This Is How It Really Goes

The Globe and Mail reports that Gordon Lightfoot is changing the lyrics to "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." This is in light of new evidence that suggests the ship was sunk due to a rogue wave and not the result of the crew improperly securing the hatches.

"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is one of Lightfoot's most endearing and popular songs. A ballad in the true sense, it tells the story of the doomed freighter, which sank in Lake Superior. Until now, conventional wisdom held that the crew had neglected to secure the hatches and when the ship encountered high waves that washed over the deck, the holds rapidly filled with water leading to the Edmund Fitzgerald's demise.

The seventh strophe goes like this:

When suppertime came the old cook came on deck
He said fellas it's too rough to feed ya
At seven p.m. the main hatchway caved in
He said fellas it's been good to know ya

Out of respect for the families of the crew and because of the new information, Lightfoot is now singing the seventh strophe like this:

When suppertime came the old cook came on deck
He said fellas it's too rough to feed ya
At seven p.m. it grew dark, it was then
He said fellas it's been good to know ya

Lightfoot has said he is only changing the lyrics during live performances, he won't re-record the song. Kudos to him for being aware enough to recognize that the lyric should be changed, although he concedes the strophe has been conjecture from start to finish. Granted, unless he records a live album, most of the Great Unwashed will never hear Gordon's new version. The new lyric absolves the deckhands and deflects attention away from the families of the crew, who have had to live with the theory that their loved ones were negligent resulting in the catastrophe.

I wonder how long will it be before Lightfoot's old label Warner Brothers sues him for changing the lyrics?

Change the Anthem...Again?

It has started all over again. In the recent throne speech, Governor General Michaëlle Jean said, "Our Government will also ask Parliament to examine the original gender-neutral English wording of the national anthem."

Think now of "O Canada," the offending line is, "In all thy sons command." What about the daughters? That's the argument. Well, that line was inserted in 1914 during the years of the first World War. At that time it was sons that Canada was sending to war. But of course, that does not account for the women that serve our country. And in the interest of equality, the government now thinks we should re-visit this issue.

It is not the first time the line has been questioned. In 1993, then-prime minister Kim Campbell supported the O Canada Fairness Committee's attempt at an amendment that would change the line to "in all our hearts command." Obviously nothing happened. In 1990, the Toronto city council voted 12-7 to recommend to the federal government that the line be changed to "true patriot love in all of us command." Also in contention, the lines "our home and native land," and "God keep our land glorious and free." The former ignoring the contributions and sacrifices of the aboriginal people and the latter stating something that will never happen.

It's curious that the conservative government chose to bring up this issue after Canada's terrific performance at the Winter Olympics. Was it the thousands of people gleefully, and many times spontaneously, singing the anthem that sparked the interest, or was this planned all along?

On one hand, I hope the anthem stays the same. We've already lived through one change. In 1980, The National Anthem Act added the phrase "From far and wide, O Canada" to replace "And stand on guard, O Canada." I know I wasn't the only person that sang the old lyrics after the change. Given that I don't sing the anthem on a regular basis, it has taken a while to sink in.

On the other hand, I don't see anything wrong in changing the line to reflect something more gender neutral, like "in all of us command." But then there's the native and god thing. This could go on forever.

Maybe we should use that swinging version of "The Maple Leaf Forever" that Michael Bublé sang at the Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. How does that go?

In days of yore, 
From Britain's shore
Wolfe the dauntless hero came
And planted firm Britannia's flag
On Canada's fair domain.

Whoops. French Canadians won't be singing that.

Let's ask Neil Young to write a new anthem.

Mar. 5/2010 UPDATE:
The Georgia Straight reports that the anthem will not be changed.