# The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 10, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192 "2010-11-10T17:13:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/1 "2010-11-10T17:13:56Z")
This is the 35th anniversary of the event that inspired this [song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvKGz4s3kuU) A beautiful song albeit about something very sad. _raises a glass_ ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/2 "2010-11-10T17:15:10Z")
This is gonna set some kind of record for merged threads. [Merged thread in progress.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=585028) ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/3 "2010-11-10T17:18:04Z")
This is one of my favorite songs to play when It’s 3AM and I want my friends to go home so I can go to bed. You would be amazed at how quickly they clear out. If this song fails then I have no choice but to bring out Shatner’s version of _Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds_. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/4 "2010-11-10T17:20:52Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > This is gonna set some kind of record for merged threads. > > [Merged thread in progress.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=585028) That’s about the disaster – this is about the song. I’m going to leave them both open and unmerged, and just ask that people post in the appropriate thread according to what they’re interested in. Thanks, **twickster** , Cafe Society and MPSIMS mod ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/5 "2010-11-10T18:03:17Z")
what is it about the tune that makes it stand out the way it does? is it a minor key, or an unusual opening chord progression? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/6 "2010-11-10T18:08:38Z")
I think it’s a combination of the key it’s in (my uneducated ears say, yes it is in a minor key) and Mr. Lightfoot’s deep, mournful voice. As a kid, though I never really put the lyrics together, I knew it was a bout something tragic and in fact it scared me a little. It’s not a \*great \*song, imo, but it certainly is an evocative one. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/7 "2010-11-10T18:26:41Z")
It is old-fashioned minstrelsy; using a song to commemorate an event in the news. The tragedy would have been almost totally forgotten without the song, and that would have been sadder still. ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/8 "2010-11-10T18:46:40Z")
It’s a true sea shanty (even though it was composed rather than evolving naturally), and they’re almost always extremely simple, catchy folk melodies. 3/4 time (waltz), like many such. And he does it well. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/9 "2010-11-10T18:58:12Z")
That electric guitar, striving to sound like a bagpipe. Lines like ‘That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed/when the gales of November came early’, ‘And all that remains is the faces and the names Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.’, ‘When supper time came the old cook came on deck Saying fellows it’s too rough to feed ya At 7PM a main hatchway caved in He said fellas it’s been good to know ya.’ - Christ, I’m tearing up just reading the lyrics. A fantastic piece of songwriting. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/10 "2010-11-10T19:06:52Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > That electric guitar, striving to sound like a bagpipe. That’s exactly what caught my attention, of course - I wonder if it could be transposed to the pipes? Must get the sheet music and take a look… ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/11 "2010-11-10T19:19:14Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > That electric guitar, striving to sound like a bagpipe. > Lines like ‘That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed/when the gales of November came early’, > ‘And all that remains is the faces and the names > Of the wives and the sons and the daughters.’, > ‘When supper time came the old cook came on deck > Saying fellows it’s too rough to feed ya > At 7PM a main hatchway caved in > He said fellas it’s been good to know ya.’ - Christ, I’m tearing up just reading the lyrics. > > A fantastic piece of songwriting. “Does anyone know/where the love of God goes/when the waves turn the minutes to hours?” Chills me to the bone! I’ll raise a glass around 7:30 tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/12 "2010-11-10T19:22:00Z")
Having been involved in a failed rescue attempt and nearly drowned myself on Lake Michigan this past summer, this song is hitting me harder than in previous years. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/13 "2010-11-10T19:56:41Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > That’s exactly what caught my attention, of course - I wonder if it could be transposed to the pipes? Must get the sheet music and take a look… Mr. Athena just tried, he said there’s a couple missing notes no matter what key he tries. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/14 "2010-11-10T23:55:16Z")
I love Gordon and did several of his songs when I was playing full time. I got requests for this one but it seemed to long a dreary to me. I created a Readers Digest 300 song condensed music album and explained to the audience how honored I was to be on it doing this song. Then I played the recognizable chord progression through a couple of times and sang There was a boat on a lake and it sank and everybody died and that’s the end of the story. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/15 "2010-11-11T00:29:30Z")
My sister heard the song and afterwards was terrified of Lake Superior. Fortunately we didn’t live near it but just went to that region every few years on vacation. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/16 "2010-11-11T00:35:24Z")
A very moving tribute video using the song plus real news footage and film of the actual ship. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hgI8bta-7aw/hqdefault.jpg "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgI8bta-7aw) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/17 "2010-11-11T01:13:34Z")
She went down right about now. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/18 "2010-11-11T01:18:35Z")
I raise my glass to all the men and women who sail the waters of this blue planet. May Poseidon grant you smooth passage over the deeps, and Saints Elmo, Nicolas and Brendan carry you safe to shore. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/19 "2010-11-11T01:19:46Z")
As a kid, when I heard this song, I always assumed it was about an event that happened at least 100 years ago. I was very surprised when I finally learned just how recently it happened. I suspect this is true for many other people as well. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192/20 "2010-11-11T01:20:19Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > If this song fails then I have no choice but to bring out Shatner’s version of _Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds_. Men have died for less, and the killer found not guilty. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legend-lives-on-from-the-chippewa-on-down/560192.md?page=2)