Gord’s Gold
This morning Samantha played “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” during her show. Hearing it surprised me, and then inspired me to blog about it. After all, it is one of those iconic songs that transcends radio and Canada. It’s been mentioned on Seinfeld and in the film High Fidelity. According to Wikipedia, the Tragically Hip have covered it in concert. I wonder if they played it back to back with “Nautical Disaster”. That would have been awesome.
Confession: I’d never heard the original version of “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” until just a few weeks ago, when we were spinning it on Jeff and Carly’s show. I’ve only ever been familiar with the Rheostatics versions, found on the studio album “Melville” and their “Double Live” album (one of the best live records by any band, Canadian or otherwise, fyi). Their studio version is epic and moving, while the live take is a little more propulsive and intense. In their hands I still knew it is one of the great songs of our lifetime.
When I finally heard the writer sing it himself, I was surprised just how well Gordon Lightfoot’s original fits in on our rapidly growing rock station. It’s intense in it’s own way, and rocks as well. Maybe not loud guitars and distortion, but the sentiments combined with the instruments give it this timelessness. I doubt you’ll ever hear “If You Could Read My Mind” on a rock station, but I’m all for spinning this classic piece of Gord’s Gold. Take a listen, and then use gord as your bonus code for today.
April 24th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
hey Andrew….thanks for posting the video! It was good. I had heard the soung before (many a time) but that was the first time I saw the video. Impressive. Thanks again…..Dave
April 24th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
When I heard that a few weeks ago on Sam’s Jack Nation Countdown it blew me away. Your vid I enjoyed as well because it had newscasts in it I remember from when it happened. We were glued to the TV for days. . I remember seeing him perform live in 77 and it was amazing to hear this song live. It did bring tears to my eyes back then, I admit, I still get choked up today when I listen to it, memories are very powerful things. You can’t grow up in the 70’s without liking this guys music no matter what music style you perfer. I still rank this song in my top 5 of all time. Thanks again for the trip down memory lane.
Up until he recorded this song, Sundown was my fav Gord tune(check it out)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOOs-MqDOI0
April 24th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
A very nice tribrute & nice snap shot
April 25th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Sorry Andrew,
But his song by Gordon Lightfoot is the most boring song I ever heard. I could never hear it when it came on the radio, I’d switch the station as it’s LONG AND DULL!! The story may be sad and true but Gord’s version is too long and snoozy!!
April 25th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
P.S. The video (of what I watched of it) was very moving though. They should have made a movie out of it!! Screw”Titanic”, this was a real Canadian story so I wonder why it wasn’t made into a movie, don’t you?