About the song
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” penned and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, stands as a poignant memorial to the tragic sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Released in 1976 on Lightfoot’s album “Summertime Dream,” the song quickly became one of his most revered works, encapsulating both the maritime history of the Great Lakes and the human tragedy that unfolded that fateful day.
Lightfoot, deeply affected by the news reports and inspired by the haunting accounts of the disaster, crafted a narrative ballad that chronicles the ill-fated journey of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The ship, laden with iron ore and battling a fierce late-season storm, met its demise, claiming the lives of all 29 crew members. The songwriter’s personal connection to recreational sailing on the Great Lakes imbued the verses with an authenticity and reverence for the region’s maritime heritage.
Recorded shortly after the tragedy, the song captures the somber mood and speculative elements of the event. Lightfoot, driven by a desire for accuracy yet also acknowledging the need to tell a compelling story, included details based on available information at the time. Over the years, he made subtle adjustments to the lyrics to reflect new findings, demonstrating his respect for the historical accuracy while maintaining the song’s emotional impact.
Technically groundbreaking, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” was one of the first songs recorded using a commercial digital multitrack recorder, showcasing Lightfoot’s pioneering spirit in embracing new recording technologies. This innovative approach contributed to the song’s success, topping charts in Canada and gaining significant popularity in the United States, where it reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Beyond its chart success, the song’s enduring legacy lies in its ability to evoke powerful emotions and honor the memory of those lost. Its haunting melody, coupled with Lightfoot’s evocative lyrics and distinctive voice, has ensured its place as a timeless tribute to a maritime tragedy that continues to resonate with listeners around the world.
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” remains a testament to Gordon Lightfoot’s storytelling prowess and his ability to capture the essence of human drama through music, solidifying its status as a classic in the folk and maritime ballad genres.
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Lyrics
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of November turn gloomy
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
Than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early
The ship was the pride of the American side
Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin
As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned
Concluding some terms with a couple of steel firms
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ship’s bell rang
Could it be the north wind they’d been feelin’?
The wind in the wires made a tattle-tale sound
And a wave broke over the railing
And every man knew, as the captain did too
T’was the witch of November come stealin’
The dawn came late and the breakfast had to wait
When the gales of November came slashin’
When afternoon came it was freezin’ rain
In the face of a hurricane west wind
When suppertime came, the old cook came on deck sayin’
“Fellas, it’s too rough to feed ya”
At 7 PM, a main hatchway caved in, he said
“Fellas, it’s been good to know ya”
The captain wired in he had water comin’ in
And the good ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when his lights went outta sight
Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Does any one know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?
The searchers all say they’d have made Whitefish Bay
If they’d put fifteen more miles behind her
They might have split up or they might have capsized
They may have broke deep and took water
And all that remains is the faces and the names
Of the wives and the sons and the daughters
Lake Huron rolls, Superior sings
In the rooms of her ice-water mansion
Old Michigan steams like a young man’s dreams
The islands and bays are for sportsmen
And farther below Lake Ontario
Takes in what Lake Erie can send her
And the iron boats go as the mariners all know
With the gales of November remembered
In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed
In the maritime sailors’ cathedral
The church bell chimed ’til it rang twenty-nine times
For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald
The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
Of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee
Superior, they said, never gives up her dead
When the gales of November come early