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Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot

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(@tarciryan)
Active Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6
Topic starter  

Since this is my first time posting, I thought I would post the very first song and one of (in my opinion) the easiest songs to learn. The toughest part is keeping the strumm pattern up through the whole song. With that said here is the strum pattern:

Ddudu

The song is in 3/4 time so the strum is one quarter note followed by four octaves on each chord.

The song contains the following chords:

Asus2: x02200
Em/A: x02000
Dsus4: xx0233
D: xx0232
G: 320003
Em 022000

I hope this song is as easy for some of you as it was for me.

Intro:
Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Asus2

Verses 1 & 2:
The (Asus2) legend lives (Asus2) on from the (Em ) Chippewa on (Em) down,
Of the (G) big lake they (D) called Gitche (Asus2) Gumee. (Asus2) (Asus2) (Asus2)
The (Asus2) lake it is (Asus) said never (Em )give up her (Em) dead,
When the (G) skies of No(D)vember turn (Asus2) gloomy (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
With a (Asus2) load of iron (Asus2) ore, twenty-six (Em) thousand tons (Em) more
Than the (G) Edmund Fitz(D)Gerald weighed (Asus2) empty. (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
That (Asus2) good ship and (Asus2) true was a (Em) bone to be (Em) chewed,
When the (G) “Gales of No(D)vember” came (Asus2) early (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)

Verse 2:
The (Asus2) ship was the (Asus2) pride of the A(Em)merican side,
(Em)Coming (G) back from some (D) mill in Wis(Asus2)consin (Asus2)(Asus2)
(Asus2) As the (Asus2) big freighters (Asus) go, it was (Em) bigger than (Em) most,
With a (G) crew and good (D) captain well (Asus2) seasoned (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
Con(Asus2)cluding some (Asus2) terms with a (Em) couple of steel (Em)
When they (G) left fully (D) loaded for (Asus2) cleaveland (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
And (Asus2) later that (Asus2) night when the (Em) ships bell rang (Em)
Could it (G) be the north (D) wind they'd been (Asus2) feeling (Asus2)

Bridge 1:
Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Asus2

Verse 3:
The (Asus2) wind in the (Asus2) wires made a (Em) tattletale (Em) sound
and a (G) wave broke (D) over the (Asus2) railing (Asus2 )(Asus2)(Asus2)
And (Asus2) ev'ry man (Asus) knew as the (Em) captain did (Em) too
T'was the (G) witch of No(D)vember come (Asus2) stealin' (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
The (Asus2) dawn came (Asus2) late and the (Em) breakfast had to (Em) wait,
When the (G) “Gales of No(D)vember” came (Asus2) slashin' (Asus2)
When (Asus2) afternoon (Asus2) came it was (Em) freezin' rain
(Em) in the (G) face of a (D) huricane (Asus2) west wind (Asus2)

Bridge 2:
Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 G G D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Asus2

Verse 4:
When (Asus2) supper time (Asus2) came the old (Em) cook came on (Em) deck sayin'
(G) “Fella's it's (D) too rough to (Asus2) feed ya” (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
At (Asus2) seven P(Asus)M a main (Em) hatchway caved (Em) in
He said (G) “Fellas it's (D) been good t' (Asus2) know ya” (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
The (Asus2) captain wired (Asus2) in he had (Em) water comin' (Em) in
And the (G) good ship and (D) crew was in (Asus2) peril (Asus2)
And (Asus2) later that (Asus2) night when his (Em) lights went outa (Em) sight
Came the (G) Wreck of the (D) Edmund Fitz(Asus2)gerald (Asus2)

Bridge 3:
Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 G G D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Asus2

Verse 5:
Does (Asus2) anyone (Asus2) know where the (Em) love of God (Em) goes
When the (G) waves turn (D) the minutes to (Asus2) hours (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
The (Asus2) searchers all (Asus) say they'd have (Em) made whitefish (Em) bay
If they'd (G) put fifteen (D) more miles (Asus2) behind her. (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2) They (Asus2) might have (Asus2) split up or (Em) they might have cap(Em)sized
They may (G) may have broke (D) broke deep and (Asus2) took water (Asus2)
And (Asus2) that remains (Asus2) is the fa(Em)ces and the (Em) names
Of the (G) wives and the (D) sons and the (Asus2) daughters (Asus2)

Bridge 3:
Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 G G D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Asus2

Verse 6:
Lake (Asus2) Huron rolls (Asus2) Superior (Em) sings
In the (Em) rooms of her (G) ice wa(D)ter mansion (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
Old (Asus2) Michigan (Asus) steams like a (Em) young man's dreams
(Em) The islands (G) and bays are (D) for sportsmen (Asus2 )(Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
And (Asus2) farther (Asus2) below, Lake (Em) Ontario
(Em) Takes in what (G) Lake Erie (D) can send her (Asus2)(Asus2)
And (Asus2) iron boats (Asus2) go as the (Em) mariners (Em) know
With the (G) “Gales of No(D)vember” re(Asus2)membered (Asus2)

Bridge 4:
Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 G G D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Asus2
Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 G G D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2
Asus2

Verse 7:
In (Asus2) a musty (Asus2) old hall in De(Em)troit they prayed
(Em) in the mar(G)itime (D) salior's Ca(Asus2)thedral (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
The (Asus2) Church bell chimed (Asus) till it rang (Em) twenty-nine (Em) times
For each (G) man of the (D) Edmund Fitz(Asus2 )gerald (Asus2)(Asus2)(Asus2)
The (Asus2) legend (Asus2) lives on from (Em) the Chippawa (Em) on down
Of (G) the big lake they (D) call Gitchee (Asus2) Gumee (Asus2)
Sup(Asus2)erior (Asus2) they said ne(Em)ver gives up (Em) her dead
When the (G) “Gales of No(D)vember” come (Asus2) early (Asus2)

Outro:
Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 G G D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Asus2
Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 G G D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2
Asus2 Asus2 Asus2 Em/A Em/A Dsus D Asus2 Asus2 G G D D Asus2 Asus2 Asus2
Asus2


   
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(@dave-t)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 239
 

I like it! Nice easy lookin chords! Great artist! Great tune !

I think you mean each time a chord is shown in your transcription, it is a measure, ie: played counting "1 2&3&".

Thanks.


   
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(@tarciryan)
Active Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6
Topic starter  

I think you mean each time a chord is shown in your transcription, it is a measure, ie: played counting "1 2&3&".

Thanks.

Exactly :D


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 10264
 

Nice addition to the database!!! Well laid out and easy to read, and nice to see a new face on here....if no-one else has already said it, welcome to Guitarnoise!!!!

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

I would like to also welcome you aboard (if I haven't done so already in another thread)
I played this song in the past but with no real sense of how to strum it I played it with a much slower strumming pattern. I played the verse for example as 1 bar Asus, 1 bar Em and the G and D as half bar each.
Sounded good and kind of more sad in a way.
I like the pattern you are using, seems to sound fuller in a way.


   
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 cnev
(@cnev)
Famed Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4459
 

Tarciryan,

Welcome and nice post. Very well laid out. Should have thanked you earlier as I downloaded it the other day and have been playing it since.

Your right it's a very easy song and the strumming is pretty staightforward.

The only thing I could add is that if you want to play along with the CD you'll need a capo on the second fret, but if your not playing to the CD it sounds fine the way it is.

Hope you have a few more gems like this one.

Chris

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!


   
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(@tarciryan)
Active Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6
Topic starter  

The only thing I could add is that if you want to play along with the CD you'll need a capo on the second fret, but if your not playing to the CD it sounds fine the way it is.

I knew I was forgetting something. This song was the reason I bought a capo.


   
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(@donzo)
Eminent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 31
 

I just did this song a couple of weeks ago with my teacher, in response to me asking for some songs which you can use a varying strum pattern. The way he gave it to me was:

Asus2 - d dud d d d
Em - D d d d dudu
G - d dudu
D - d dudu
Asus2 - d dud d dud

I hope that makes sense. Anyway, nothing wrong with using the same strum all the way through, but if you want to mix it up, I think this works pretty well. I'm not sure on the emphasis, but I find that the first down on the Em makes a good strong one.... I like the way it makes the first verse, first Em bar sound like an Indian (first nations variety) drum beat right at the point its talking about the Chippewa :)

I hope all this makes sense... I'm a newbie to posting here as well as a newbie to guitar :)

Don


   
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(@slydog)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 243
 

I thought I'd share this bit of news I just came across related to this song's history. The song's been heard so many times, that it's easy to forget that it's based upon fact.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060512/NEWS08/605120365

Blame it on the lies that killed us, blame it on the truth that ran us down.


   
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 shug
(@shug)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 168
 

If you wish to mix up the Intro and/or Bridge part a bit, try substituting a modified A11 (xx0433) for the E/A.

If you want to mix in a few individual notes, several variations of the same theme are used in the Intro and Bridges in the Song. To my ear, it sounds like the recording has some trills, bends, and slides that aren't shown below. My skills (both guitar and computer) are lacking, but hopefully this will do. Sounds okay on a 12-string. (As always, improvements and suggestions are welcome):

INTRO:

l---5---5h7---5---3p0---0---0h2---3---2p0------0-------3---2p0-------0------------------
l-----------------------------------------------------3------------------------3--------------------
l------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2---------------
l----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
l----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Bridge": End of Verse 1:

l---5---------------------------
l-------------------------------
l-------------------------------
l-------------------------------
l-------------------------------

Bridge: End of Verse 2:

l---5---5h7---5----3p0---0---0h2---3---2p0------0--------
l----------------------------------------------------3------------
l-----------------------------------------------------------------
l-----------------------------------------------------------------
l-----------------------------------------------------------------

Bridge: End of Verses 3-7 (End of vv6&7 repeat twice)

l---5---5h7---5---3p0---0---0h2---3---2p0------0----3---2p0-----0----0h2h3p2---2p0-----0----------
l----------------------------------------------------3-------------------3----------------------------3--------------
l-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-------
l---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
l---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak."


   
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