It really had no business being a hit. But Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” nevertheless rose to No. 2 on the Billboard charts in 1976 and has endured since as a folk classic. As the New York Times explains, the song was unusual in that it clocked in at six minutes or so, roughly twice as long as a typical pop hit. Plus, it dealt with somber subject matter: the real-life sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald2 bulk freighter on Lake Superior in 1975, a tragedy in which none of the 29 men aboard survived.
Usually, a hit song is “boy meets girl, boy breaks up with girl, or come back, or you left me, or whatever,” says Eric Greenberg, a longtime friend of the Canadian singer, who died Monday at 84. “Not a five-, six-, seven-minute story—a factual story, in Gordon’s case, painstakingly checked to make sure that all the facts are right.” He’s not kidding about that last part, and WXYZ provides an example of just how meticulous Lightfoot was. The original lyrics read:
- “When supper time came the old cook came on deck, Saying ‘Fellows it’s too rough to feed ya.’ At 7pm a main hatchway caved in, he said, ‘Fellas it’s been good to know ya.’”
- But after learning the hatchway event was inaccurate, Lightfoot changed the words: “When supper time came the old cook came on deck, Saying ‘Fellows it’s too rough to feed ya.’ At 7pm it grew dark, it was then, he said, ‘Fellas it’s been good to know ya.’”
Lightfoot said in a 2010 interview with Connect Savannah that of all his songs, he was most proud of “Edmund Fitzgerald.” After it came out, he stayed in touch with family members of the men who were lost in the sinking. The Times notes one drawback of the song’s popularity: Diving trophy hunters flocked to the site, which upset the family members. As a result, the Canadian government has since protected the site.
As a kid I saw her many times passing through the St. Clair river. Always noticed her as she was the largest on the lake at the time. I have several slides in my possession that my mom took of under the Blue Water bridge.
It was a Haunting Song..That’s why it was successful.
Pete and Wayne (Key West/Sloppy Joe’s) did a Parody on it called
“The Rectum of Ella Fitzgerald” It’s on youtube if You’re interested.
It was a great, great somg.
@Bobcat
That’s my kind of humor – gross and foul, but funny.
Saw her many, many times in the Lorain Harbor in northern Ohio. Of course waiting for the bascule bridge to raise and lower made me late for work or church many times, it was still an absolute thrill to watch her pass through. I never tire of hearing this song.
I flew one of the search aircraft that fateful day. Not a sign of her.
If it was not for this song I would not have known about Big Fitz.
I like that is a Tribute to Regular Hard Working Men who were just trying to earn a living & their battle was against the Immense Force of nature.
It could have been about any ship on any Water, but I’m very proud that he was paying Tribute to “The Pride of the American Side” and that the song hit home with both countries.
Enjoy that last flight on “That Big 707 set to Go…” Gordie.
Cheers!
Good song, great voice, however, I think “Sundown” was his best song. Just my opinion.
Carefree Highway is always on my playlist!
Rick Beato is covering his passing…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Iw7Jei8XOo
“Song for a Winter’s Night” was never a big hit, but still my favorite.
There was a girl in my Jr. high class whose family knew one of the sailors. That’s two degrees of separation from the Edmund Fitzgerald and the only link I can claim at this time.
LBS,
Beato is a great Educator.
He recently did a: The Latest Top 10 Is …Sh*t.
I really makes you realize what CRAP is being recorded now vs. what we lost in the last few years.
Enjoy
It was a magical time. Good music was wildly popular. Thanks to the children of fornication those days are over and won’t return until Christ returns and cleans up this mess. Like Jay Leno once said about the People’s Choice Awards – I don’t know who these people are, but we need to take their freedom of choice away from them.
I has a different take on it a I lived in Wis at the time.
I think it was only a hit for two reasons.
1. It was a hit in Wisconsin – local story – and people like attention.
2. The radio stations WOULD NOT STOP PLAYING IT. See reason #1 for why.
It drove me a bit nuts and I grew a dislike for it because of that.
Dadof4, Duluth, Minnesota for me at that time. That song is still like scratching a chalkboard for me.
I liked the song. And then my Brother became a Submariner. And then the song was a kick in the gut.
Kcir, I saw the same one, the Beato top 10 piles of dogshit.
I’m not savvy to the new shit. I like Traffic. Cream. The Moody Blues. Trower, Hendrix, Clapton for the most part (in his iterations). Mikey Bloomfield, and a whole bunch of other shit. Cocker. Peter Green. CSN. Simon and Garfunkle. Jim Croce. Marshall Tucker. The Outlaws. QMS. Jethro Tull. Alvin Lee. Dave Brubeck, Beethoven, Vaughan Williams, Holst, on and on… and I know I should be killed… but that top 10 modern shit was dogshit of the highest water…
Smoke on the Water and Bye Bye Miss American Pie are also rock ballads about tragedies.
Not all is Lost
Happen to know, but never met, a handfull or two current artists that have some works out that ROCK. Some of them changed the World and altered history forever. Some may have even been thought lost and yet, almost miraculously, have been re-found. The Future Generations in 50 years will have fun deciphering all the meanings behind the lyrics.
So glad to have gotten to witness it, kind of up close and personal. Like a personal 3 Hour Tour that is different every day. Every day is like a better day.
Share the Music
“The Future Generations in 50 years will have fun deciphering all the meanings behind the lyrics.”
there is an in depth analysis of “Garden Party” on youtube. every line has a meaning. when you know the meaning, your perception of the song changes.
without the back story, it’s just a light hearted song. future generations will have no idea.