The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down 
of the big lake they called "Gitche Gumee."
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
when the skies of November turn gloomy.

I first remember hearing this song when I was a little girl.

I remember thinking that it was a cool song.

At that point I didn't realize that it was about an actual event.

Gordon Lightfoot wrote "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" in 1976.

The actually event...the sinking of the ore ship the SS Edmund Fitzgerald 

took place on November 10, 1975.

From what I have researched the ship was sailing on Lake Superior and sank 

when it was hit by a rogue wave during a fierce storm

(this is just one theory).

They don't really know why the ship sank. 

The entire 29 man crew on board the ship was lost in the freezing water

that tragic night.

I wanted to share this song, the lyrics, and a few websites

with everyone because  I want to try to capture 

the memory of all the crew members and how 

they are immortilized by this song.

I hope you enjoy the song and hopefully you will learn something new. 

This video is especially interesting because it contains news footage 

and radio transmissions from the time the sinking occurred.

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down 
of the big lake they called "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 ev'ry man knew, as the captain did too
'twas 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 t'feed ya."
At seven P.M. a main hatchway caved in; he said,
fellas, it's been good t'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 'is 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 'er.
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!"

Websites:

http://www.ssefo.com/

http://gordonlightfoot.com/wreckoftheedmundfitzgerald.shtml

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_Fitzgerald


R.I.P to the crew of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald 11/10/1975

Michael E. Armagost	37	Third Mate	Iron River, Wisconsin
Frederick J. Beetcher	56	Porter	Superior, Wisconsin
Thomas D. Bentsen	23	Oiler	St. Joseph, Michigan
Edward F. Bindon	47	First Assistant Engineer	Fairport Harbor, Ohio
Thomas D. Borgeson	41	Maintenance Man	Duluth, Minnesota
Oliver J. Champeau	41	Third Assistant Engineer	Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Nolan S. Church	55	Porter	Silver Bay, Minnesota
Ransom E. Cundy	53	Watchman	Superior, Wisconsin
Thomas E. Edwards	50	Second Assistant Engineer	Oregon, Ohio
Russell G. Haskell	40	Second Assistant Engineer	Millbury, Ohio
George J. Holl	60	Chief Engineer	Cabot, Pennsylvania
Bruce L. Hudson	22	Deck Hand	North Olmsted, Ohio
Allen G. Kalmon	43	Second Cook	Washburn, Wisconsin
Gordon F. MacLellan	30	Wiper	Clearwater, Florida
Joseph W. Mazes	59	Special Maintenance Man	Ashland, Wisconsin
John H. McCarthy	62	First Mate	Bay Village, Ohio
Ernest M. McSorley	63	Captain	Toledo, Ohio
Eugene W. O'Brien	50	Wheelsman	Toledo, Ohio
Karl A. Peckol	20	Watchman	Ashtabula, Ohio
John J. Poviach	59	Wheelsman	Bradenton, Florida
James A. Pratt	44	Second Mate	Lakewood, Ohio
Robert C. Rafferty	62	Steward	Toledo, Ohio
Paul M. Riippa	22	Deck Hand	Ashtabula, Ohio
John D. Simmons	63	Wheelsman	Ashland, Wisconsin
William J. Spengler	59	Watchman	Toledo, Ohio
Mark A. Thomas	21	Deck Hand	Richmond Heights, Ohio
Ralph G. Walton	58	Oiler	Fremont, Ohio
David E. Weiss	22	Cadet	Agoura, California
Blaine H. Wilhelm	52	Oiler	Moquah, Wisconsin

Signing off 22:09