40th Anniversary--Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

[CarbonSteel]

Although I grew up in the South, I still remember where I was when we heard the news about this. Gordon Lightfoot's song hauntingly etches this event in my mind. May they continue to rest in peace.

40th Anniversary of the Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald

 

[Virtus_Probi]

This was big news where I grew up in the Midwest. One of the first 45's that I ever bought was Lightfoot's song, and I still love it.

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

 

[cjcride]

It was built to the Max. Only 1 foot shorter than the Great Lakes lock size for length.
A Great Ship.

God Bless all Mariners

 

[ls1mike]

Having spent 11 years in the Navy I have been underway during some horrible storms. Even though most of that was beneath the waves on a submarine, there are times we were on the surface. It was miserbale. Can't imagine what those guys were going through.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
This was big news where I grew up in the Midwest. One of the first 45's that I ever bought was Lightfoot's song, and I still love it.

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


Possibly the most infectious earworm of all time.

 

[expat]

The song was popular when I was in the UK, but I did not learn the real story until I visited the Maritime museum in Duluth.

Great exhibit, that really puts things in perspective.

 

[doitmyself]

In 1975, I was attending college at Michigan Tech. University in the western Upper Peninsula and remember the night of November 10th. similar to how I remember the Kennedy assassination. In this case, it was a blustery winter storm evening with howling winds and blowing snow.

In 1995 I had the somber privilege to see the Fitzgerald bell during restoration at Michigan State University: http://www.ssedmundfitzgerald.org/bell-restoration/

RIP to those who lost their lives.

 

[A_Harman]

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down,
Of the big lake they call Gitchigumee.
Superior it's said, never gives up her dead,
When the storms of November blow early.

I didn't take much notice of this song when it was popular, and I was in 8th grade.
But it's grown on me over the years.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Funny I was singing this song all day today and I didn't know why!

Lightfoot: "Cape horn" is good too, But I like 'Knotty (naughty?) Pine' and 'The Canadian Railroad Trilogy'.

Great Canadian Folk Singer - Thank you, John, for introducing me to Lightfoot back in the mid 70's.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald was one of my favorite songs as a kid. I was around 7 or so when it came out and still remember hearing it playing through AM radio.

 

[JHZR2]

Some don't love it but it's a great piece of North Americana musically. Folksy yet current event, and just a real timeless song.

 

[2009Edge]

I was on a fleet boat, SS417, coming back to New London in December '62. We took 60 degree rolls on the surface charging batteries. The cook couldn't cook, couldn't keep it on the stove. We lived on coffee and sandwiches. The nukes, SSN604 and SSBN633 just went deeper and ran FAST.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

I remember that. Was all over the news. I was living in SE Michigan at the time. Celebrating the birth of my 3rd. son.

 

[Blueskies123]

I was up in the UP about 15 years ago and happened to go to the national park and beach right off where the ship sank. There were still home made crosses and pictures of the lost sailors attached to them.
I had the album when I was a teenager so I knew right away what the memorial was about.

 

[splinter]

"The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay
If they'd put fifteen more miles behind her"

R.I.P. to those souls

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: cjcride


God Bless all Mariners


I have no other words.

...and the latest we have lost as well, on the El Faro.

 

[Rick in PA]

Thanks for posting this. I went and listened to the song a couple of times last night. It always touches me. This morning, over coffee and before work hours, I introduced the song to a younger coworker. He's into music but wasn't familiar with "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". He looked it up on YouTube and we listened to it. Another coworker (my age) mentioned he always liked that song. Later (but still before work hours), I noticed the younger fellow browsing information on the Edmund Fitzgerald.