Analysis of The Edmund Fitzgerald
All around the world, people use music to express themselves, have fun, tell stories and tell of historical events. Likewise, the song The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald, was written by Gordon Lightfoot to not only tell the historical story of the night it sank, but also to show commemoration to those who lost their lives. According to Lightfoot, out of all his songs, this is the one he is most proud of, and for a good reason. (McCall, 2000) Through a unique combination of song characteristics such as the rhetorical strategies he used, his voice and instruments, and the historical accuracy he sings with Gordon Lightfoot also successfully pays tribute to the families who lost their loved ones on the Edmund Fitzgerald.
The night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank is a night that many will not easily forget. Lightfoot makes sure of that, with the historical accuracy in his song, as it tells the story that makes it clear that he did his homework and research to make this song as descriptive and close to the actual events as possible. From what the Chippewa and Objiwee Indians call Lake Superior, to what the cook said to the sailors that night, to what Reverend Ingalls did when he heard the news; Lightfoot captures every second, every trivial detail to tell about this grave day in history. For example, in the lyrics, “The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee” Lightfoot included that the words Gitche Gumee, means “great water” in Chippewa. This is a name that Lake Superior lives up to, claiming around 47 ships, and hundreds of lives, including the Edmund Fitzgerald. Lightfoot also includes the route the ship was supposed to be taking, and what it was carrying, “With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more, than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty… they left fully loaded for Cleveland.” (Lightfoot, 1975) Lightfoot is also biologically accurate in his lyrics, “the lake, it is said, never gives up
The night the Edmund Fitzgerald sank is a night that many will not easily forget. Lightfoot makes sure of that, with the historical accuracy in his song, as it tells the story that makes it clear that he did his homework and research to make this song as descriptive and close to the actual events as possible. From what the Chippewa and Objiwee Indians call Lake Superior, to what the cook said to the sailors that night, to what Reverend Ingalls did when he heard the news; Lightfoot captures every second, every trivial detail to tell about this grave day in history. For example, in the lyrics, “The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down of the big lake they call Gitche Gumee” Lightfoot included that the words Gitche Gumee, means “great water” in Chippewa. This is a name that Lake Superior lives up to, claiming around 47 ships, and hundreds of lives, including the Edmund Fitzgerald. Lightfoot also includes the route the ship was supposed to be taking, and what it was carrying, “With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more, than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty… they left fully loaded for Cleveland.” (Lightfoot, 1975) Lightfoot is also biologically accurate in his lyrics, “the lake, it is said, never gives up
References: Deyoung, B. (2010, March 02). If you could read his mind. Retrieved from http://www.connectsavannah.com/savannah/if-you-could-read-his-mind/Content?oid=2132451 Ohio State University. (1997). What happened aboard the edmund fitzgerald. Lightfoot, G. (1975) The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Magee, V. (1998). Gordon lightfoot biography- the man and his music. Retrieved from http://www.gordonlightfoot.com/gordonlightfootbiography.shtml McCall, T. (2000). The wreck of the edmund fitzgerald. Retrieved from http://www.ssefo.com/remembrances/song.html Moen, S. (2007, February ). Lake superior holds onto her dead . and her toxaphene