The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

[Tiger Wench]

Something a little different...

I found this video someone posted about the wreck - his dad had taken the pictures from the docks. I had no idea the boat ship was that large.  I was 5 when it happened so I don't remember the wreck but I remember the Gordon Lightfoot song very well.  I have always loved the song.  It is lovely but so haunting and eerie.  This is a pretty cool cover of it too.



Some cool facts about the song too:

The song contains a few artistic omissions and paraphrases. In a later interview aired on Canadian commercial radio, Lightfoot recounted how he had agonised, while trying to pen the lyrics, over possible inaccuracies until Lenny Waronker, his long-time producer and friend, finally removed his writer's block simply by advising him to play to his artistic strengths and "just tell a story". On the other hand, Lightfoot's personal passion for recreational sailing on the Great Lakes informs his ballad's verses throughout, thus amplifying its ring of authenticity.

According to the song, the Fitzgerald was bound "fully loaded for Cleveland". In fact she was heading for Detroit, there to discharge her cargo of taconite iron ore pellets before docking in Cleveland for the winter.

Capt. Ernest McSorley had stated in his last radio transmission before the boat sank that they were "holding our own." What the cook or any other crew member did or did not say will never be known; however, it is customary for folk music to include artistic renderings of a crew's final moments or speech, especially if it is unknown. Furthermore, it is doubtful if under the actual conditions of the gale, neighbouring vessels would have been able to render any real assistance if the ship was heard calling for help—or if the Edmund Fitzgerald managed to send out an SOS at all.

The "old cook" in the song was actually a replacement for this particular voyage, as the normal cook was too ill to make this trip.

Lightfoot refers to Mariners' Church of Detroit as "The Maritime Sailors' Cathedral" in the lyrics.

Lightfoot says that the bell was rung 29 times, once for each crew member aboard the ship. Internet sources often incorrectly claim that the bell was also rung once more in honour of all people who had lost their lives at sea, for a total of 30 times. Reverend Richard W. Ingalls, Sr., rector of Mariners' Church, tolled the bell 29 times, not 30. The practice of tolling a bell a 30th time for all lives lost at sea began in November 10 memorial services following 1975.

In a later live recording, Lightfoot recounts that a parishioner of the church informed him that the church is not "musty." From that time, instead of singing "In a musty old hall...", he now sings "In a rustic old hall..."

In March 2010, Lightfoot changed a line during live performances to reflect new findings that there was no crew error involved in the sinking. The line originally read, "At 7 p.m. a main hatchway caved in; he said..."; it is now sung as "At 7 p.m. it grew dark, it was then he said...". Lightfoot learned of the new research when contacted for permission to use his song for a History Channel documentary that it transmitted on March 31, 2010. Lightfoot has stated that he has no intention of changing the copyrighted lyrics; he will instead, from now on, simply sing the new ones in live performances.

[Pell City Tiger]

I had no idea the boat was that large.

As the big freighters go, it was bigger than most
With a crew and good captain well seasoned.

[Catphish Tilly]

Had actually never heard the song, that I can recall. Twas quite a good one to discover.

Does anyone know where the love of God goes
When the waves turn the minutes to hours?

It's interesting, we see historical takes on shipwrecks through songs, movies, books, etc. that evoke images of stoic sailors meeting their noble deaths... but the truth is, that would be a damn terrifying way to go.

[CCTAU]

Had actually never heard the song, that I can recall. Twas quite a good one to discover.

It's interesting, we see historical takes on shipwrecks through songs, movies, books, etc. that evoke images of stoic sailors meeting their noble deaths... but the truth is, that would be a damn terrifying way to go.

The crew of the Andrea Gail more than likely agree with you...

[oldautiger]

Something a little different...

I found this video someone posted about the wreck - his dad had taken the pictures from the docks. I had no idea the boat was that large.  I was 5 when it happened so I don't remember the wreck but I remember the Gordon Lightfoot song very well.  I have always loved the song.  It is lovely but so haunting and eerie.  This is a pretty cool cover of it too.



Interesting version, here's the original.  By the way Goddess (Wench), that's a ship, not a boat.  Chief might be as nice about it as I was. 

[WiregrassTiger]

If they had only had Flex Seal back in those days.

[Tiger Wench]

Old AU - I fixed it in my post.  Mea culpa.    However, I am not taking the blame for the notes from the Wiki site.

At least I know how to use the quote function - BUSTED! 

[Catphish Tilly]

If they had only had Flex Seal back in those days.

They would've still been short a few screen doors, regardless.

[Tiger Wench]

Had actually never heard the song, that I can recall. Twas quite a good one to discover.

You serious about that, Clark?  What are you, 12??? Listen to the original Gordon Lightfoot version that OldAU posted - it is haunting.

It's interesting, we see historical takes on shipwrecks through songs, movies, books, etc. that evoke images of stoic sailors meeting their noble deaths... but the truth is, that would be a damn terrifying way to go.

It  scares the beejeebers out of me to think about it.  A storm and the open water - two forces of nature which have the power to make man seem very, very insignificant.

[Catphish Tilly]

You serious about that, Clark?  What are you, 12??? Listen to the original Gordon Lightfoot version that OldAU posted - it is haunting.

I was raised on outlaw country, 60's hits and Conway Twitty. I did look the original up on youtube and,  while I've probably heard the song before today, they never played much folk music on Oldies 106.9.

[WiregrassTiger]

I was raised on outlaw country, 60's hits and Conway Twitty. I did look the original up on youtube and,  while I've probably heard the song before today, they never played much folk music on Oldies 106.9.

I was raised on moonshine and stray pussy.

[Pell City Tiger]

A storm and the open water - two forces of nature which have the power to make man seem very, very insignificant.

I highly recommend a ride on a Frigate up into the North Atlantic during the winter just to see how true that statement is.  It's a constant shift from the feeling of walking with 5 cinder blocks on your shoulders to experiencing near-weightlessness 4 seconds later. I remember being on the bridge and watching as we went from ridge to trough then back to ridge of the waves.  There were times where the only part of the ship sticking out of the water was the bridge.

I never sailed on the big lake they called Gitchegumee.

[oldautiger]

Old AU - I fixed it in my post.  Mea culpa.    However, I am not taking the blame for the notes from the Wiki site.

At least I know how to use the quote function - BUSTED! 

Goddess, I bow to your superior expertise in computing wizardry.  This computer can't spell worth a damn.

[oldautiger]

I highly recommend a ride on a Frigate up into the North Atlantic during the winter just to see how true that statement is.  It's a constant shift from the feeling of walking with 5 cinder blocks on your shoulders to experiencing near-weightlessness 4 seconds later. I remember being on the bridge and watching as we went from ridge to trough then back to ridge of the waves.  There were times where the only part of the ship sticking out of the water was the bridge.

I never sailed on the big lake they called Gitchegumee.

You are correct sir, being on a tin can I experienced that sensation as well.  Takes awhile to get used to solid ground again.

[Tiger Wench]

And I have given myself the worst ear worm today from thinking about this song.

"Fellas, it's been good to know ya..."

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!

[jmar]

The crew of the Andrea Gail more than likely agree with you...

Yeah I didn't have any bullets for Cap'n Clooney so I shot him with a flaregun before swimming to safety.