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This song, by Gordon Lightfoot, was a tribute to the famous shipwreck "Edmund Fitzgerald" on Lake Superior in 1975. The mystery remains surrounding the ship's demise and no one is certain of what really happened. There were no distress calls or signs of serious issue, but the ship seemed to disappear into thin air. As a matter of fact, the last known transmission from the crew simply said: "We are holding our own." The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was known for its reliabilty and had been carrying tons of freight for 16 years. The ship had received safety awards several times.

It took days to locate the wreckage and, while debris was recovered, no bodies or human remains have been located to this date. The ship sank only 17 miles from safety. No one can explain how such a massive vessel could sink so quickly that not even one of the 29 member crew could escape with life boats and safety equipment.

It is fascinating as several factors with the Fitzgerald do coincide with that of the Titanic. Primarily, the misshaps that occur prior to use. The Titanic's early history was riddled with problems. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald suffered these:

• Three attempts had to be made to christen the ship as the champagne bottle refused to break.
• Upon launch, the ship collided with a pier as soon as she hit water.
• Attending the SS Edmund Fitzgerald's launch, a spectator suffered a heart attack.
• In 1969, the Fitzgerald ran aground.
• She collided with the S.S. Hochelaga in 1970.
• She hit the wall of a lock (canal lock) in 1970, 1973 and 1974.

The song doesn't directly speak of ghosts, but does refer to an old Native American legend. The lyrics for this important part of the song:

"The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down

of the big lake they called 'Gitche Gumee.'

The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead

when the skies of November turn gloomy."

-Lightfoot

This remains a mystery today, most theories cite sudden, severe weather as a reason for it's sinking. Further information can be found here:

• Wikipedia- SS Edmund Fitzgerald
• Wikipedia- The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
• Fun Facts- Edmund Fitzgerald