The Mariner's Church of Detroit rang the bell 30 times today. 29 times for the mariners that died on the Edmund Fitzgerald and 1 time for Gord. Classy gesture. RIP Gord

Gordon did not make a penny off this song. All proceeds he donated to the families of the 29 men who went down with the ship.

This is a true story. This happened in 1975. Gordon Lightfoot wrote this because the news reports were so poor. he donated all moneys he received from the song to the Edmuund Fitzgerald's sailors Families and attended every annual memorial service until he Died on May 2 of this year. he was a wonderful singer-songwriter from Canada.

To be able to write a song like this would be the crowning achievement of anyone's life...

Gales are extremely strong winds in a storm. As he mentions in the song, the winds were hurricane force. Plus, it was sleeting. Imagine, being out in a hurricane and you're hit with ice instead of rain. The song is very special to me. I worked on the team who reviewed footage of the Edmund Fitzgerald shot by submersibles to determine if the ship need to be raised. It was not in a shipping lane, so the determination to leave it in its grave was made. Gordon Lightfoot's song is a beautiful tribute.

“Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?” Beyond outstanding lyrics.

On May 2, 2023 the Maritimes Sailors' Cathedral in Detroit rang the church bell 30 times. One for each of the 29 members lost from the Edmund Fitzgerald and once for Gordon Lightfoot to honour him after his passing. Such a beautiful and respectful tribute.

My dear father was the radio operator on duty at the Sault Ste. Marie Canadian Coast Guard station when the Edmund Fitzgerald went down on that fateful November day in 1975. It haunted my poor dad for the rest of his days.

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours" has got to be one of the best and most haunting lines ever written.

One of the greatest lines ever written “Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?” Gordon Lightfoot is a master at telling stories though music. This song is still on my regular music rotation. RIP Gordon 🇨🇦👍

I am former US Navy. This song brings tears to my eyes.

As a Michigander, who remembers when the the Edmund Fitzgerald sank and what a tragedy it was, this song makes me cry every time I hear it. The storm of November 10, 1975 came barreling out of the Arctic with winds of 50-100 m/h, making waves 35 ft high, with freezing rain and sleet. They think that the Fitz was caught by three rogue waves that broke her in two. Lake Superior is the largest and deepest of the Great Lakes and is very cold once you go down more than 6 ft year round. She doesn't give up her dead because the water is so cold that bacteria can't grow to bloat the bodies and raise them to the surface. After they located the wreck it was designated a burial site and you can't dive to it without special permission, the bodies are still there.

Rest in peace Gordon Lightfoot. You made the world a better place.

“All that remains are the faces and the names of the wives, the sons and the daughters” chokes me up every time I hear this. Even when I was kid in the 70’s hearing it for the first time.

RIP Gordon Lightfoot. "At 3 p.m. Tuesday (5/2/23), the bell at Mariners’ Church rang out again - now chiming 30 times to honor those perished sailors along with the artist who famously memorialized them in song”

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours" one of my all time favorite lines ever written.

“Does anyone know, where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours” That still gives me the shivers after all these years. Great video, J & A. Thank you as always.

This is a lyrical masterpiece. These men will be remembered forever because of Gordon's song.

Edmund Fitzgerald is more than a song. It is an anthem!

Gordon donated every penny he made from this song to a fund to help the families.

“Fellas, it’s been good to know ya” raises the hairs on the back of my neck, every time. “Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours” is one of THE best lines ever written in rock/folk/pop music. Just hits you hard, in your soul.

Yesterday, that church bell rang 30 times. Twenty-nine times for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald. And one time for Gordon Lightfoot.

You're listening to the the most brilliant musician and songwriter of his time RIP.😪

I was a Michigan boy in my teens when this happened. Here we are, nearly fifty years later and whenever I hear this song. I sit in reverent silence, feeling every line in my heart until the last melancholy note is finished.

Gordon Lightfoot died today at 84. You've done a great review of this classic song, and I'm happy his words and music moved you so much. Thanks for these intelligent, heartfelt reactions.

I just read that he gave all the proceeds from this song to the families of the crew. His heart was as huge as his talent.

I am from Cleveland and i remember the night the Edmund Fitzgerald...I remember the dark the wind and watching TV...becasue the weather was the breaking news of the night and then the reports came in of the Edmund Fitzgerald going down....there was nothing anyone could do until the storm stopped. My God bless those men....and thanks for bring this song to a new generation of people

I'm a Michigander, and a friend of mine lost his uncle on the Edmund Fitzgerald. Lake Superior never gives up her dead is from the fact the water is so cold decomposition doesn't happen, gases do not fill the body, and they don't rise to the top. They sink and get consumed. The Witch refers to a type of storm (A Gale is a storm with 32-63 miles per hour winds.) Superior is famous for sudden onset gales with no prior warning, that is what is referred to as the Witch. November is the most common month, and historically one of the most deadly on the Great Lakes. The storm that sunk the Big Fitz had steady 50 mph winds with gusts to 75 mph. The waves were between 18-25 feet tall. Lightfoot helped create a fund to send the children of the dead to college. Amber picked up on a new sound, but it isn't a futuristic one, it is a very old one. The tuning and style of the song are based on old Irish folk music, which was also the source of many sea shanties as well.

Read the detailed history of the boat and the wreck. Only then can you truly appreciate the brilliance and emotion of Lightfoot’s lyrics. The storytelling here is impeccable.

Rest in peace, Gordon. Extremely talented songwriter, poet and Canadian icon.

One of Gordon's biggest hits reached number 4 on Billboard pop singles chart in March of 1977 I think was the best of his story telling songs RIP GORDON 🌺

I'll bet all 29 mariners were waiting at the Pearly Gates for their 30th shipmate! Rest in Piece Gordon Lightfoot! Thanks for the memories, I'm Andy Annmarie's husband!

Most people don't know that Gordon Lightfoot donated all the proceeds from this song to the families of the lost men. I was 19 at the time of the tragedy and remember it well. So proud of Gordon Lightfoot for doing this song. He has other great music.

The word choices that he used really help not only in telling the story but set the tone. Phrases like "the ship was a bone to be chewed", "the winds and the wires made a tattle tale sound", and my personal favorite "does any man knows where the love of God goes when the waves turns the minutes to hours" all create a feeling of deep despair. The wailing of that guitar really makes you feel how bitter cold the storm was.

living on lake Erie's southern shore I can see the freighters sailing by. The most haunting sights come at night when I see the freighters, deck lights on, anchored in the middle of Lake Erie about 25 miles out, and beyond that, the aura of Erie's north shore lights from Canada across the 50 mile width . I always think of Gordon Lightfoot when I see that.. RIP GL, Thank you.

Blessed to have seen him live in 2000. Incredible. Flawless.

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?" So damn true 😕 I always get chills listening to this song. Gordon takes a little artistic license with the lyrics, but he succeeds in putting you in the shoes of the Edmund Fitzgeralds crew, and giving you a sense of what they must have felt in their final few hours.

For 2 summers during college, I worked on the lake freighters and saw the Fitz a number of times. This isn't a song, it's a hymn. Thanks for having the courage to do a react.

My father sailed on the Great Lakes in the 50s with the Merchant Marines. He was on a ship on Lake Superior when they docked someone took a picture of my dad standing in front of the ship. It must of had ice a foot thick all over the exposed decks. They were so top heavy, my father said, that a good shove would have capsized her. The gales of November are the storm winds, creating huge waves (25-30 feet) and pick up the warm (relative to the air temp) water and deposit it as freezing rain. Sailing the Great Lakes is no joke. They are inland fresh water oceans.

I am a native Detroiter, one of the things I liked to do after I got my driver's license was take a date to Belle Isle, An island in the Detroit river that is Detroit's Central Park, and spend an afternoon or evening, sit on the shore and watch freighters go by, This was from 1969 through the early '70s until I got drafted. and somewhat after I did my 2 years and I was discharged, honorably. One of the ships that really got my attention was the Edmund Fitzgerald since it was notably larger than the others, It was nearly a quarter mile long! When the ship sank in 1975, it was personal to me. When I would sit on the shore and wave to the crew of The Fitz, (and all the other ships) as they went by so the loss of the ship and it's crew in that icy water was very personnel to me. This song was always a special song in my heart.

This song is an example of a ballad. Ballads are songs and poems that recount real events, passed down through the generations. Some ballads date bake to medieval times

“Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?” Haunting lyrics. I still get a tear in my eye all of these years later.

This song has such a VIBE. You just feel the whole thing deep in your bones. It's amazing.

The dude does indeed 'paint a picture.' Gordon Lightfoot was one of the Best.

His phrase, "the lake never gives up her dead" refers to the fact that they rarely find any bodies from the wrecks. Superior is an extremely cold lake at depth. Because of the cold there are very few microbes/bacteria to cause the bodies to bloat and rise to the surface to be discovered.

My Mother was a ship to shore marine operator and was in communication that faithful day with the Fitzgerald when it unfortunately went down. RIP to the 29 souls😥🙏🏻

This song always makes me cry. That these men knew they were going down is so tragic. The music, the guitar, reinforces the magical witch come stealin’ and I just can’t help the tears.

If you follow the melody and the the Rhythm you can truly hear his voice and sound and love is amazing❤❤❤❤🎉

"Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?!" That lyric pretty much sums it up right there and Gordon Lightfoot's uncanny ability to make you feel you're right there sends chills down your spine when listening to this Epic song..If this song doesn't tug at your old heartstrings you might want to check your pulse..

This is absolutely the most haunting song ever performed. A classic among classics. Much respect to G.L. for writing this song and singing it with respect and grace.

Rest In Peace Storyteller, And Song Writer Gordon Lightfoot . . . Thank You Very Much For Making My Growing Up In The 1970's A Fun Filled One, While Enjoying Your Amazingly Beautiful Story Telling Songs . . . ;-) R.I.P. Gordon Lightfoot . . .

Just a little note to let you know that Gordon Lightfoot passed away just yesterday, May 1, 2023. I had to play this again as a tribute to one of the greatest song writers of all time!! Rest in Peace, Gordon. You will truly be missed. By the way, Amber, yes, when he talked about the gales of November, he was talking about the winds, They can get brutal when you are out on the water.

The Mariner’s Sailor’s Cathedral is an Episcopal Church in Detroit, Michigan, which ministers to sailors on the Great Lakes. Every time there are lives lost on the Lakes they hold a memorial service and toll the bells for each life lost.

I went to a bar one evening located west of Cleveland to see a friends band. In the middle of the evening, my friend stopped to introduce a special friend of his to the crowd. It was the Brother of the Captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The band then went on to play The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. It was very moving experience.

My Dad was in the U.S. Merchant Marine in the 1930s, but heard this song but once when it came out; he never wanted to hear the story again. One of the very few times in his/my life I saw tears coursing down his whiskery cheeks. He did describe how insignificant and vulnerable he felt compared to the 70'-high seas blown up by a North Atlantic nor'easter; it was always a crap-shoot whether you get safely into port. What a fantastic story-song; thanks for your reactions!

God rest your soul Gordon. What a wonderful ballad singer you were. Fun to share reactions.

This tragedy occurred on my 17th birthday, November 10, 1975. Although it was an American vessel, it sank in Canadian waters on Lake Superior, about 4 hours’ drive from where I lived in northern Ontario, Canada. It was big news at the time, the disappearance and the subsequent search were frequently reported on Canadian msm. Gordon saw a newspaper headline that prompted his writing of the song. All proceeds from sales went to the surviving family members. How’s that for a legacy?

As a meteorologist for the past 42 years, I can tell you that a "gale" is a strong wind. Gale-force winds start at about 40 mph and can be hurricane-force. The gales across the Great Lakes are caused by storm systems, low pressure areas, that are more common from November through April. These storm systems are generally hundreds of miles across. It was such a storm that was the culprit. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald sailed from northern Wisconsin, near Duluth, MN. That's the southwest tip of Superior. They sailed all the way across Superior and almost reached port at Whitefish Bay, the southeastern tip of Superior. Lake superior is about 300 miles wide from west to east. With the wind coming from the west it had plenty of open water to build huge waves. Winds were reported to be up to 70 mph with gusts to 85-90 mph in the area, with waves 25-30 ft and possibly peaks of 35-40 ft. These waves would have been coming from the stern (back of the ship). Sometimes, if the waves are the "right" distance apart, a ship can be suspended by the bow and the stern with no support mid-ship. This can cause the ship to break in two. You can read about the shipwreck here (it was a real shipwreck): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_Fitzgerald

I'm convinced that Gordon Lightfoot was the only man in our universe that could have told a real story about the tragedy of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Thank god for this man to immortalize these people.

This song gives me chills! He really puts you there with them.

It is the haunting melody that catches your ear, but the lyrics are so well written you can actually see the story unfold in your mind.

I was ten yrs old living in Wisconsin when the Fitzgerald went down. I cried for the crew and families. It marked me. I can't hear this song without crying to this day.

yeah, really appreciated your reactions! thanks for saying what the instrumentation meant to you!!! over forty years ago I heard this song when it started with acoustic guitars and after the words, ...."fellas it's been good ta know ya....".....it switched to electric guitars! the change was soooh subtle and smooth, you couldn't even tell the switch had been made. HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING THAT VERSION!!! thank you ever so much for this song!

The line that always kills me is "Fellas, it's been great to know ya". Just the quiet acceptance of inevitable death is just so heart wrenching.

Captain and Crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald..... RIP Ernest McSorley - Captain born in 1912 in Canada and lived in Toledo, Ohio. He started command of the Fitzgerald in 1972 with more than 40 years of experience navigating oceans and the Great Lakes. McSorley was highly regarded for his skills, especially in heavy weather. He intended to retire after the 1975 shipping season but was survived by wife Nellie Pollock. John McCarthy - First mate born in 1913 and lived in Bay Village, Ohio. James Pratt - Second mate born in 1931 and lived in Lakewood, Ohio. Michael Armagost - Third mate born in 1938 and lived in Iron River, Wisconsin. David Weiss - Cadet born in 1953 and lived in Agoura, California. Ransom Cundy - Watchman born in 1922 on Easter Sunday in Houghton, Michigan, and lived in Superior, Wisconsin. He was in the Marine Corp and fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima during WWII. Fortunate to survive, Cundy was awarded several commendations and medals for his service. He was sailing with his friend Frederick J. Beetcher at the time of the sinking. Cundy was survived by his daughter Cheryl, her husband, and their seven children as well as three grandchildren from his youngest daughter Janice who passed away in 1974. Karl Peckol - Watchman born in 1955 and lived in Ashtabula, Ohio. William Spengler - Watchman born in 1916 and lived in Toledo, Ohio. John Simmons - Senior wheelman born in 1913 in Ashland, Wisconsin, where he also lived. He was known as a storyteller, jokester, and pool shark, and he loved sailing. Friends with Captain McSorley for more than 30 years, the ill-fated Fitzgerald trip was going to be his last before retirement. Simmons was survived by wife Florence (who never dated or remarried after his death) and two daughters Mary and Patricia. Eugene O’Brien - Wheelman born in 1925 in Minnesota and lived in Toledo, Ohio. Nicknamed the “Great Lakes Gambler,” he worked on ships from age 16 and only took a four-year hiatus as a glass factory worker. He loved casinos and playing cards. O’Brien was survived by wife Nancy and son John, who was just 17 when he lost his father. John Poviach - Wheelman born in 1916 and lived in Bradenton, Florida. Paul Riippa - Deckhand born in 1953 and lived in Ashtabula, Ohio. Mark Thomas - Deckhand born in 1954 and lived in Richmond Heights, Ohio. Bruce Hudson - Deckhand born in 1953 and lived in North Olmsted, Ohio. George Holl - Chief engineer born in 1915 and lived in Cabot, Pennsylvania. Edward Bindon - First assistant engineer born in 1928 and lived in Fairport Harbor, Ohio. Thomas Edwards - Second assistant engineer born in 1925 and lived in Oregon, Ohio. Russell Haskell - Second assistant engineer born in 1935 and lived in Millbury, Ohio. Oliver Champeau - Third assistant engineer born in 1934 and lived in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Nicknamed “Buck,” he quit school at age 13 to raise four siblings after his father died. During his life, Champeau fought in the Korean War with the Marine Corps. Ralph Walton - Oiler born in 1917 and lived in Fremont, Ohio. He and his brother Wade sailed on many Columbia Transportation ships, including the Fitzgerald, but only he was on board when it sank. He often volunteered to maintain the ships during winter and gave his nephews tours of the vessels. Walton was survived by a wife and son Alan who worked on freighters too. Blaine Wilhelm - Oiler born in 1923 in Big Bay, Michigan, and lived in Moquah, Wisconsin. He was in the Navy for 11 years, serving in WWII and the Korean War before being discharged as a first class fireman. Afterward, Wilhelm sailed for 19 years. He liked to go fishing and deer hunting and enjoyed playing pool, barbecuing, spending time with family and friends, and eating blueberry pie. Wilhelm was survived by wife Lorraine, seven children, and a grandchild born just four days after the Fitzgerald sank. Thomas Bentsen - Oiler born in 1952 and lived in St. Joseph, Michigan. Gordon MacLellan - Wiper born in 1945 and lived in Clearwater, Florida. Less than one month before the tragic Fitzgerald journey, he built a home in Presque Isle, Michigan, to make travel between the two states easier. MacLellan took after his father, Master Captain Donald MacLellan who traveled the Great Lakes route several times. Robert Rafferty - Steward and cook born in 1913 in Toledo, Ohio, where he also lived. After 30 years of sailing, he started just filling in for crew members. Rafferty wasn’t supposed to be on the fateful journey but was called to fill in for the regular steward. He was actually considering retiring altogether. Rafferty was survived by wife Brooksie, daughter Pam, and several grandchildren. Allen Kalmon - Second cook born in 1932 and lived in Washburn, Wisconsin. Joseph Mazes - Special maintenance man born in 1916 in Ashland, Wisconsin, where he also lived. He sailed for 30 years on the Great Lakes and loved his job. At one point, he saved another crewman’s life. Sadly, the 1975 season would have been his last because he planned to retire. Mazes loved ice fishing, deer hunting, and snowmobiling in his free time. His siblings, nieces, and nephews remember how kind and generous he was. They recall him being afraid of Captain McSorley’s habit of never pulling out of a storm. Thomas Borgeson - Maintenance man born in 1934 and lived in Duluth, Minnesota. Frederick Beetcher - Porter born in 1919 and lived in Superior, Wisconsin. Nolan Church - Porter born in 1920 and lived in Silver Bay, Minnesota. He didn’t start sailing until his 40s after watching the freighters pass by his home and thinking that the job would be fun. He was survived by multiple children who say that he loved the job. Son Rick recalls his father joking that the Great Lakes didn’t have a hole big enough for the Fitzgerald. Church didn’t think that such a tragedy could happen.

One of the finest examples of story-telling music ever written. The instrumental side AND the cadence of his voice suggest the motion of waves, slashing back and forth.

This song gives me chills every time I hear it. Thank you so much for your wonderful video - it truly honors this wonderful song! Interesting weather fact: the Edmund Fitzgerald went down in what is termed a Bomb Cyclone - basically (in simple terms) a hurricane over the Great Lakes. They're terrifying for mariners, and I could not imagine sailing the Great Lakes without the technology we have today.

One of Canada's greats and one of the greatest songs ever written.

Lake Superior is a deadly place to be in a ship in a storm - the waves are absolutely crazy, as they bounce back and forth between all of the shores, making them totally unpredictable and dangerous - there are over 6000 shipwrecks at the bottom of that lake. Absolutely haunting song, and a great memorial to those lost on that ship. A gale is a strong wind - generally 40 to over 55 mph. On the night of this sinking, the winds were over 60 mph, and the waves over 35 feet.

The most heartbreaking part of this song is when it says "The mariners say they'd have made Whitefish Bay if she'd put fifteen more miles behind her. " Only fifteen miles away from safe harbor, but it was too late...

RIP Gordon Lightfoot, Canada's greatest storyteller. Having grown up in Michigan during the 1970s I clearly remember this tragedy and this great tune that told the story. It still gives me shivers and brings a tear to my eye.

I really love to see people of your generation listening to and really getting into the music of my generation like you two are. This song is also one of my favorite ballads.

"The lake never gives up her dead" refers to the coldness of the water. Keeps the body so cold that it doesn't create the gas that would typically float a body to the surface of the water.

"All that remains are the faces and the names of the wives and the sons and the daughters." That line breaks me every time.

His voice is haunting throughout the song.

Happy to have gotten to see him in concert a few years ago and he was still in top form for his age. Gordon Lightfoot is very Canadiana to me and brings back memories of road trips to my grandparents place. RIP Mr. Lightfoot.

Its very thoughtful of Gordon Lightfoot to comemorate the wreck and donate the proceeds to the families who lost their loved ones. Im from Minnesota and it's a legend for both states. I was 23 yrs old when this happened... remember it well.

The most evocative line of this song is "Superior it's said never gives up her dead when the Gales of November come early". What that means is that because Superior is a cold water lake, the bodies will sink instead of floating so you get nothing to bury.

Bob Dylan was asked once what does it feel like to be the best song writer ever, he said i don't know ask Gordon Lightfoot

The wreck has been located years ago. All the bodies are still there, preserved in the crazy cold water. It is an official memorial site now and no diving is allowed.

Lake Superior is a deadly lake. Gordon Lightfoot really told this story. I was 11 when it sank and it was big news. This song was such a tribute to the crew.

The back up music to this is just so eerie. I think that is what really grabs you and hold you listening to the song and the story. I remember that it made Gordon Lightfoot a very recognizable songwriter and musician.

I absolutely love this song. I remember when this happened and I remember when this song came out. It reminds me, and rightly so, in so many ways of a funeral dirge.

Love this song. Gordon is such a vivid story teller. And Gale is the wind blowing

Gordon Lightfoot is a real treasure. Not only did he make you feel as if you were on the Edmund Fitzgerald with this incredibly beautiful and tragic song, but he donated every cent he made on it to the families of the men lost in the wreck. I cannot listen to a chord of this song without tearing up. "Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours" is the most haunting lyrics I have ever heard.

BLESS YOU Gordon, your music will live in our hearts forever❤

i love it when people discover a genius , you and me have known about forever , proves your right and this class of music is universal , rest in piece brilliant man

The best ballad ever written, and the most haunting melody ever written, the drummer didn't even know when he was to come in, he waited for Gordon to give him a nod from his head. Gordon has never taken a dime for this song, everything this song has made has been donated to the family's of the men who were killed

My father ride the oar boats in the late 40's as a high schooler. Can remember the look on his face when the news came over the radio about the Edmund Fitzgerald. He could imagine the whole thing too clearly and he knew just where the ship went down. Here in the shore the shore of Lake MI, the winds can blow furiously, but, nothing is like Lake Superior during a gale. The Great Lakes are full of 19th century ship wrecks.

My 86 year old father plays this on his pedal steel guitar. He’s main guitar is a’47 Gibson.

He is unquestionably Canada's greatest songwriter, has a star on Canada's walk of fame, numerous awards for songs and his albums have reached gold to multi-platinum And he's gotten the Governor General's performing arts award which is Canada's highest honor in the preforming arts So yea he's quite accomplished and widely respected in the music industry by past and present musicians all over the world

"Gale of November", if not already given, is a November winter storm with high wind (gales). Lake Superior can get huge waves just like in the ocean. And as others may have mentioned, this is true. Some of the details of what the crewmen did prior to the sinking is speculation, but plausible. Wikipedia has a good article on this, including the discovery of the wreckage and how the ship likely sank.

⚘Gordon's music was different from what everyone else was producing. But one thing for sure was when one of his master peices was playing, everyone would take notice of his message and all would grow quiet until his story telling was over, and continue on with their lives. His songs were nothing to sneeze at, that is for sure!

Saw Gordon on Wednesday evening. Even at 83, frailer of voice and appearance, it’s still a powerful song. The lyric “Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?” just hits me in the feels every time.

One thing many people didn't know is that Gordon Lightfoot set up a trust for the surviving family members and that all the royalties from this song go into that trust.

When I was young we had this song as a 45 and I remember it being more for my mother and not my brother and myself but I liked it and still do. Back then I had no idea this was based on real events. Gordon did so many memorable songs. RIP Gordon you will long be remembered.

We live in Michigan and this song was a huge part of our childhood. We remember watching the search for the missing on the news. It’s hard for people to understand just how big our lakes are here and they are deadly.

Hi Guys. In November 1975, I was a recent university grad working on a fishing boat operating out of Michipicoten Harbour, near Wawa, Ontario, on the north shore of Lake Superior. One morning, we were visited by a couple of RCMP officers. They asked us to help them look for any survivors from a ship that vanished the night before, called the Edmund Fitzgerald. No other captain along the coast would agree to go. Too rough, they said. But our captain, a cantankerous character, said yes and we all went. We never found anything, but I still remember getting very seasick, since it was still very rough. That's how I came to be on the only (to my knowledge) search vessel for the Edmund Fitzgerald. To answer Amber's question, the gales of November are hurricane-like winds that occur when cold, dry northern air, mixes with warmer, moister, southern air over the Great Lakes, which commonly occurs in November. I love your music reactions! Thank you for all you do. James, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Another detail I love about the instrumentation in this song is that, whenever he talks about the storm beginning to kick up, the drums come in and hit heavier and the instrumentation also becomes more intense. Gotta love when the arrangement of a song isn't just a chord progression with words over it but is actually designed to reinforce the emotion of the lyric.

Rest in peace Gordon Lightfoot, you were loved❤