Open Letters to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario on their Treatment by Gordon Lightfoot in the Sixth Verse of “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”
Dear Lake Erie,
Look, I think we all know that you’re never going to be able to fully compete with the other four lakes. You are the shallowest. Murkiest. Unmistakably Ohio-y. But—and don’t forget this—you are still one of the five Great Lakes. Freshwater seas! Containing 21% of the world’s surface fresh water! Well, I mean, you contain 1/50 of that 21%, but you get my drift. Least of the greatest is still quite an accomplishment. And here is my point:
You are so much more than what you send Lake Ontario.
Gord knew this, too, I think. He was looking at a song that was already pushing past the 6-minute mark. He was trying to cram all five of you into one verse. Someone was bound to get the short shrift. I’m sorry it was you.
Ultimately, this is a song about Lake Superior, so not surprising that Gord spends most of the runtime on it. Frankly, ol’ Gitche Gumee doesn’t come out looking great. Killing husbands and fathers and refusing to give up their corpses. Not a great look!
It’s the others that smart. I am sure that you’ve been known to steam like a young man’s dreams in your day. I am sure there have been at least a couple people who have felt inspired and wondered what their lives held for them while gazing out on your green, musty waters. And don’t get me started on “the islands and bays.” WTF? They get a whole line? As if the Great Lakes–even you, Lake Erie– are not for sportsmen?!
At least Gord didn’t bring up that Cuyouhoga River incident like certain other singer-songwriters of the ‘70s. One tributary catches on fire one time*, and people forever associate you with it and assume that they’re going to end up coated in industrial waste if they go anywhere near your 871 miles of shoreline. Ridiculous.
Let’s not forget that there are a couple of songs out there specifically about you. At least Google tells me there are. “Lake Erie Love” by Walker Hayes. “Lake Erie” by Wild Pink. Of course none of them were Billboard Top 10 hits, or get articles written about them every freakin’ November. Does the “Erie Canal” song count? Kinda, right?
Anyway, this is all just to say: Keep on rolling. Lake Huron could give you some pointers, I’m sure.
Respectfully,
Bill
*OK, at least a dozen times.
Dear Lake Ontario,
I know Gordo didn’t give you a very good shoutout, but I also know it doesn’t faze you. You don’t have a fragile ego like some other lakes I could name. You know who I’m talking about. Keep taking in what she can send you. LOL.
