Awhile ago, I went to The International House of Pancakes with a bunch of friends for breakfast. This was during the UBSCT testing that we priveleged juniors and seniors did not have to take. Outside, twas grey and overcast, and as we were driving back to school, a really cool song came on the radio. I hadn't heard it before, and was in awe. Looking out of the rain-streaked car window, I imagined myself in Montana on some ranch, and then when I realized that the song was about a ship, I imagined myself at sea. This six-minute or so long song ended, but no DJ came on afterwards to inform me of the name of the artist or the song title. Disappointed, I walked through the school for the rest of the day with the tune in my head, convinced I wouldn't get to hear that song again.Three days ago, I was messing around on iTunes and my dad came into the room. I showed him around, and he was impressed. He actually gave me a dollar to buy White Room for him. But anyways, as we were sitting there waiting for the thing to download, I told him about that title-less song I had heard a few months ago. He asked me to hum it for him. I did. He identified it immediately. "OH! That's The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald! By Gordon Lightfoot. You like that song?" I was shocked. For months I'd been thinking, "Gee, I wish I knew what that song was," and as it turns out, all I had to do was ask my dad.
I've listened to that song many times since then. Tis kind of my new love, or my "song of the week". Is it weird that I really like it? Apparently, it was overplayed in it's day (1988). The song itself is six and a half minutes long, the drums don't enter till one minute and thirty-six seconds into the song, it's the same little tune played over and over for fourteen verses, there's no chorus... but I still like it. It is a true story about the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. How cool is that? It made for very interesting reading on Wikipedia. I've decided that I'm going to learn the lyrics to the song, though it will be a challenge. You all should too. And for the record, I think that Edmund Fitzgerald would be a sweet name for a fish or a big dog.
4 comments:
Sweet, sweet Itunes. I'm pretty much addicted even though I have no money to buy songs.
So, you've discovered The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. That song's the basis of a Seinfeld plotline. The only other songs I can think of having achieved that status are Desperado and Witchy Woman. Rare company indeed.
My favorite Gordon Lightfoot songs: Sundown, and If You Could Read my Mind (NOT that song from Superman)
Incidentally, Gordon Lightfoot would be a good name for a cat.
I would like to hear that song...sounds kind of like me...how's your Beatles collection coming along?
Gordon Lightfoot would be a good name for a cat. Too cool a name almost.
The Beatles collection is coming along I guess. It includes a lot more then songs now though.
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