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Post by johnreardon on Sept 19, 2021 15:12:35 GMT
I used to play Gordon Lightfoot’s song about 10 years with a folk band.
Back playing with them again and we intend playing it at an open mic, probably Monday. Anyway I thought I would look into the story a bit more for a bit of the truth, rather than what Gordon wrote, which may not necessarily be correct. For example the ‘old cook’ in the song actually pulled out and was replaced by a younger man. It was also not ‘loaded for Cleveland’. It was headed for a steel mill near Detroit. The owners of the ship were based in Cleveland.
I came across this interesting lecture given in 2017, which is a fascinating insight into the tragedy.
Going back to the song, Gordon changed the lyrics about the main hatchway caving in, because of upsetting the families who thought he was suggesting negligence. As the presenter says, first there is no main hatchway and a hatchway was caved in by the weight of water. The presenter also asks why Gordon didn’t change the actual falsities such as it wasn’t an old cook and it wasn’t going to Cleveland. Still interesting presentation if you have time to watch it.
Gordon’s song with original lyrics is here
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Post by laristotle on Sept 19, 2021 15:24:28 GMT
Back in grade 10, english class, our teacher had us break down that song. Everyone questioned him as to why he didn't do 'Stairway To Heaven' instead.
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Post by johnreardon on Sept 19, 2021 16:01:11 GMT
Back in grade 10, english class, our teacher had us break down that song. Everyone questioned him as to why he didn't do 'Stairway To Heaven' instead. As an English teacher, he was probably right. If he was a music teacher, then Stairway may have been better. 😄
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Post by laristotle on Sept 19, 2021 16:07:53 GMT
Back in grade 10, english class, our teacher had us break down that song. Everyone questioned him as to why he didn't do 'Stairway To Heaven' instead. As an English teacher, he was probably right. If he was a music teacher, then Stairway may have been better. 😄 For us, it was more like 'what the hell do those lyrics mean?'. lol
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Post by Sgt Rock on Sept 20, 2021 19:56:27 GMT
living here in Minnesota, this tale is told every year on or around the anniversary date. Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin are neighboring cities. so, the tragedy hits pretty close to home.
John, Gordon Lightfoot was probably taking "creative iicense" to make the song sound more romantic(so to speak). when I first heard the song on the radio back then, I just figured it was another tale that Mr. Lightfoot had crafted. he is a very good balladeer. only when I moved to Minnesota did I realize that it was a true story.
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Post by infant on Sept 20, 2021 20:46:53 GMT
Back when I used to travel to Detroit a lot, whenever we took the tunnel back to Windsor, I used to see the plaque for the Maritime Sailors Cathedral at the entrance to the tunnel. I was always reminded of the line “in a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed, at the Maritime Sailors Cathedral”.
I remember reading a little while ago that Lightfoot has been changing the lyrics as more information has come forward and at the request of the families. However, the families are still much appreciative of the way that Lightfoot has immortalized their loved ones. Many people find this song boring but I still think it’s a work of art.
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Post by northernboy on Sept 20, 2021 20:59:28 GMT
As I've said on here before, Gordy and I share the same home town.
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Post by Sgt Rock on Sept 21, 2021 0:22:45 GMT
As I've said on here before, Gordy and I share the same home town. have you ever met him ? just curious.
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Post by northernboy on Sept 21, 2021 0:30:50 GMT
As I've said on here before, Gordy and I share the same home town. have you ever met him ? just curious. No, but I've always wondered if I would bump in to him when I'm there. It's never happened.
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Post by northernboy on Sept 21, 2021 1:34:11 GMT
As I've said on here before, Gordy and I share the same home town. have you ever met him ? just curious. Actually, I'm remembering now, my uncle (mom's older brother) went to high school with him always said he remembered him singing at school assemblies. I don't know if he actually knew him though.
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Post by Sgt Rock on Sept 21, 2021 3:13:04 GMT
have you ever met him ? just curious. No, but I've always wondered if I would bump in to him when I'm there. It's never happened. cool ! I've ran into a few around here(Minneapolis/St. Paul area). Brian Setzer is around here(or he used to be), but I've never ran into him. I've met some artist in other parts of the country over the years.
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Post by johnreardon on Sept 21, 2021 7:21:43 GMT
Went to an Open Mic last night and played it. Went down well. Was an interesting night in that I also sang one of my songs there. So almost a World Premiere for me singing, voluntarily. Just me and the girl singer/guitarist. She did some harmonies with me. Quite nervous and cocked up a bit of the solo. Seemed to go ok It was this one
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Post by zontar on Sept 22, 2021 5:38:37 GMT
A few years ago some other guys & I did a version of Edmund Fitzgerald at a church camp talent show--btu the singer changed the lyrics to be about an act from a couple of years before that still gets talked about. I played mandolin on that version.
It was kind of rough--but a lot of fun.
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Post by zontar on Sept 22, 2021 5:41:10 GMT
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Post by johnreardon on Sept 22, 2021 9:21:58 GMT
Yes, seen that. I just prefer the original.
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Post by zontar on Sept 23, 2021 2:16:19 GMT
Yes, seen that. I just prefer the original. with covers I really don't care if they're better than the originals--but whether I like them. I like that one.
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Post by johnreardon on Sept 23, 2021 8:33:01 GMT
Yes, seen that. I just prefer the original. with covers I really don't care if they're better than the originals--but whether I like them. I like that one. Almost the same with me. It's good, but if I had to choose, I prefer the original.
I do like the singer though. He reminded me a bit of Bruce Willis and seemed familiar. Looked him up and apparently he's an actor as well, so must have seen him in something.
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Post by laristotle on Sept 23, 2021 8:56:13 GMT
He reminded me a bit of Bruce Willis and seemed familiar. Looked him up and apparently he's an actor as well, so must have seen him in something. Hugh Dillon Film and TVMost recent is in Yellowstone, as Sheriff Donnie Haskell. I liked him in the '96 movie Hard Core Logo
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Post by laristotle on Sept 23, 2021 9:04:18 GMT
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Post by zontar on Sept 26, 2021 6:13:00 GMT
Hugh Dillon was in this show, I enjoyed it, despite in being on CBC.
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