November night, the skies were gloomy
Giant ship on Gitchee Gumee
They loaded her with ore, her hold was roomy
The ship and crew a bone, they dared the lake "Come chew me"
The captain wired in vain, "Please send assistance to me!"

As the waves broke, over and over and over the rails again,
The Edmund Fitz was on the brink of destruction

Now they understand what the Chippewa say
They all feel the fear and some begin to pray
When the life boat is lost, there's no sailing away
There'll be twenty-nine men in a watery grave
Lookout saw no signal buoy, waves tossed them like a toy

And the storm surged, hours and hours and hours, the wind -- no end
Upon the deck, then came the wreck of Fitzgerald

A storm so rough, the old cook's consternation
Galley is swamped, he left his station
He can't feed the crew, no stew and no libation
He bids all the guys farewell, his last salutation
The friendships he made, his one consolation
The Fitz breaks apart, its disintegration
The Coast Guard will search, in complete frustration

They keep trying, over and over and over again, they send
There's no reply, no word from Edmund Fitzgerald

Think of hurricanes, that hit Carolina
Then look at the debris in Joplin, Missouri*
You can search for a refuge to stay
But you'll never achieve your Whitefish Bay
The pounding of the waves, the fires and the quakes
Nature buries her dead, and leaves not a trace
Ain't a safe spot nowhere, She's gonna catch you some place

And the bells toll, over and over and over again, Amen
They recall once more, the men of Edmund Fitzgerald