As a former Coastie the line "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours" is chilling. Fair winds & following seas to those lost at sea.

I live in Superior, Wisconsin, the city where the Edmund Fitzgerald took on the load of iron ore and left to make its way to its destination on that tragic November day. Gordon Lightfoot is the love of my life musically speaking and I was in the audience when he preformed this song in the twin ports of Duluth Minnesota, Superior, Wisconsin for the first time. It brought the house down with many of us with tears in our eyes. My late husband was a mariner on The Great Lakes and knew some of the men who lost their lives when The Edmund Fitzgerald was lost and so this song touched him deeply. Mr. Lightfoot is a Master Singer/ Songwriter and a treasure. Thank You for highlighting this song. ❤

I’m Chippewa Indian from Sault Ste. Marie. Lake Superior is wicked on a good day. The Fitz is a grave.

Whenever a US Coast Guard or United States Navy ship crosses the spot where the Fitzgerald lays, we ring our ships bell 29 times...

Imagine the power of the "Witch of November" to take down a 730 ft. ship loaded with 26,000 TONS of ore, with 29 brave souls aboard. Hurricane force freezing winds, and towering waves that turned the minutes to hours, indeed. This song takes you there into the terror.

Play this song and the room temperature drops 30 degrees. This song gives you chills. Lightfoot's lyrics put you on the deck of the ship. You can hear and feel and power of the storm. Story-telling at it's best.

The ship was named after CEO Edmund Fitzgerald, whose insurance company owned the ship as an asset. Gordon Lightfoot is a Canadian national treasure and has done much for the Fitzgerald's survivors. Thanks to this beautiful, poignant song, the crew and the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald are immortalized worldwide - always remembered, never forgotten.

The Edmund Fitzgerald is a grave site under the water and their bodies still lay inside, preserved by the cold waters. Boats that sail over their wreck ring their bells 29 times in remembrance.

One of the absolutely greatest songs of all time. My father was originally from Wisconsin. He served in the US Navy in World War II, then was honorably discharged in 1948. He then returned to Wisconsin and served in the Merchant Marine for three years. He later returned to active duty military by joining the US Air Force, but always had a soft spot in his heart for his fellow mariners. I was 11 years old and living in Texas when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down, but I don't really remember the story. What I DO remember is seeing my father tear up every time this song played on the radio...and it was such a big hit that it played on the radio a LOT. Gordon Lightfoot is a tremendous storyteller and deserves to be a Canadian national treasure. Brilliant songwriter!!

Having studied the Fitz's story for many years the line that always gets me is, "The Church bell chimed, 'til it rang 29 times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald." That's when it really drives home the tragedy that there were no survivors or even bodies recovered for a proper funeral. The ship itself became the crew's final resting place.

I love how the music starts out calm and peaceful, builds with the wind, and brings percussion with the waves. Brilliant. It puts you right into the storm.

I was born and raised in Michigan and been to all the great lakes and went up to Superior in August and the water was FRIGID in the summer. I was a kid so i did swim in it. I even had a great grandfather who sailed on the Great Lakes for 30 years. Supposedly there are over 8000 ships that have sunk in the Great Lakes. The song is a great tribute to some very brave men. I even heard that Gordon Lightfoot donated the profits of the song to the shipwrecks families.

your favourite singer-songwriter's favourite singer-songwriter.

I think this is a perfect song. The melody just instantly grabs you and the lyrics tell the story so well. When I was younger I appreciated the lyrics but as someone with more miles behind me the last verse gets me choked up. Also, that video was really well done.

If someone asked me for an example of a storytelling song I'd play this for them

I’ve had this on my playlist for years and when I hear it I think about those men and their families. It feels like I’m paying tribute to them even when I’m doing dishes. I can go from a rock song to this I’m still moving and still being inspired.

The Arthur Anderson(the freighter that was trying to guide her and looked for survivors) She still does memorials for the Edmund Fitzgerald

This song just haunts and kills me... I can't help but cry whenever I hear it. I remember this as a child.

Thank you so much for doing a segment on wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot. Every time we hear it we have a little tear in our eye. Thank you and take care

When I was a kid I remember hoping for a different ending, even though I had heard the song before. I will never forget the cook saying it's been good to know ya.

If ever a song could be described as a painting, it would be the writing, production and performance of this one. Just takes you there.

this song hits hard respect to sailors across the world 🙏

Growing up in the Detroit suburbs and visiting my grandparents in Windsor, we would drive right by the Mariners Church every time we went through the Detroit/Windsor tunnel. I also have been swimming in Superior and I don't care what any one says, you cannot get used to how cold that water is in the summer let alone the winter.

This song tells the story of what all sailors face when they go to sea. Another Gordon Lightfoot song you might be interested in is The Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle.

I was 12 when this came out. It was played again and again and again. Even now I can't sing the line "of the wives and the sons and the daughters" without my voice breaking. The beauty of the poem stands alone, but the absolutely haunting music and Gordon's heartbreaking voice makes it iconic. "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?".... SERIOUSLY!

Gordon Lightfoot passed away May 1st 2023 at the age of 84 R.I.P to a Canadian legend in the music industry

I’m from Toledo, OH the Fitz also went by The Toledo Express. My grandma used to own a cottage on Peele Island on the Canadian side of Lake Erie. We used to go there every summer and it was about a 90 minute ferry ride from Sandusky to the Island. I’ve been in a few scary storms on Lake Erie. The Great Lakes can be pretty terrifying during bad weather. “Does any one know where the love of God goes When the waves turn the minutes to hours?”

As Canadian kids in the 70s, it was so powerful to listen to Gordon croon this. Over the years, we grew, matured, listened more and gained more understanding of the tragedy.

This is the best version. Thanks.

Thank you for your introduction and concluding remarks and for commemorating the 45th anniversary of the ship's tragic sinking while wearing Remeberance Day poppies. When I lived in Canada I ws always proud to wear them. This viede I had not seen before and it carries a big impact along with the men's names. May God bess them and their families and may He bless you both. Thank you for doing this.

good rundown on the story and the history behind it. saw those huge freighters on a northern michigan trip up to sault ste. marie and took a tour through the locks between superior and huron. massive

I remember this song, never researched the meaning and never seem the video, thoughts go out to those that lost there lives back then.. A truly great voice for this song

Well, I live right on Georgian Bay, which is part of Lake Huron. I can tell you the storms that come in off the Great Lakes are pretty scary sometimes. So my heart goes out to the families. And we remember Gordie. I'm soldier and a Veteran. I noticed your both wearing poppy's. Thank you for that. Little known fact, Gordon Lightfoot did serve for a short time in the Canadian Army. 😂❤🇨🇦

Gordon Lightfoot, created and honored a timeless legend with his haunting Ballard ! I was shipwrecked on the 21st of May 1977 at night in a storm ,75 N. Miles out to sea after the F/V "PETREL" had a stack fire ,which we put out. But then we had a flash back and were forced into the freezing cold ocean without survival suit's hanging onto a hatch cover! We were picked up by a U.S.C.G 52-A chopper, No one was lost but I have lost many friends who were lost on commercial fishing boats, the song is a gift to all mariners and a great tribute to the ship her crew and family and friends of the crew ! Bless all who go to Sea !

Fellow Canadian here from BC, I saw your poppies and subscribed right away! Great review guys, Cheers

In November of '69, I was aboard the USS Yellowstone AD-27. We were crossing the Atlantic for the Med. I stood watch on the bridge. We were riding the edge of a Noer ester and I saw her roll to 2 degrees of our redline.

I read somewhere where the Superior releases the heat from the summer sometime in mid - November which can trigger the wilder storms felt in November.

wheres the sad button

Storms on any of the great lakes can come up fast and dangerous. When I was around 20 I worked on a charter fishing boat out of Cleveland as a deck hand, Wheels man and Radio Operator with a Caption that worked on the ore Boats normally ( we picked up captions that were on vacation or retired to make extra money) We were out by the Cleveland 5 mile crib ( Cleveland fresh water intake) Fishing for Walleye. I was listening to the Ohio Weather that at the time was stating 1- 2 foot waves on the south side of the lake, light winds, Out of habit I keyed up thee Canadian Weather Station and they were stating N/W winds waves building 4 to 6 feet within the next 30 min on the southern side of the lake, we had about 40 fishermen on board this 75' open deck boat, I looked at the Caption and said I'll get the anchor, I ran up to the bow and started the capstin the guys up front asked why we were moving I did not lie I told them that a severe storm was coming, We did not wast time on the winch they all grabbed the anchor chain and hand pulled the anchor up. even with their help by the time we were headed in we were stern out of the water and we were surfing back to the main harbor entrance to Cleveland. We tucked in behind the main harbor light behind the break wall tying off and securing 3 smaller pleasure boats along side for the next 3 hours to ride our the storm watching the waves breaking over the wall in front of us. The wind was so bad that it tore the life raft off the top of the boat during the peak of the storm. So yes Storms can be deadly on those lakes, My uncle was a Caption for one of the Fleet's, My Brother worked for a few months maybe a season on the boats until one of the guys told him since he was sea sic most of the time he should join the Navy ( he did stayed in for life) .

Great song, great reaction, remember the song well.

When we were kids and this song came on the radio we'd all get quiet and listen intently, fantastic song.

Thank you Gordon for this song. Without this many would never have known or would have been all but been forgotten.

Just found your channel. Thank you so much for paying a beautiful tribute to the crew of the Fitz on their anniversary. I remember when this happened (I'm old) and your heart broke for them & their families. I read that Captain McSorley was to retire after this voyage This was. The final voyage of the shipping season for the Fitz. His Helmsman was working this voyage @ his request since they had worked together so much in their careers. He too was also retiring. Vaya con Dios to all of them

The bells recently rang 30 times after Gordon Lightfoot passed away.

There's a great video on You Tube of the Arthur M. Anderson giving a Master Salute to the Fitzgerald as the Anderson entered the harbor in Duluth/Superior last year. Very emotional.

They adjusted their route to follow closer to the north shore due to the north wind. The big killer was when the wind shifted to the west coming down the length of the lake creating massive waves. Superior is a beautiful but terrifying lake, I was living in Thunder Bay ON, when the Fitzgerald went down. I was only 3 at the time, so didn't understand things then. Even if American viewers can't make it to Canada, make a point to visit several places on the southern shore. If you're lucky you can catch a big storm that will make storms on small lakes look like still water. Honestly any of the Great Lakes will do that, but Superior is scariest.

Not only has Superior not given up these dead, absolutely no one wants it to. The site is considered a gravesite, and not to be visited without special permits.

A very emotive song. "If You Could Read My Mind" was my first introduction to Gordon Lightfoot. He's a treasure.

Also helps to know the Lake Freighters especially the Iron carriers, are for the most part, Cabins in the nose, not aft like ocean going ships. The Freighter length is limited by the locks or they are stuck in the lake(s) they are in. Michigan had some a bit longer that just went from Escanaba to the docks south. Used to be 1000 feet for running through the Soo Locks on the Canadian side. A Coastie on the search said he has been in Hurricanes and storms in the North Atlantic, but never had he been in water as rough as that storm on Superior. Their cutter rolled and knocked them about the cabin, and when he and the XO stood back up, one of them was on the bulkhead and the other the deck. iirc, the last time Ma and Dad visited the Soo, they saw the Author Anderson, the ship that was with the Fitz when she sank, go through the locks. The Capt. of the Anderson said they hit a shoal (he knew the charts of the Fitz were off) and later a wave drove the nose into the bottom. Officially they still blame the crew and the hatches, but you look at the wreck as found, and it looks like he is right and the wave drove the nose into the bottom and twisted the back half off. Other say two waves lifted the aft and bow enough to break her back. What ever happened it was fast enough they never had time to make a call on the radio phone set. As he said, they'd gone nose down so often from the waves, that the first clue they had this was different was the bow hitting bottom, and the glass blowing in. I remember this happening when I was a kid.

Red cliff wisconsin here. Literally walk to the end of my driveway, turn left. There's basswood island.

Gordon Lightfoot has almost the perfect singing voice and meter. Want an even more fascinating story around Gord, check out the motivation behind the song 'Sundown.'

I remember when this was released - what a revelation on the radio. Still brings moisture to the eyes. BTW, love Ginger's dress

I was stationed on the USCGC Reliance when she was homeported in New Hampshire. The ship behind us was the USCGC Tamaroa which was one of the Coast Guard ships that responded to SOS's during the perfect storm. The perfect storm was real and I wouldn't have wanted to be on the Tam then.

Gordon Lightfoot visits the families of the Edmund Fitzgerald to this day... He said they were part of his family... There's about 350 recorded wrecks in lake superior and superior is known to not give up her dead.. over 10,000 lives have been lost in her waters..... I like the video that rock and roll revisited did they are very respectful and at the end of the song they scroll the name's, what they did on the ship, ages and where they were from... Some of the men were young as of 19 their life was just starting out...

most people dont realize that Lake Superior id essentially a land locked ocean she has tides and huge waves during the severe storms that plague her seas and iron ore isnt in bar form it looks like ball bearings anything that sinks below her icy waters is quickly frozen the wreck site is now a sanctuary and is considered a cemetery there is no diving or fishing allowed the bodies were never recovered they lay there still in the icy depths

Lake superior is ~ 82,000 KM square, over 154 KM long. The Dead sea in Europe is 604 Km Square. Its almost the size of Italy.

Gordon Lightfoot really knows how to write a song. My second fave song is Sundown, but my absolute favourite is “Too Late For Praying”. Alberta Ballet used it to end their Gordon Lightfoot ballet, which was sensational, and it was a very moving way to end the performance, the ballet is called “Our Canada”.

great reaction, i was born and raised in Sault Ste Marie i was 9 years old at the time of the sinking my stepfather used to sail on the iron boats , and was asked if he wanted to to be on the freighter he respectfully declined , that was about 6 months before the sinking, thanks for the reaction and respect for the men on the ship. Have a wonderful day.

Ahhh! Have been waiting for this one👍🏻👍🏻 Luckily, I've never had a vessel go down under me. Have had a few times when I thought it was going to happen, so this song hits home.

Best rendition/reaction of this song I've heard, I had the pleasure to board Gordon's personal yacht the GOLDEN GOOSE in Thornbury Harbour when I was young

When people do their reaction videos to this song, this is the video they need to use

basic information on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald from Wikipedia "SS Edmund Fitzgerald was an American Great Lakes freighter that sank in a Lake Superior storm on November 10, 1975, with the loss of the entire crew of 29. When launched on June 7, 1958, she was the largest ship on North America's Great Lakes, and she remains the largest to have sunk there. For 17 years, Edmund Fitzgerald carried taconite iron ore from mines near Duluth, Minnesota, to iron works in Detroit, Toledo, and other Great Lakes ports. As a workhorse, she set seasonal haul records six times, often breaking her own previous record.[Captain Peter Pulcer was known for piping music day or night over the ship's intercom while passing through the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers (between Lakes Huron and Erie), and entertaining spectators at the Soo Locks (between Lakes Superior and Huron) with a running commentary about the ship. Her size, record-breaking performance, and "DJ captain" endeared Edmund Fitzgerald to boat watchers. Carrying a full cargo of ore pellets with Captain Ernest M. McSorley in command, she embarked on her ill-fated voyage from Superior, Wisconsin, near Duluth, on the afternoon of November 9, 1975. En route to a steel mill near Detroit, Edmund Fitzgerald joined a second freighter, SS Arthur M. Anderson. By the next day, the two ships were caught in a severe storm on Lake Superior, with near hurricane-force winds and waves up to 35 feet (11 m) high. Shortly after 7:10 p.m., Edmund Fitzgerald suddenly sank in Canadian (Ontario) waters 530 feet (88 fathoms; 160 m) deep, about 17 miles (15 nautical miles; 27 kilometers) from Whitefish Bay near the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario-a distance Edmund Fitzgerald could have covered in just over an hour at her top speed. Edmund Fitzgerald previously reported being in significant difficulty to Arthur M. Anderson: "I have a bad list, lost both radars. And am taking heavy seas over the deck. One of the worst seas I've ever been in." However, no distress signals were sent before she sank; Captain McSorley's last (7:10 P.M.) message to Arthur M. Anderson was, "We are holding our own." Her crew of 29 perished, and no bodies were recovered. The exact cause of the sinking remains unknown, though many books, studies, and expeditions have examined it. Edmund Fitzgerald may have been swamped, suffered structural failure or topside damage, experienced wave shoaling, or suffered from a combination of these. The disaster is one of the best-known in the history of Great Lakes shipping. Gordon Lightfoot made it the subject of his 1976 hit song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" after reading an article, "The Cruelest Month", in the November 24, 1975, issue of Newsweek. The sinking led to changes in Great Lakes shipping regulations and practices that included mandatory survival suits, depth finders, positioning systems, increased freeboard, and more frequent inspection of vessels"

At least one one the crew's bodies laids next to the wreak was discovered by a teenager whom went down to the wreak in a sub with his Dad. Canada has declared the wreak a grave site after the discovery.

I've heard this song a number of times myself, as I live in Thunder Bay, which is on the north shore of Lake Superior. To my knowledge, I believe Gordon Lightfoot has included this song in his set whenever he's come here to do a show.

I live and am from Northern Ohio on Lake Erie. The NorEasters are no joke. Didn't realize most of the ships crew was from my home state. What a good song, one of the best examples of a story telling song

Gordon was one of my favorites back in the day. He's most likely the best Canadian singer/songwriter. I still have three of his albums on vinyl, but not this single or the 1988 compilation album "Gord's Gold, Vol. 2" for which he re-recorder this song. He has such a great story-telling voice & I really like songs that tell a meaningful story.

This is an incredible video... a tragic song... sung so beautifully... I need to look into more Gordon Lightfoot do you have any recommendations anyone? He sounds very Irish at times... a true Bard!

So the area of Lake Superior is listed at 31,700 sq mi or about the area of Holland and Denmark combined.

In European terms, Lake Superior is a the size of Austria, or a bit bigger than Ireland.

The song is beautiful, the water looks scary, i cannot swim, so i'm terrified of water too, the poppies are a lovely touch for remembrance day.🙏🙏👍

really late watching this, but to give Europeans an idea of the size of Lake Superior alone... at 82k sq. km's, Lake Superior is roughly twice the area of Switzerland.

Its got a haunting sound to it great song

Their banter is like watching PBS.

I kayaked around Pictured Rocks of the UP in Lake Superior 6 years ago for my birthday. The guide told us that if Lake Superior were emptied of all its water, it would cover the contiguous US a number of inches. Okay, I needed to verify so I used Wikipedia. "There is enough water in Lake Superior to cover the entire land mass of North and South America to a depth of 30 centimetres (12 in)." I was WAY OFF. To this day if I'm in downtown Detroit near the river, I will stop and watch the freighters go by, as that's what we did when we were kids.

I love the song it's wondeful tekkubg such a sad tale... Lake Superior is not though close to being the deepest lake in the world or near that. Just a heads up. :)

As a life long resident of Michigan, I would often see the lake freighters passing under the Mackinaw Bridge, passing through the Soo Locks, traversing Lake St. Clair, going up and down the St. Clair River and Detroit River, and through Lake Erie. I was celebrating my 16th birthday on November 10, 1975. After dinner, while watching local and national new broadcasts, news of the Edmond Fitzgerald missing was broadcast. As I remember, it wasn't until the next day that Edmond Fitzgerald was presumed sunk. I often wondered if the Edmond Fitzgerald was one of those freighters I had seen over the years. My birthday is forever attached to the memory of the Edmond Fitzgerald's loss. I always remember that day with great sadness whenever my birthday rolls around. The loss always seemed kind of personal to me.

It always seemed to me that the guitar was purposely contrived to sound like a ships bell. This is one of the best classic and respectful songs of the 20th century.

Such a great song. As a native of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, this tune gets me every time. I know every location named in it. The Michigan side at least does get warm enough to swim in by mid July.

“Spoiler alert, it was the north wind……..” dude!

It’s a common mistake that people make about Lake Superior, being the deepest lake in the world, however it is Lake Baikal in Siberia that is the deepest. However, Lake Superior is the largest Lake in the world, across in area. Having grown up near Lake Ontario, I think that all 5 of our great lakes are just beautiful!

Gordon Lightfoot brought this song up from the depths of his soul.

Theu were hit by three sisters Rouge waves around 7pm-7:20 happened so fast they never gotten out a distress signal great review I was five when she sank my dad took me to see those giants of the lakes I loved it when the Fitz sailed by she was the most beautiful ship on the lakes my dad told me when I was ten what happened to her as to why we stopped seeing her since the Fitz was my favorite ship to watch go by it broke my heart when my dad told me

First time i heard this when i was working with PPCLI in Germany i was with the BOAR at the time . Great song .

Well the Fitz was 729 ft long 75 ft wide three cargo holes with 27 hatches the song is a tribute to the crew and serving families he personally knows each family member and donates each dollar made from the song to the families November 10th is a special day for Gordon I also do a memorial to the Fitz I built a model and put 29 small candles for each crew member

The boat didn't sink in a deep are, If I remember correctly. In fact, I believe the boat was actually longer than the water was deep. Just a very bad storm.

I went swimming in Superior when I was a teenager. For about five minutes. When I got out of the water my teeth were chattering. This was in August, the water in November would have killed humans from hypothermia in minutes.

The melody is the same as "It Don't Come Easy" by Ringo Starr, but played in a minor key.

If you haven't covered it. Look up Neil Young's song "Ohio". Written, recorded and released within 48 hrs of the protest shootings on a campus of a University in Ohio....

The bell still rings 29 times every November 10th

Coming from a Commercial fishing family the loss of life at sea always hits us. This one hit us all the more because one of my best friends lost his uncle on this ship. I remember the say after with clarity. Somber and silent. As an adult, having survived 3 ship wrecks and having lost 4 to the sea I am always hit hard by this song.

From the time boats first started to cross the Great Lakes they reckon 6,000 ships have gone down. From Sail to Steam to Oil and Diesel, the Lakes have taken them all. A storm in the Lakes is many times worse than one on the Ocean. Waves cross the lake, hit the shore and rebound back across the lake, so you have waves hitting you from all sides. It's like dropping a penny in a bath tub. When the Lakers were made from riveted Iron plates the hulls worked (bent and twisted) in storms so much the rivets were fired out the sides of the ships like bullets. The Ships would just disappear. They called it falling through a crack in the lake. Sometimes something with a name would wash up after a storm but most of them went without a trace. The Water is so deep and so cold the bodies don't decay. They are all still down there. There are Ghost Ships, Residual Hauntings and Time Slips also. The Great Lakes scare the shit out of me. The Lake That Never Gives Up Her Dead @

A 222 meter ship is big , the Marco Polo container ship is in Halifax ,NS right now it's 400 meters long you have to see it in person to understand the size of it ..

in nova scotia during lobster fishing season we lose fishermen every year its never an easy thing to go threw for sure we can relate to this song

I love this song. Used to do it at the folk club. I am pretty sure Lake Baikal is deeper ( Siberia).

At the launching of the Edmund Fitzgerald, a crewman on deck when the ship went into the water, had a heart attack and died.

Look up Birkenhead Drill.

This is one of those songs that are in regular play on 70s music stations, but no one really thinks about the meaning behind it. Every time I watch one of those shows about fishermen in the Arctic or Pacific I wonder how they have the courage to get out there every sailing. Back in 1984 my wife and I took a honeymoon cruise from Philadelphia to Bermuda. Halfway there, we hit a storm with 50 mph winds and 15 foot waves. During the storm, the Captain came on the loudspeaker and told us that the QE2 had lost power and gone dead in the water nearby. He said we may need to divert to rescue them. It was one of the scariest moments of my life.

Lake Superior is 2x the size of Switzerland

From the sea we come to the sea we return

This Is Gordon's second ship sinking song. "Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle" retells the story of the fire and loss of the S.S. Yarmouth Castle during the night of November 12-13 1965 on an overnight trip from Miami to Nassau and the efforts of the S.S. Bahama Star to rescue the passengers and crew. That song is not as musically sophisticated but is, if anything, more terrifying.