going to try for some lee from Isle Royale. You're walking away from us anyway … I can't stay with you." At 2:00 a.m. on November 10, the NWS upgraded its warnings from gale to storm, forecasting winds of 35-50 knots (65-93 km/h; 40-58 mph). Until then, Edmund Fitzgerald had followed Arthur M. Anderson, which was travelling at a constant 14.6 miles per hour (12.7 kn; 23.5 km/h), but the faster Edmund Fitzgerald pulled ahead at about 3:00 a.m.As the storm center passed over the ships, they experienced shifting winds, with wind speeds temporarily dropping as wind direction changed from northeast to south and then northwest. After 1:50 p.m., when Arthur M. Anderson logged winds of 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph), wind speeds again picked up rapidly, and it began to snow at 2:45 p.m., reducing visibility; Arthur M. Anderson lost sight of Edmund Fitzgerald, which was about 16 miles (26 km) ahead at the time. Shortly after 3:30 p.m., Captain McSorley radioed Arthur M. Anderson to report that Edmund Fitzgerald was taking on water and had lost two vent covers and a fence railing. The vessel had also developed a list.Two of Edmund Fitzgerald's six bilge pumps ran continuously to discharge shipped water. McSorley said that he would slow his ship down so that Arthur M. Anderson could close the gap between them. In a broadcast shortly afterward, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) warned all shipping that the Soo Locks had been closed and they should seek safe anchorage. Shortly after 4:10 p.m., McSorley called Arthur M. Anderson again to report a radar failure and asked Arthur M. Anderson to keep track of them.Edmund Fitzgerald, effectively blind, slowed to let Arthur M. Anderson come within a 10-mile (16 km) range so she could receive radar guidance from the other ship. For a time, Arthur M. Anderson directed Edmund Fitzgerald toward the relative safety of Whitefish Bay; then, at 4:39 p.m., McSorley contacted the USCG station in Grand Marais, Michigan, to inquire whether the Whitefish Point light and navigation beacon were operational. The USCG replied that their monitoring equipment indicated that both instruments were inactive. McSorley then hailed any ships in the Whitefish Point area to report the state of the navigational aids, receiving an answer from Captain Cedric Woodard of Avafors between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. that the Whitefish Point light was on but not the radio beacon. Woodard testified to the Marine Board that he overheard McSorley say, "Don't allow nobody on deck,"as well as something about a vent that Woodard could not understand. Some time later, McSorley told Woodard, "I have a 'bad list', I have lost both radars, and am taking heavy seas over the deck in one of the worst seas I have ever been in." By late in the afternoon of November 10, sustained winds of over 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph) were recorded by ships and observation points across eastern Lake Superior.[56] Arthur M. Anderson logged sustained winds as high as 58 knots (107 km/h; 67 mph) at 4:52 p.m., while waves increased to as high as 25 feet (7.6 m) by 6:00 p.m.Arthur M. Anderson was also struck by 70-to-75-knot (130 to 139 km/h; 81 to 86 mph) gusts and rogue waves as high as 35 feet (11 m). At approximately 7:10 p.m., when Arthur M. Anderson notified Edmund Fitzgerald of an upbound ship and asked how she was doing, McSorley reported, "We are holding our own." She was never heard from again. No distress signal was received, and ten minutes later, Arthur M. Anderson lost the ability either to reach Edmund Fitzgerald by radio or to detect her on radar
In my opinion, this is the best folk song written in the 20th century. When this song first came out on the radio, people would just stop and fall silent. In case you are puzzled by "Gitchee Gumme" -- Big Sea Water -- it is one of various pronunciations of the Native name for Lake Superior, and popularized by Longfellow's poem, "Hiawatha."
Im in Ontario Canada , remember the news headlines of the Fitz missing & the search, shocked to realize years later that about the same time was camping at Pancake Bay Provincial Park where you could practically see where she went down from the beach ... beach lol remember as a kid the gravel beach , running about 10 ft into Lake Superior & the bottom dropping out ... never touched the bottom & got a mouth full of water RIP Gordon & to the Fitz s crew , will never forget you
Nightwish army here, I grew up on Lake Ontario and this Wreck hit hard, even for a grade 6 kid. Since the Wreck this song was played on WKBW the anniversary in November. His passing the Church bell rang 30 tines for him. Proceeds from this song went to the Families :)
When they say Superior never gives up her dead , that is literally true. It's water is so cold that bodies don't decompose and float to the surface like you would expect. They are still in and around the boat to this day. The families went to court to prevent photos and video being published and it is now designated a gravesite and protected by the Canadian government! In honour of Gord's death the Cathedral rang the church bells 30 times. He would have been humbled!
I saw on a video that one man was outside the ship, lying on the lake bed. The submersible deliberately stirred up silt to cover him, so that no pictures can be taken of him. An oddly respectful thing to do.
There have been thousands of boat and shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, but if it wasn't for Gordon with this song, it may have been just remembered as regional history, but he made it legend worldwide. His "Sundown" is one of my all-time favorite songs which I highly suggest.
Gordon maintained friendships with many of the sailors’ survivors. In fact, not long before he passed, he visited one of the sailor’s widow who was in ill health. He contributed financial support to the families in addition to his beautiful rendition of the mishap. R.I.P. Gordon. 💔🇨🇦
My Father worked aboard harbor tugs in Milwaukee Harbour in the 60's, 70's, & 80's, and worked with the Fitz. Later when I was sailing in the far east I worked for a First Officer who had started on the Lakes and said a good friend of his was still on watch aboard the Fitzgerald. The Seas are wide, but the Brotherhood is small. Forty-eight years and I still cry.
I was so sad to hear of Gordon Lightfoot's passing away recently. Loved his music! This song is a beautiful tribute by one of the best Canadian songwriters & storytellers. This is based on a true story & the lyrics tell the sad tale of the sinking of the ship & loss of lives in 1975. Gordon Lightfoot has had many hits through his long career such as "Sundown", "Early Morning Rain", "Steel Rail Blues", "Ribbon Of Darkness", "Carefree Highway", "Rainy Day People", "Cotton Jenny", "Black Day In July", "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" etc.
And one of my very favorite songs of his ~ "Beautiful"; though relatively simple lyrics in comparison with some of his other songs, the lyrics Are truly beautiful and sweet, and hold a very sentimental place in my heart! Gordon Light foot was the first person I ever saw in concert, LongBeach, Calif., the summer of '75 & I had just turned 16.
I remember hearing this on the news the day this tragedy occurred, November 10, 1975. The news showed a crowd of people waiting at the shoreline for news. One young woman was holding a baby wrapped in a blanket. That's when I broke down and cried. There are things in life that, once you see them, you can never Unsee them, no matter how hard you try. For me, THAT is still one of those moments, all these years later. My eyes are filling up as i type this, that's how vivid that tragic memory remains.
Such a haunting beautiful song, It always brings a tear to me eyes! This is one of my favorite songs of all time! I love that you let the music control your body, i do the same! There is a video of the song that includes the names, age and hometown of the crew members!
I'm 46 years old and live in Wisconsin (USA). We learned about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in school because it's part of Wisconsin's history because it left a port in Lake Superior from Wisconsin.
I remember when this happened. Gordon, a Canadian, wrote this song qickly to remember this in the US. I live relatively close to this area where it happened.
I agree ... good story teller.. I ❤ Gordon and also John Denver n CW McCall .. n my personal fav Johnny Horton ( whom I learn my history as a girl).. by the way, these are Trubadors... in my opinion
Gordon is going to be sadly missed ...such a great voice and story teller. Haven't heard a song I haven't liked by this gentleman RIP the next generation will definitely miss out on his songs I'm from Erie Pa and right on the lake..graduated in 1974 remember this tragedy like it was yesterday.
He had been to the church a few times for the ceremony's. I remember as a child watching this ship sail down the Detroit river. It was huge and living in Windsor ontario we can hear the church bells ringing for each member and once for Mr Lightfoot himself.
This was my first time sitting in with you today! Thank you for allowing me to do that! I enjoyed my time spent with you so I subscribed while I was here and left a big thumbs up for you! I'm from Michigan and this happened when I was 18 years old, I had a small child and I just clung to him when the news came over the radio. When I listen to this song, I find it to be very sad that they died hungry, I know this is a small thing, but again it isn't. I cry every time I hear this song, yet every time I see someone new to me reacting to it I have to go see their reaction. Gordon Lightfoot was a genius, both musically and lyrically! The Great Lakes are dangerous, every bit as dangerous as the ocean, maybe even more-so, they are deceptive, a storm can form out of nowhere over them at any time of day or night every single day of the year! I never swam in any of the Great Lakes and I never allowed my children to either, too many people drown every year, now that they are grown men they swim in there, but while it was in my control I kept them out!
Gordon Lightfoot Legend in Canada. This event riveted Canada and the US. It is burned in our psyche. This song commemorates those lost and the families left behind.
Gordon was a legend and sadly missed. I was so lucky to have seen him live years ago. I live very close to Lake Erie and I will say that all of the great lakes can be absolute monsters, but superior takes it to a whole new level. I’ve seen quite a number of people react to the song, and it often takes on a whole new meaning when they realize that it’s all true.
I still remember when this happened, as a young adult. I was listening to the radio. A sobering event. It was quite a few years before they found the wreck, so she was presumed lost for years before located.
This happened about a month before my 6th birthday, but we only had one English tv channel where I lived so I watched almost everything that was on, including the news... and I remember when this story broke. The Edmund Fitzgerald was a the largest of the freighter ships that sailed the Great Lakes, which are the largest fresh water lakes in the world (larger than many seas). Gitchigumi is what the Ojibwe people called Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, it means something along the lines of "Big Sea" or "Huge Water."
I live in the lower Peninsula of Michigan. My husband and I travel to the upper Peninsula at least 12 times a year. We always hit Lake superior shore. We are rock hunting nerds. When it’s a calm day with hardly any waves, we are very surprised and thrilled. It’s normally crazy wavy, windy and can be outright dangerous.
Hits way too close to home. I was in the 8th grade when this happened. My grandfather was a steward on the freighters. He came off the rotation at the end of September but, he could easily have been in line for crew replacement... Respect the Lakes
This is a song that just kicks you in the gut in the best way. I recently visited the shipwreck museum at Whitefish Bay where the bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald is housed (on the wreck it was replaced by a memorial bell honoring the lost), and the Mariners' Church in Detroit. We also visited the Cleveland Waterfront near the R&R Hall of Fame where the SS William G Mather freighter serves as a museum ship. Seeing the locations in the story brings it all to life.
I love that he mentioned the Great Lakes.....Its how I remember the names, I sing the verse....Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. I used to live on the eastern tip of Lake Ontario. Its a beautiful song.
I was a young mom when the news hit about this wreck. 1975? something like that. The storms on the American great lakes are ferocious. The good captain and crew lay at the bottom to this day. It is considered a sacred gravesite.
I was 11 years old when this song came out. I remember hearing it on the radio (remember those?😊). I had a difficult time understanding what he was saying/singing. But I knew it was about something very sad because of his voice and the music. I only discovered, about 5 years ago, what he was singing about and that it was a true story. I Googled what happened with the Fitzgerald and how the “Superior never gives up her dead”. Such a sad sad story. Gordon Lightfoot gave the best tribute to the crew!!
“The church bells chimed and they rang 29 times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald “, but when Gordon passed the church bells chimed 30 times, to include Gordon !!!! What a tribute ❣️🎶🙏🏽❤️✌️
Would there be many people that would even remember the Edmund Fitzgerald if not for this song? I do because I live by the great lakes and know many lakers (men who work on the boats in the great lakes) but doubt anyone not close to these lakes would. Gordon deserves to be remembered just as these men are still.
A brilliant tribute~
❤❤❤
@stephenkellar I'm in Australia and only know of this tragedy from this song
I was so intrigued by this song i needed to learn more of the story
@@stephenkellar, I'm from MI and I am remember. This song gives me goosebumps every single time I hear it.
He was a folk song hero for everyone, but us Canadians are awfully proud he was one of us. Timeless music. Such an iconic voice.
My son is a ship captain and I always cry when I hear this song. We have hurricanes in our waters and this song runs through my head but I NEVER play it during a storm when my kid is out at sea. I used to build ships and a captain told us that women were unlucky on ships nd I had to leave the ship that I’d sweated blood n 19 hours a day for months. His shipment down out of Seattle. Karma.
On Tuesday, May 2, 2023 the Mariners’ Church of Detroit honored Gordon Lightfoot with ringing the bell 30 times instead of 29 times.
RIP Gordon.
I was thinking about that while I was listening to the song. That, and the fact that he kept in touch with the families all these years. Someone said he’ll finally meet the men whose memory he kept alive. I was a kid when this came out and didn’t even realize until years later how recent the tragedy was. For some reason I thought it had happened in the 1800s. Again, I was a kid and either didn’t understand some of the actual lyrics or I didn’t know enough to realize he was talking about a modern ship. Anyway, the song didn’t make me cry before but thinking about Gordon Lightfoot being honored by having the bell rung an extra time for him made me tear up today.
I still tear up when I hear of that. What a superb human being he was.
Wow that's amazing
.... oh god... cutting onions...
❤
"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?" Simply haunting lyrics. RIP Gordon. ❤️
One of the most haunting and tragic lyrics in any genre.
I agree! Also” that big ship and true was a bone to be chewed “!!
This is my favourite line such a true sentiment
Amazing lyrics! 💔♥️ Hauntingly beautiful.
I was born on the shores of Superior, in Duluth. MN, and grew up watching ships like these many times from the side of the Aerial Bridge, where they entered and left the St.. Louis Bay port. Everyone knew about "the Fitz". She was the pride of the fleet. I know all too well how dangerous that Lake gets in winter. I know a gentleman here in VA who was on the last ship to return to Duluth that night. He remembers how everyone was concerned about the cessation of communications with the Fitz. He said they sat huddled around their radios and phones all night. There is a Museum where I used to play that is dedicated to her and her crew. Such a tragedy.
His lyrics and the way he presents it puts you on the deck of a freighter at the mercy of a terrible storm. Can't you just imagine it?
To this day, a Navy vessel whose GPS says they are over the wreckage, stop the vessel and sound 29 times on their ship's bell before proceeding.
They have named the wreckage site on the lake bottom as a national cemetery.
The Maritime Cathedral rang the bell 30 times the day Gordon Lightfoot passed. Lost a Canadian treasure. RIP
Truly a fitting send away...
This wreck remains in the deep water off the coast of Canada with its crew. The line in the song that says the big lake it says never gives up her dead refers to this. The water is so cold that the bodies will never rise to the surface and can not be retrieved. Canada has made this area sacred, there is no diving permitted without special permission. Cargo ships to this as they pass by will blow their horns or ring their bells once for each man lost. It is sad to know that if they had only left port 5 minutes earlier or traveled a little faster they would've made the bay before the storm. Only 15 miles.
Technically speaking, the bodies won't rise to the surface because the water is too cold for the bacteria that would cause gas to build up in the bodies can't form. No gas, no rising. Some of the bodies have been seen by divers, but it's a cemetery for all intents and purposes now. I believe the ship's bell was retrieved, though. Sorry for the biology part.
What is haunting is the fact that bacteria cannot thrive in the freezing temperatures of the lake. Everything is the same as it was they day the Fitz sank. The boat, its contents and its corpses.
*Michigan not Canada
@@SgtSaint420 nope, Ontario Canada. Canadian waters. You might want to look it up.
@@jilliant.4550
The Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Lake Superior is considered international waters.
At the request of the surviving family members. The wreck is considered a grave site. Which is to remain inviolate until at least fifty years after the death of the last family member(as I understand it).
November 10, 1975! I was extremely young but I remember seeing my pops cry! He worked for Great Lakes Steel which sits on the Detroit River/Lake Erie. He had been on this vessel many times, loading and unloading. A lot of the crew rotated, but there were several who were assigned to the EF. He had gotten to know them and there was a bar near there where they'd go "cut up" (my pops words). The only thing that brought my pops any kind of solace was knowing those guys died doing what they loved! The Mariners church in Detroit used to chime their bells 29 times for every soul lost every November 10. But, for reasons unknown to me, they stopped doing that years ago, until this past May! In honor of the passing of Gordon Lightfoot, the Mariners Church sounded their bells 30 times!
I didn't know they stopped chiming the bells of the church. Kind of ironic the Gordon made the song because he thought there wasn't enough coverage about it in the news and that it had passed too quickly. He wanted the men to be remembered and they were one last time with Gordon's death.
I'm from Michigan & I remember when it happened. This was a tragic story & a beautiful memorial to those who were lost. The Great Lakes can be fierce like the ocean.
A lot of people do not respect them because other are called lakes. They misjudge the power they have.
@@objectiveobserver4278 So true! Out daughter in law is from TX and lives in FL. She was amazed at the beauty and size of the great lakes, she had no idea.
yup there inland seas more than they are lakes
In a way they can be worse than the oceans. Oceans have big rolling waves, but in comparison the lake waves are smaller and choppy...they can batter things to pieces. Experiences ocean sailors can get really seasick on the Great Lakes.
So do I, from Texas.
I am USN Retired and a Disabled Veteran. I was a cook 👨🍳. This song is near and dear and rocks my soul. 🎶🎼🎵🎶🎼🎵
When I was at Great Lakes my best mate and I bonded over "Sundown", 🎼"looking like a queen in a sailor's dream...."
Also old Navy got out in '86 and the line about the sound oif the wind through the wires you have to have been out to sea to understand how hard that wind was. CVN-65/CV-63 the best 10 years of my life.
My salute to you, shipmate
Thank you for your service! ❤❤❤
Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours. . . That's probably the greatest line ever written
that quiet moment of reflection following 'the wives, and the sons, and the daughters'.
Everything you just said...yes. Gordon (recently passed) the best storytelling singer/songwriter ever. I was in high school (in Minnesota) when this shipwreck took place. It hit hard. The ship hauled iron ore from the mines in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin to plants in Ohio and Michigan. I could type volumes, better to just google "Edmund Fitzgerald" and "Lake Superior" . Gordon Lightfoot donated all his profits from this song to the families of those who perished. It's been almost 50 years and this song still brings a tear to my eyes.
I also grew up in Minnesota...I remember seeing it on the news in 1974
@@holgerschussler9107Nov 75
I was in High school too. Jealous it was so sad.
I was in grade 11. I remember the news reports everyone was listening and hoping. That hope vanished rather quickly. What breaks my heart was that they were so close to safety in Whitefish Bay. 10-15 miles. So close.
Blaming the crew for not fixing the hatch covers was speculation I couldn't buy. Experienced Captain and crew would absolutely have checked them before departing and the minute the wind kicked in. The size of the waves is a much more likely cause. The Fitz was low in the water and likely overloaded. The waves were running 25 ft plus. They absolutely would have been going over the deck.
The hatch covers were only tested to deal with 4 feet of water coming across. The wave height that night were 25 plus feet. The water weight on the hatches was way over the safety limits. They could have punched the hatches down easily. The wave size would have smashed the wheel house which would certainly explain no SOS sent. Whatever happened it was incredibly fast.
November of 1975, I lived in a small village about 90 miles from the western tip of Lake Superior. I was a senior in high school, and spent the evening in question doing homework, then reading, while listening to the radio station out of Duluth, MN. Earlier that day the two last ore freighters of the season out of Duluth and Superior left the Harbors and steamed up lake, heading for Lake Michigan and eventually one of the eastern steel cities in Ohio. If memory serves, the Arthur M. Anderson left Duluth Harbor that day, and the Edmund Fitzgerald out of Superior Harbor was running about 10-15 miles behind her. A blizzard had moved into our town in mid to late afternoon, the same storm that eventually caught up with the Fitz out on Lake Superior. The Duluth radio stations began reporting in early evening that the Fitz had been having some trouble. according to Coast Guard reports. The reports came in throughout the evening while I did my homework and reading, at one point reporting that the Fitz had lost ship-to-shore communications but was able to communicate ship-to-ship with the Arthur M. Anderson. When I went to bed, the reports were that she was still struggling, but was nearing safety at the upper east end of the lake. When the radio alarm woke me the next morning, the reports were that the Fitz had lost all radio contact and disappeared from radar, and the Coast Guard was initiating a search for survivors or wreckage. I didn't know anyone on the ship, but a number of my classmates had dads, uncles, and older brothers that worked on the ore freighters, so it was kind of a big deal around school for a while. Months later I was listening to that same radio station while driving to a friend's house, when the dj on the radio said he was about to play the new song by Gordon Lightfoot, about the Fitz. I pulled off to the side of the road to listen, and by the time it was half over had tears on my cheeks. Great song.
Side note: At the beginning of the song, Lightfoot refers to "the big lake they call Gitchegumee," that is the what the local population of indigenous people who lived in that area before European settlers came in, called Lake Superior. Gitchegumee = Lake Superior.
Thank you for sharing that. Bless you! 🙏❤️
This is the best and most informative comment I’ve seen in a long time. Thanks for sharing with us.
You're welcome, and thank you.
I live in the U.P. visit Superior often. Love the Keewanaw.
I was under the impression that the last communication from the Fitz tithe Anderson was that they were "holding their own." Ten minutes later they vanished from radar. Those last minutes were fast, catastrophically fast. Given the fact she was loaded alot more water as coming up the deck over the hatches...they could handle 4 feet of wash. The waves that night could have put 3 times that amount washing over those hatches. Some think it could have been a rogue wave. Riding low this would have battered the wheelhouse and explained why no final call went out.
I remember it very well.
I first heard this song in 1976 when it came out. That haunting melody still puts a lump in my throat to this day.
This a true story and Gordon Lightfoot did a masterful job telling the tragic story of these brave men.
The proceeds to this day go to the families of the crew.
Lake Superior is one of the five Great Lakes that are part of the Canadian/American border.
It is the largest freshwater lake in the world and the coldest and deepest of the Great Lakes.
It measures 31,700 square miles and is 1,332 feet(406 meters deep).
It is so large it can as it did that day experience hurricane-force winds.
It took some time to even locate the wreckage.
To this day the exact reason for its demise is still unknown.
Gordon Lightfoot recently died and what a loss to the world as a great singer and storyteller.
A great choice for a reaction!
Thanks for this! I like learning new things!
CORRECTION: Lake Baikal in Siberia is the largest freshwater lake - not by surface area, but by volume.. the thing is deeper than the Mariana trench by the time you find the bedrock beneath years of sediment. It is closely studied by all sorts of socientists because of the zoological environment found nowhere else on Earth.
This is untrue. He was close to the families and set up a scholarship for the children, but did not donate all royalties. Google it.
I’m from Chicago and I remember when this happened. I was 10 years old . An old friend of my father’s perished on the Edmund Fitzgerald. It was one of the few times I saw my father cry. This was huge news in the Great Lakes region of the United States.
I live on Georgian Bay part of the Great Lakes. They are massive, deep deadly lakes. The storms on them are fierce. God bless the sailor's and Gordy. ❤🇺🇸🇨🇦
He donated all the royalties from this song to the surviving families.
Thank you, Canada!❤❤❤
This is untrue. He was close to the families and set up a scholarship for the children, but did not donate all royalties. Google it.
@@lauraclark427 Exactly, a rumor started he donated all the money and he did say that he didn't. The scholarship for all the children was very generous of him and the reason he wrote the song, being to honor the men as he felt the coverage of the story passed just too fast for the tragedy it was.
This was no small boat bobbing in the water. It held 26,000 tons of iron ore which is close to 250 rail cars.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was the biggest freighter on the Great Lakes at the time it was launched in 1957. The Arthur M Anderson (the ship that was 15
minutes ahead of the Fitzgerald) was lengthened to be even bigger
A friend of mine told me that her father worked on the Anderson and was on board the night that the Fitzgerald sank. He told her that they didn't get the full brunt of the storm and still almost didn't make port. The waves were coming 25 feet over the bow. I can't imagine how bad it was for the Fitzgerald as the caught the worst of the storm. These are huge ships, meant to run on the Great Lakes, so this was truly a monster storm. RIP Gordon and the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
I was high school when this happened. Gordon was a master story teller and this song is so hauntedly beautiful. At the Whitefish Point Maritime Museum in Michigan located 15 miles from the wreck, they loop this song and play it continuously from the time they open until it closes every day. Gordon will be missed very badly. You have a blessed day
The original ship's bell is housed there. It was replaced with another bell engraved with names of the men that died.
There is extended version where he list the names of each man lost.....very eery, but powerful. This song was the reason I joined the U.S. Navy 32 years ago!
Lightfoot gave all the profits from this song to the families of the victims. He maintained a relationship with them until his recent death. This song was recorded in one take the first time the band played it.
This is untrue. He was close to the families and set up a scholarship for the children, but did not donate all royalties. Google it.
This is untrue. He was close to the families and set up a scholarship for the children, but did not donate all royalties. Google it.
Gordon is ours(Canadian) the tragedy is yours(USA)
we connect over this, both nations consider it a maritime graveyard, dive on it upon your peril, take something from it, we will both end you.
Gordon read an article about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and felt that it didn't do justice to the crew and wrote this iconic song. The ship was named after the president or CEO of an insurance company that owned her as an asset. Captain McSworley was 59 and going to retire the next year (1976). The ship was found nine days after she was last heard from. The area where the wreck is, is considered sacred land and off-limits to anyone who wants to dive or film there. The youngest member of the crew was only 22. Gordon was such a Canadian national treasure. He was a storyteller. As several have mentioned the most poignant line is about where God's love goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours. I cannot imagine drowning and going down with the ship in such a terrible way.
Gordon wrote this song because the papers at the time barely carried the story and 29 men had died. He talked to the families and said he wanted to write a song about it. He was a good man and when they didn't like a line he had put in the song he changed it for them and then some of the money made from this song was donated to the families. There is another ship not included in this song that had a brave crew and captain. They made to to cover barely and had lost radio contact with the Fitzgerald. The coast guard asked if he would turn his ship around and go back out into that storm to try to find survivors. He did it but not before he said, "God help us". They found the remnants of a banged up lifeboat and that was all.
The wreck took place on November 10, 1975 on Lake Superior -- one of the Great Lakes bordered by the United States and Cananda. The ship was carrying a heavy load of iron ore pellets. Another ship, the SS Arthur S. Anderson, had reached safe harbor, but was asked to go back out into the storm in search of the Fitzgerald. The Anderson's captain reluctantly did so, risking his own ship and crew. After hours of searching the Anderson found no sign of the lost ship, and returned to harbor.
Gitche Gumee is Lake Superior, the "inland sea". This wreck has never been forgotten. I'm so glad you did this.
Thank you for your reaction to this hauntingly beautiful folk song of true events. Gordon was a Canadian icon - musician, songwriter, poet, storyteller all wrapped in one.
l concidered gordon lightfoot to be a folk crooner his voice was so smooth and fluid
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
I worked with a guy whose dad went down on the Edmond Fitzgerald. This is such a classic and iconic song - a tribute to the talent and heart of Gordon Lightfoot.
The long twang he has tune his guitar to is the sound of the wind through the mast cables, antennas ,superstructure. If you have ever been on a ship in a storm you would immediately hear it here.
I'm a 64 year old native Floridian. This was released when I was a teenager. I was vaguely aware that The Great Lakes existed, those blue patches on the maps up near the border with Canada. This made the industry and people of the region real for me. I love artistic works that expand my frame of reference, and this is a wonderful one. RIP men for whom the bell tolled.
Most people hear the word lake and don’t understand the Great Lakes act the same as an ocean. Tide’s undercurrents and crazy waves.
A couple of the most heart wrenching lines in music "does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours" and "all that remains is the faces and names of the wives and the sons and the daughters"
This is a beautiful haunting song.
RIP to the crew of the EF and to GF
My boyfriend had turned me on to Lightfoot around 1971. I think the first song I heard of his was Sundown. I became an instant and permanent fan.
Gordon Lightfoot was very special to us Canadians and to write a song about an American story just shows what a great connection we had cheers
The operative word here is “had”. Edit…cheers.
Thank you for reacting to this! So many of us who were around in 1975 and aware of the power of the lakes will never forget when it happened or the amazing song Lightfoot (RIP) wrote.
The waves on Lake Superior are unusual and move differently because fresh lake water is much less dense than sea water. So, when typically dangerous freezing cold and windy weather hits up there, (I live in the Detroit area), when everything is “right”, the waves become really treacherous. They often come in 3’s - the “3 Sisters”, one fairly quickly after the other, and a ship cannot adjust after being hit by the first, and worse yet, after the second. A twenty foot fresh water wave is all water. There is little, by comparison to a salt water wave, foam, any entrapped air. So, it’s like being hit by a tall wall of concrete vs a longer rise and fall from an ocean wave.
The wave face angle is steeper, so there is less introduction to the wave. It is in your face, all of it, right now.
And the speed of advance is faster, and a few other things that make a fresh water wave harder to deal with.
While 20 foot waves are common on the ocean, they are not so common in fresh water, few lakes have the fetch (distance) and weather conditions to generate them. So, the November weather on Lk Superior generates fast, tall, and hard.
You combine these specific waves and weather with the type of freighter that carry ore in the Great Lakes and a heavily overloaded iron ore freighter cannot adjust to being hit by those 20-30 foot 3 sisters.
One of the initial theories was that the Fitzgerald broke in half and then sank, with the thought that it was caught between 2 waves. One more current theory is one that proposes that the boat was running so low in the water because of its load, that the hatches giving in helped swamp the boat. When the wave hit, the bow of the boat was forced downward given the shifting of the weight of the ore forward, causing it to sink at a very high angle. It’s thought that the boat hit bottom so hard that it snapped when it hit. Sounds sort of logical.
No matter what, ships sink in Superior and the other Great Lakes because weather comes up fast and hard in November. Folks really can’t appreciate the size and power of of them until they see them. They are inland freshwater seas, and so they have tides and generate their own flavor of tsunamis.
This was an epic Great Lakes shipping tragedy that still has us listening to the song with quiet reverence. I hope you did some further investigation. Listening to the song with that information is a whole different experience.
Cheers! Happy New Year!
thank you for all your research and Facts you have managed to collect,, living in Canada,, I can tell you winds can come in from the North at 80 to 120 km/hr,, living in dry land as I do in the Prairies,, and having to cope with the winds and snow on dry land,, I can't even Imagine what those poor souls had to cope with on a fresh water lake,, overloaded as they were .....
I have seen Lake Superior from #17 Highway on the North side of the lake in March ,,,, when only a gentle wind of only 20 to 30 km/hh wind blowing across it ,,, the waves and Ice are ,, terrifying,,
from what I have read ,, The Edmond Fitzgerale did dive Deep,, and broke in half,, after most of the front hatches broke from the pounding of constant waves ......
never the less,, to be in ice cold water,,,, gasping for a breath,,,,,,
@@mauricester, so you know exactly what I’m talking about! I think that unless you’re around them, either the massive nature of the Great Lakes and the vast prairies you live among, it’s hard to imagine just what they do and how weather changes because of how huge they are. Terrifying, for sure, especially when the winds of November, (Dec, Jan, Feb, etc etc), hit either. Even with all of that, they are all so deserving of respect. Thank you for telling me about your experience! Cheers!!
At 7 pm the main hatch way gave in he said fellers it's been good to know ya
That line aways gets me 😪 Rip lads 🙏♥️
Gordon actually changed that line after seeing a documentary that said that the hatches were probably not the issue. When he sang it in concert after that, he sang "At 7 pm it was dark, it was then he said fellers, it's been good to know ya"
part 2 Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior, Wisconsin, at 2:15 p.m. on the afternoon of November 9, 1975,under the command of Captain Ernest M. McSorley. She was en route to the steel mill on Zug Island, near Detroit, Michigan,with a cargo of 26,116 long tons (29,250 short tons; 26,535 t) of taconite ore pellets and soon reached her full speed of 16.3 miles per hour (14.2 kn; 26.2 km/h).Around 5 p.m., Edmund Fitzgerald joined a second freighter under the command of Captain Jesse B. "Bernie" Cooper, Arthur M. Anderson, destined for Gary, Indiana, out of Two Harbors, Minnesota. The weather forecast was not unusual for November and the National Weather Service (NWS) predicted that a storm would pass just south of Lake Superior by 7 a.m. on November 10.
SS Wilfred Sykes loaded opposite Edmund Fitzgerald at the Burlington Northern Dock #1 and departed at 4:15 p.m., about two hours after Edmund Fitzgerald. In contrast to the NWS forecast, Captain Dudley J. Paquette of Wilfred Sykes predicted that a major storm would directly cross Lake Superior. From the outset, he chose a route that took advantage of the protection offered by the lake's north shore to avoid the worst effects of the storm. The crew of Wilfred Sykes followed the radio conversations between Edmund Fitzgerald and Arthur M. Anderson during the first part of their trip and overheard their captains deciding to take the regular Lake Carriers' Association downbound route.The NWS altered its forecast at 7:00 p.m., issuing gale warnings for the whole of Lake Superior.Arthur M. Anderson and Edmund Fitzgerald altered course northward, seeking shelter along the Ontario shore, where they encountered a winter storm at 1:00 a.m. on November 10. Edmund Fitzgerald reported winds of 52 knots (96 km/h; 60 mph) and waves 10 feet (3.0 m) high.Captain Paquette of Wilfred Sykes reported that after 1 a.m., he overheard McSorley say that he had reduced the ship's speed because of the rough conditions. Paquette said he was stunned to later hear McSorley, who was not known for turning aside or slowing down, state that "we're going to try for some lee from Isle Royale. You're walking away from us anyway … I can't stay with you."
At 2:00 a.m. on November 10, the NWS upgraded its warnings from gale to storm, forecasting winds of 35-50 knots (65-93 km/h; 40-58 mph). Until then, Edmund Fitzgerald had followed Arthur M. Anderson, which was travelling at a constant 14.6 miles per hour (12.7 kn; 23.5 km/h), but the faster Edmund Fitzgerald pulled ahead at about 3:00 a.m.As the storm center passed over the ships, they experienced shifting winds, with wind speeds temporarily dropping as wind direction changed from northeast to south and then northwest. After 1:50 p.m., when Arthur M. Anderson logged winds of 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph), wind speeds again picked up rapidly, and it began to snow at 2:45 p.m., reducing visibility; Arthur M. Anderson lost sight of Edmund Fitzgerald, which was about 16 miles (26 km) ahead at the time.
Shortly after 3:30 p.m., Captain McSorley radioed Arthur M. Anderson to report that Edmund Fitzgerald was taking on water and had lost two vent covers and a fence railing. The vessel had also developed a list.Two of Edmund Fitzgerald's six bilge pumps ran continuously to discharge shipped water. McSorley said that he would slow his ship down so that Arthur M. Anderson could close the gap between them. In a broadcast shortly afterward, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) warned all shipping that the Soo Locks had been closed and they should seek safe anchorage. Shortly after 4:10 p.m., McSorley called Arthur M. Anderson again to report a radar failure and asked Arthur M. Anderson to keep track of them.Edmund Fitzgerald, effectively blind, slowed to let Arthur M. Anderson come within a 10-mile (16 km) range so she could receive radar guidance from the other ship.
For a time, Arthur M. Anderson directed Edmund Fitzgerald toward the relative safety of Whitefish Bay; then, at 4:39 p.m., McSorley contacted the USCG station in Grand Marais, Michigan, to inquire whether the Whitefish Point light and navigation beacon were operational. The USCG replied that their monitoring equipment indicated that both instruments were inactive. McSorley then hailed any ships in the Whitefish Point area to report the state of the navigational aids, receiving an answer from Captain Cedric Woodard of Avafors between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. that the Whitefish Point light was on but not the radio beacon. Woodard testified to the Marine Board that he overheard McSorley say, "Don't allow nobody on deck,"as well as something about a vent that Woodard could not understand. Some time later, McSorley told Woodard, "I have a 'bad list', I have lost both radars, and am taking heavy seas over the deck in one of the worst seas I have ever been in."
By late in the afternoon of November 10, sustained winds of over 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph) were recorded by ships and observation points across eastern Lake Superior.[56] Arthur M. Anderson logged sustained winds as high as 58 knots (107 km/h; 67 mph) at 4:52 p.m., while waves increased to as high as 25 feet (7.6 m) by 6:00 p.m.Arthur M. Anderson was also struck by 70-to-75-knot (130 to 139 km/h; 81 to 86 mph) gusts and rogue waves as high as 35 feet (11 m).
At approximately 7:10 p.m., when Arthur M. Anderson notified Edmund Fitzgerald of an upbound ship and asked how she was doing, McSorley reported, "We are holding our own." She was never heard from again. No distress signal was received, and ten minutes later, Arthur M. Anderson lost the ability either to reach Edmund Fitzgerald by radio or to detect her on radar
In my opinion, this is the best folk song written in the 20th century.
When this song first came out on the radio, people would just stop and fall silent. In case you are puzzled by "Gitchee Gumme" -- Big Sea Water -- it is one of various pronunciations of the Native name for Lake Superior, and popularized by Longfellow's poem, "Hiawatha."
Wipes me out every time
78 yr old seaman w/a tear on his cheek.
Gordon Lightfood is the pride of the Canadian Side, RIP to the best story telling musician ever
Gordon Lightfoot was a great storyteller. This is a true story.❤️❤️
Im in Ontario Canada , remember the news headlines of the Fitz missing & the search, shocked to realize years later that about the same time was camping at Pancake Bay Provincial Park where you could practically see where she went down from the beach ... beach lol remember as a kid the gravel beach , running about 10 ft into Lake Superior & the bottom dropping out ... never touched the bottom & got a mouth full of water RIP Gordon & to the Fitz s crew , will never forget you
I love Gordon Lightfoot he is so good wow, amazing astonishing. Incredible. Believable. What a song?
The Edmund Fitzgerald is still the largest ship to sink on Lake Superior at 729'. She was a bulk iron ore carrier
Nightwish army here, I grew up on Lake Ontario and this Wreck hit hard, even for a grade 6 kid. Since the Wreck this song was played on WKBW the anniversary in November. His passing the Church bell rang 30 tines for him. Proceeds from this song went to the Families :)
No need to fill you in. Gordon's song tells the whole story. RIP to the crew.
When they say Superior never gives up her dead , that is literally true. It's water is so cold that bodies don't decompose and float to the surface like you would expect. They are still in and around the boat to this day. The families went to court to prevent photos and video being published and it is now designated a gravesite and protected by the Canadian government!
In honour of Gord's death the Cathedral rang the church bells 30 times. He would have been humbled!
I saw on a video that one man was outside the ship, lying on the lake bed. The submersible deliberately stirred up silt to cover him, so that no pictures can be taken of him. An oddly respectful thing to do.
One of the Best 🎶from our Canadian neighbors ❤He will be dearly missed!!! 💞🇺🇸
Gordon Lightfoot: One of the greatest musical story tellers ever.
Yep, that's a true and tragic tale, but I have always loved how he tells it. RIP Gordon.
A master singer/songwriter and teller of tales. No one did it better than Gordon.
I remember it. I was very young and in Missouri. It was on NBC national news. Then this song came out and just made me cry.
Gordon was a master singer songwriter and storyteller
I had the pleasure of seeing Mr Lightfoot back in the 90s at an open air concert. He was spellbinding!
One of the greatest songs ever
There have been thousands of boat and shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, but if it wasn't for Gordon with this song, it may have been just remembered as regional history, but he made it legend worldwide. His "Sundown" is one of my all-time favorite songs which I highly suggest.
Gordon maintained friendships with many of the sailors’ survivors. In fact, not long before he passed, he visited one of the sailor’s widow who was in ill health. He contributed financial support to the families in addition to his beautiful rendition of the mishap. R.I.P. Gordon. 💔🇨🇦
Thank you for telling the real story.
My Father worked aboard harbor tugs in Milwaukee Harbour in the 60's, 70's, & 80's, and worked with the Fitz. Later when I was sailing in the far east I worked for a First Officer who had started on the Lakes and said a good friend of his was still on watch aboard the Fitzgerald. The Seas are wide, but the Brotherhood is small. Forty-eight years and I still cry.
I have tears in my eyes, watching you , and from the git go, we all knew this was a true story, it made national news.
Peace🌎✨️
I was so sad to hear of Gordon Lightfoot's passing away recently. Loved his music! This song is a beautiful tribute by one of the best Canadian songwriters & storytellers. This is based on a true story & the lyrics tell the sad tale of the sinking of the ship & loss of lives in 1975. Gordon Lightfoot has had many hits through his long career such as "Sundown", "Early Morning Rain", "Steel Rail Blues", "Ribbon Of Darkness", "Carefree Highway", "Rainy Day People", "Cotton Jenny", "Black Day In July", "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" etc.
Don't forget "Pony Man."
And one of my very favorite songs of his ~ "Beautiful"; though relatively simple lyrics in comparison with some of his other songs, the lyrics Are truly beautiful and sweet, and hold a very sentimental place in my heart!
Gordon Light foot was the first person I ever saw in concert, LongBeach, Calif., the summer of '75 & I had just turned 16.
I remember hearing this on the news the day this tragedy occurred, November 10, 1975. The news showed a crowd of people waiting at the shoreline for news. One young woman was holding a baby wrapped in a blanket. That's when I broke down and cried. There are things in life that, once you see them, you can never Unsee them, no matter how hard you try. For me, THAT is still one of those moments, all these years later. My eyes are filling up as i type this, that's how vivid that tragic memory remains.
Such a haunting beautiful song, It always brings a tear to me eyes! This is one of my favorite songs of all time!
I love that you let the music control your body, i do the same!
There is a video of the song that includes the names, age and hometown of the crew members!
Gord is a storyteller to the depths of his soul.
I'm 46 years old and live in Wisconsin (USA). We learned about the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in school because it's part of Wisconsin's history because it left a port in Lake Superior from Wisconsin.
I remember when this happened. Gordon, a Canadian, wrote this song qickly to remember this in the US. I live relatively close to this area where it happened.
I agree ... good story teller.. I ❤ Gordon and also John Denver n CW McCall .. n my personal fav Johnny Horton ( whom I learn my history as a girl).. by the way, these are Trubadors... in my opinion
Gordon is going to be sadly missed ...such a great voice and story teller. Haven't heard a song I haven't liked by this gentleman RIP the next generation will definitely miss out on his songs I'm from Erie Pa and right on the lake..graduated in 1974 remember this tragedy like it was yesterday.
He is so very very good! He is a Legend! I love all his music ✌❤🎶
He had been to the church a few times for the ceremony's. I remember as a child watching this ship sail down the Detroit river. It was huge and living in Windsor ontario we can hear the church bells ringing for each member and once for Mr Lightfoot himself.
This was my first time sitting in with you today! Thank you for allowing me to do that! I enjoyed my time spent with you so I subscribed while I was here and left a big thumbs up for you!
I'm from Michigan and this happened when I was 18 years old, I had a small child and I just clung to him when the news came over the radio. When I listen to this song, I find it to be very sad that they died hungry, I know this is a small thing, but again it isn't. I cry every time I hear this song, yet every time I see someone new to me reacting to it I have to go see their reaction.
Gordon Lightfoot was a genius, both musically and lyrically!
The Great Lakes are dangerous, every bit as dangerous as the ocean, maybe even more-so, they are deceptive, a storm can form out of nowhere over them at any time of day or night every single day of the year! I never swam in any of the Great Lakes and I never allowed my children to either, too many people drown every year, now that they are grown men they swim in there, but while it was in my control I kept them out!
Gordon Lightfoot Legend in Canada. This event riveted Canada and the US. It is burned in our psyche. This song commemorates those lost and the families left behind.
I was in my first year of college in 1976 when I heard this live in person on college campus! What a great poet and singer Gordon was!
This story and song has haunted me since I was nine years old. 🖤
Gordon was a legend and sadly missed. I was so lucky to have seen him live years ago. I live very close to Lake Erie and I will say that all of the great lakes can be absolute monsters, but superior takes it to a whole new level. I’ve seen quite a number of people react to the song, and it often takes on a whole new meaning when they realize that it’s all true.
I loved Gordon Lightfoot from the first time I heard him...amazing singer amazing Canadian...
I still remember when this happened, as a young adult. I was listening to the radio. A sobering event. It was quite a few years before they found the wreck, so she was presumed lost for years before located.
To my favourites of his have always been Canadian Railroad trilogy and sundown.
Best Singer Story teller Ever❤
This happened about a month before my 6th birthday, but we only had one English tv channel where I lived so I watched almost everything that was on, including the news... and I remember when this story broke.
The Edmund Fitzgerald was a the largest of the freighter ships that sailed the Great Lakes, which are the largest fresh water lakes in the world (larger than many seas).
Gitchigumi is what the Ojibwe people called Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, it means something along the lines of "Big Sea" or "Huge Water."
I live in the lower Peninsula of Michigan. My husband and I travel to the upper Peninsula at least 12 times a year. We always hit Lake superior shore. We are rock hunting nerds. When it’s a calm day with hardly any waves, we are very surprised and thrilled. It’s normally crazy wavy, windy and can be outright dangerous.
Hits way too close to home. I was in the 8th grade when this happened. My grandfather was a steward on the freighters. He came off the rotation at the end of September but, he could easily have been in line for crew replacement...
Respect the Lakes
This is a song that just kicks you in the gut in the best way. I recently visited the shipwreck museum at Whitefish Bay where the bell of the Edmund Fitzgerald is housed (on the wreck it was replaced by a memorial bell honoring the lost), and the Mariners' Church in Detroit. We also visited the Cleveland Waterfront near the R&R Hall of Fame where the SS William G Mather freighter serves as a museum ship. Seeing the locations in the story brings it all to life.
A touching tribute. Great reaction
He sounds like he has a bit of a Canadian east coast accent. I also love the sound of his 12 string guitar.
Born in Orillia, Ontario.
I recently saw the bell from the Edmond Fitz. at the ship wreck museum in upper Michigan. Very moving and they played this song inside the museum.
Sad but true story. And Gordon was the man to tell it and he did it so well.❤
If you Google the Edmund Fitzgerald you'll see this is a very true story.
Great reaction my Man!
All the proceeds from this song went to the families.
I love that he mentioned the Great Lakes.....Its how I remember the names, I sing the verse....Lake Huron, Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. I used to live on the eastern tip of Lake Ontario. Its a beautiful song.
I'm from Kingston, Ontario...where were you living?
True and good reaction. He reaches your soul.
I lived along Lake Erie and Cleveland where they were going. I remember it. What a tragedy!
I was a young mom when the news hit about this wreck. 1975? something like that. The storms on the American great lakes are ferocious. The good captain and crew lay at the bottom to this day. It is considered a sacred gravesite.
What a magnificent testament to a horrible tragedy, and a wonderful memorial to those poor guys. Thank you mr Lightfoot.
Vey few songs tear me up. This one of them
I was 11 years old when this song came out. I remember hearing it on the radio (remember those?😊). I had a difficult time understanding what he was saying/singing. But I knew it was about something very sad because of his voice and the music. I only discovered, about 5 years ago, what he was singing about and that it was a true story. I Googled what happened with the Fitzgerald and how the “Superior never gives up her dead”. Such a sad sad story. Gordon Lightfoot gave the best tribute to the crew!!