The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald | The Longest Johns

Rip Gordon Lightfoot, Nov 1938 - May 2023

One of the most requested songs we've been asked to do over the years, and it finally happened... BECAUSE OF YOU!! Let us know what you want to hear next in these studio sessions in the comments below.

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The Longest Johns

[thelongestjohns]

Let us know what songs you’d like us to cover in these studio sessions next in the comments below! Even if someone has said it already, let us know again so we know how many people want to hear it.

[whinto]

I live in Detroit, and the 'Maritime Sailors' Cathedral', the Mariner's Church, rang out 30 times when Gordon died. 29 for the sailors, and 1 for the bard. It makes me proud to be from Michigan, and Detroit.

[normpaddle]

RIP crew of the Fitzgerald.
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.

[Jay-xfnm]

“Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” — American traditional song. It have been sung by Lead Belly and Nirvana.

[aaronsmith]

Sadly, Gordon Lightfoot at the age of 84 is no longer with us. This cover and his original song will always remind us of his brilliant storytelling voice and his great songs. RIP to a legend.

[Oakley]

You guys should do "fair well to Nova Scotia" or "Barrett's Privateers" you guys would kill it!

[chrisboerma]

As a native of Michigan who've heard Gordon Lightfoot's song more times than I care to admit, I wasn't sure how I'd like someone else covering it... but y'all did an awesome job. Loved the reverence and emotion at the end. Just very, very well done.

[wizardman]

Ah the mighty Fitz... as a Great Lakes mariner myself, this one will hit home

[gumpyoldbugger]

Very sad news today (May 2nd 2023), the Canadian troubadour, Gordon Lightfoot has passed away at the age of 84. RIP Gordon, you gave Canada its voice.

[CarterPCs_Do_The_Thug_Shake]

The Edmund Fitzgerald is definitely my favorite large Lake Superior shipwreck with a song written about it.

[wintersking]

The lyrics are true by the way, the water is so cold (usually around 35°F) that bodies sink to the bottom and don't come back up.

[BrendanKaczmarek]

Gordon Lightfoot and Stan Rogers fit you guys so so well. And to top it off, to hear you guys do The Dreadnought’s “Dear Old Stan” might just be perfect.

[bethwalsh]

Lake Superior owns my heart and this song has a piece. We spent summer vacations on its shores in the UP. The man who ran the resort and the charter fishing service actually was shipwrecked the night the Fitzgerald went down, but he was close to shore and was able to swim ashore and promptly go to the local bar for a beer. He passed away last month. Your rendition did him proud. RIP Captain Dave.

[Melissa_]

There's a wonderful edge of pain and roughness in Robbie's voice here! What a beautiful cover

[MudBucketGaming]

They rang the church bell 30 time just a few days ago . RIP Gordon Lightfoot. Well done fellas

[maegpye]

I remember the night this ship went down. We were at a late movie and when we got out, the wind was so fierce (just south of mid-Michigan) that stray shopping carts were flying across the mostly empty parking lot. The next morning my mother called me and said, 'a ship went down in Lake Superior last night'. Growing up in Michigan, the great lakes were a huge part of my life.

[TheTaiylorWallace]

As a Michigander, I shed a very proud tear. Lake Superior is every bit as dangerous and awe-inspiring as Gordon Lightfoot wrote. You revere her, you fear the gales and waves, and you behold the hundreds of shipwrecks and thousands of lives lost with awe and somber respect. If anyone ever has the chance to visit the Upper Peninsula, I highly recommend making a trip of the north shore, even go on the Circle Tour, and try out the glass bottom boat tours and visit the mining and sailing landmarks. Superior is named the "Great Sea" by the Ojibwe for a reason, and she is wonderful and terrible.

[zeeb.]

you've made the entire upper peninsula of michigan smile with this one :D

[kaejuka]

Fun fact: Gordon Lightfoot wrote this very shortly after it happened, but he got a LOT of the details eerily accurate to what they think actually happened, which wouldn't have been known until years later when they dived down to the wreck.

[gracehulbert]

Every year on November 10th the Great Lakes Shipwreck Musuem at Whitefish Point holds a memorial ceremony to honor the crew members as well as sailors lost in other shipwrecks. They ring the bell 29 times for the 29 men lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald and once more for the other crews.
My step-grandfather's dad has rung the bell at the ceremony at least twice and one for the Captain. ⚓️🔔