"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot

Today is the 80th birthday of Gordon Lighfoot. He has often been called Canada's greatest songwriter, and it is hard to argue with that assessment. Over the years he has written several hits, including "If You Could Read My Mind", "Sundown", and "Rainy Day People". Among his most famous songs (and perhaps his biggest hit) was "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". The song is based on something that actually happened. It was on November 10 1975 that the freighter the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior during a storm. The entire crew was lost and it remains the largest ship to ever sink in the Great Lakes.

Gordon Lightfoot was inspired to write the song after reading an article in Newsweek on the disaster. It appeared on his album Summertime Dream (released in June 1976) and was released as a single that August. It went to no. 1 on the Canadian singles chart and no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Here with out further ado, is Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald".