Edmund Fitzgerald Anniversary

[GJA]

I guess it's an Anniversary of the wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald today. They were talking about it on channel 5 (St. Louis) and mentioned Gord's song.

[imported_Ordinary_Man]

Well, it's the 10th here in St. Louis now. Only 17 years on the Lakes but a grave for 36 Novembers. Rest in Peace.

[charlene]

http://archives.cbc.ca/on_this_day/11/10/

[Rob1956]

Weird to think...but Gord wrote that song half a lifetime ago. He was 36, he's now 72. Seems like only 10 years ago I saw him debut that song at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago in March, 1976, three months before the LP came out.

[imported_Ordinary_Man]

I first heard the song when I brought the album home from "Peaches" in May 1976. I had never even heard of the actual tragedy until that time. I was reading the lyrics while the song began and I remember thinking that Gord may have written a masterpiece, something that both he and the ship would be remembered by.

A few months later in July, at my first Lightfoot concert, I heard it outside on a summer evening at the old Mississippi River Festival in Edwardsville IL.

[jj]

interesting reading posts about folk's first listening.... that would be quite captivating to have first head it in a live concert setting

there's some audio starting at 4:00 here with Gord talking about writing it:

http://castroller.com/Podcasts/Mansb...eOnOne/1324832


there's video of the whole chat elsewhere, but viewable in Canada only, eh?

[loveabiggibson]

I'm glad I get to see him tonight. Perhaps he'll make mention of the anniversary.

[charlene]

I'm pretty sure it won't go by unmentioned..
http://www.mibazaar.com/edmundfitzgerald.html

[niffer]

I would be surprised if he didn't mention it tonight.

I have been thinking about those 29 men, and their families, all day.

My husband's friend Jim grew up in Sturgeon Bay, WI and his dad was a steward on the Great Lakes ore boats. He was asked to go on that November 1975 trip, but he declined because in his opinion, the captain took unnecessary risks. Otherwise he would have been the guy saying "Fellas, it's been good to know ya."

[bjm7777]

I reviewed the cbc archives posted here by Charlene - pretty chilling when one thinks of it....I saw the Arthur M. Anderson in port at anchor at Superior, Wisconsin or Duluth Minnesota in the Fall of 1999. First time I ever saw one of those ships. Last July I flew out of Toronto bound for Calgary, and flew right over Duluth/Superior and saw a big freighter inbound, and another one outbound with about a mile of white wake behind each - and of course "Wreck" came to mind....

[Borderstone]

Hello all! Felt I'd be remiss if i didn't stop in today.

I may play the song when i get home tonight,as a proper tribute. On a short break at work now & have to get back.

Miss posting here more often but I just want you to also know,I'm stil out here and wouldn;t leave this behind for anything.

[lighthead2toe]

A very emotional time of year it is.

And for those of us who have lived through those years and heard the song performed so many times at the concerts, and enjoy singing the songs of Gordon Lightfoot, we could never forget that the song was written to ensure that the memory of the loss of those twenty nine sailors would never be forgotten.

And to coincide with that tragic event, tomorrow here in Ottawa an annual ceremony will be held on Parliament Hill to commemorate the loss of those brave ones who have fallen before us.
It'd called "Remembrance Day" and we will bearing the "red poppy" on our lapel which signifies "lest we forget."

This will be a first for me to attend this special ceremony and luckily we can walk to the Parliament Buildings from where we live.

Yes, a very emotional time for many.