The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot (Cover) by Seth Staton Watkins
91,641
Published 2023-05-05
The legend Gordon Lightfoot passed away on Monday, May 1st, 2023. May he rest in peace. I rewrote the last two lines of lyrics in his honor. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s and this song was released in 1976 on the album Summertime Dream to commemorate the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. The song recounts the final voyage of the Edmund Fitzgerald, as it struggled and then sank in rough seas on Lake Superior, in early November. Some artistic liberties were taken with the story and Lightfoot had been known to change the lyrics in live performances as new evidence about the wreckage came to light.
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Lyrics:
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 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 seven 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
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 called Gitche Gumee
And today the bells rang another twenty nine times
plus one more for the man they call Lightfoot...
All Comments (21)
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Michigan girl here. Thank you for this. Edmund Fitzgerald has left a scar on our hearts.
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Absolutely beautiful. Saw this ship in the Summer of 75. Little did I know that less than 6 months later, she and the crew would be taken. Such a beautiful rendition that brought many tears. Especially with the tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. He's at rest now with the 29 souls of the Edmund Fitzgerald. May they all be watching down upon us with the Angels.
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That last line was absolutely devastating but I can't think of a better tribute. Thank you so much for this.
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My grandpa saw the ship leave on that day he was one of the last to see it above the water
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Thank you so much for posting this wonderful song. You have offered a moving tribute to a very special singer and songwriter, one of the finest Canada has ever produced. This is the first song I ever learned to play on the guitar and I learned it when I was just 12 years old, only a couple of years after the song was released. It has always held a very special place in my heart. The story it tells is heartwrenching and haunting. I shed tears when I heard that Gordon Lightfoot had passed away this week. I was very fortunate to see him in concert twice and both times he performed this song. I will remember those moments forever. I certainly shed another tear when I heard your version. You are a master of your craft, sir. Kudos!
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After I heard that gordon lightfoot passed, I somehow knew that you do one of his songs as a tribute. As someone who loves this song, I can safely say that you did a frickin fantastic job and I (at least) believe you did the song justice. Great job ya did good mate!
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Mr. Lightfoot was extraordinary in that he wrote a Celtic-style sea shanty chronicling a 20th century freshwater tragedy and made it a hit. So many people were moved to tears by this song.
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Absolutly awe-inspiring Seth! You have truly honored a legend Gordon Lightfoot! A bright flame in this hour of sadness! Rest In Peace Gordon❣️🫶
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This is a old Michigan Folk song. Its a true and sad tale. This from my home state.
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I was in the army when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank. I am from Michigan and still feel deeply about this tragedy. This is a wonderful rendition of this great song. Thanks.
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Didn't think anyone and I mean anyone could do this song better than Gordon Lightfoot... I was wrong. You killed it. ❤
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Gordon Lightfoot was one of my favorite singers and songwriters. You did this song justice, and that's no easy feat.
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I am in tears, man. I don't know why. Your rendition of this just gave me a huge sense of grief. Well done, I guess?
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I had no idea he was even dead, rest in peace Gordon o7
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Thank you for this. Your voice rings clear as a bell and does this song justice. Hearing the extra lines gave me goosebumps and then I had to listen another 29 times more.
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I'm from Michigan, and designed a children's activity book about the Wreck for a class on State History, so I'm well versed in the history, so I was definitely going to love this!
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The raw power of your voice and your hurling harmonies of the gales carry this perfectly.
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Noooooooo. Grew up in Wisconsin and would always listen to this song. It has almost a mythical status in the midwest. I'm already tearing up and you have just barely started singing. Damn you!! <3 And having been to sea in rough seas.... Wind in the wires do indeed make a tattle tale sound. I hummed this song to myself a lot when in rough seas on the north Atlantic.
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Awesome ending with a tribute to Gordon Lightfoot.
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I've listened to this several times since the news was announced. Following of course Gordon's version. It is a wonderful memorial to him and the music and history he has left behind. I applaud your ability to make it through without tearing up visibly at least.
