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Quiz about Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald Washed Up

"Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" - Washed Up Quiz

This quiz covers all aspects of the gloomy song "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot. The first 13 questions are lyric oriented, and the last 7 require a deeper knowledge of the song's origin. Good luck! Don't worry, it's easy.

A multiple-choice quiz by greg9570. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
greg9570

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
144,220

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
15 / 20

Plays
2963

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: doh1 (10/20), fletch1165 (6/20), matthewpokemon (20/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. As the opening lines go, "The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down, Of the big lake they called _____________." Hint

Gitchyer Gumee

Gitcho Goomee

Gitche Gumee

Gitche Gamy

NEXT>

Question 2 of 20

2. The lyrics give up the month in which the freighter sank. As follows, this is in "the skies of _______ turned gloomy" and "the Gales of _______ came early." What month do these snippets refer to? Hint

November

October

December

April

NEXT>

Question 3 of 20

3. Straightforward lyric completion: "The ship was the pride of the American side, coming back from some mill in _________." Hint

Wisconsin

the state of "Ide"

Montreal

Holland

NEXT>

Question 4 of 20

4. The phrase "Gales of November" appears numerous times in the song. Which of the following snippets does NOT follow the phrase in some part of the song? Hint

"came early"

"came on"

"came slashing"

"come early"

NEXT>

Question 5 of 20

5. Even though she "never gives up her dead", the lake "Edmund Fitzgerald" sank on is truly majestic. What is the name of this lake? Hint

Lake Michigan

Lake Superior

Lake Erie

Lake Ontario

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Question 6 of 20

6. Literature can find its way into music. "Superior sings" implies personification. Which phrase completes the personification in the lyrics? Hint

"Superior sings, with the Gales of November remembered"

"Superior sings, takes in what Lake Erie can send her"

"Superior sings, the islands and bays are for sportsmen"

"Superior sings, in the rooms of her ice-water mansion"

NEXT>

Question 7 of 20

7. As the song explains, studies show that circumstances were completely against the crew, led by Captain McSorley. So, in accordance with the lyrics, "the searchers all say they they'd have made _______ Bay." What is the missing word? Please combine the two words, into one, as the official lyrics go.

Answer: (One Word)

NEXT>

Question 8 of 20

8. According to the song, why didn't the cook feed the crew on the fateful night? Hint

Because the rations fell overboard during a rain squall

Because the waters were too rough

Due to the need to keep food in moderation

Because the crew was being punished for mutiny

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Question 9 of 20

9. Is the following lyric entirely accurate?- "The church bell chimed till it rang thirty-nine times, for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald"?

Yes

NEXT>

Question 10 of 20

10. A "main hatchway caved in" at what time, according to the lyrics? Hint

Midnight

Seven P.M.

Six P.M.

Nine P.M.

NEXT>

Question 11 of 20

11. Gordon Lightfoot believed that the cook and captain of the ship were well what? Official lyrics: "With a crew and good captain well______." Hint

Squared

Rounded

Seasoned

Oriented

NEXT>

Question 12 of 20

12. What was the name of the location in Detroit in which the rememberance ceremony was held? lyrics: "In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed in the ...." Hint

ol' Graveyard downtown

Nautical Rememberance Chapel

Maritime Sailors' Cathedral

Church of Departed Souls

NEXT>

Question 13 of 20

13. Complete the lyric: "Superior, they said, never gives up her ____________."

Answer: (One Word- (Our Dear Departed))

NEXT>

Question 14 of 20

14. Here begins the pre-mentioned deeper knowledge. The Chippewa Indians called Lake Superior "Kitchi-gummi", obviously not the modern spelling. What does this translate to in English? Hint

"dark-grave"

"big-body"

"great-water"

"mini-sea"

NEXT>

Question 15 of 20

15. Though never directly mentioned in the song, in what year did the "Edmund Fitzgerald" sink? Sorry if it seems like a history question, but it's necessary. Hint

1973

1968

1979

1975

NEXT>

Question 16 of 20

16. An allusion in the lyrics is made to the ship's bell. Officially, in what year was the ship's bell recovered from the wreckage? Hint

1984

1976

2000

1995

NEXT>

Question 17 of 20

17. A necessary question- Who wrote the song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"?

Answer: (Two Words- (First and last name))

NEXT>

Question 18 of 20

18. The song explains how the ship sank to the icy bottom of Lake Superior. Approximately how many feet of water did it sink in? Hint

530 feet

700 feet

400 feet

350 feet

NEXT>

Question 19 of 20

19. In 1976, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" was written by Lightfoot to honor the ship. Was it written more than a decade after the sinking?

Yes

NEXT>

Question 20 of 20

20. The music to the song was primarily played on what instrument? Hint

Piano

Violin

Saxophone

Guitar

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 06 2024 : doh1: 10/20
Dec 06 2024 : fletch1165: 6/20
Dec 06 2024 : matthewpokemon: 20/20
Dec 06 2024 : psnz: 20/20
Dec 06 2024 : PHILVV: 20/20
Dec 06 2024 : lolleyjay: 12/20
Dec 06 2024 : klukblazen: 13/20
Dec 06 2024 : Ehmer1: 14/20
Dec 06 2024 : crossesq: 16/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. As the opening lines go, "The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down, Of the big lake they called _____________."

Answer: Gitche Gumee

Of course, "Gitche Gumee" is a native name for Lake Superior, the lake on which the "Edmund Fitzgerald" sank.

Answer: November

November, in the Great Lakes, is notorious for wind gales. A mix of wind and rain presumably sank the ship. Of course, no one is exactly sure of the cause.

3. Straightforward lyric completion: "The ship was the pride of the American side, coming back from some mill in _________."

Answer: Wisconsin

"Wisconsin" is the only logical answer, due to the beat of the song. Beat is a lyrical term referring to a constant pattern in a song.

4. The phrase "Gales of November" appears numerous times in the song. Which of the following snippets does NOT follow the phrase in some part of the song?

Answer: "came on"

"Came early" and "Come early" are highly similar; however, the second is intentionally used in the present tense.

5. Even though she "never gives up her dead", the lake "Edmund Fitzgerald" sank on is truly majestic. What is the name of this lake?

Answer: Lake Superior

Surprisingly, the actual word "Superior" is used directly less than five times in the song's body.

6. Literature can find its way into music. "Superior sings" implies personification. Which phrase completes the personification in the lyrics?

Answer: "Superior sings, in the rooms of her ice-water mansion"

Ice-water mansion implies the bottom of Lake Superior. Geographically, because of its location, Superior tends to have cold, choppy waters. "Tends"- more personification. :)

Answer: Whitefish

Again, geographically speaking, Whitefish Bay is an inlet of Lake Superior.

8. According to the song, why didn't the cook feed the crew on the fateful night?

Answer: Because the waters were too rough

Think about it. If the crew had eaten the dinner, the plates would have fallen off the boat due to the rocking back and forth. All this would happen, even though the coal liner was nearly 730 feet long.

9. Is the following lyric entirely accurate?- "The church bell chimed till it rang thirty-nine times, for each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald"?

Answer: No

Actually, and with historical relevance, during the rememberance ceremony, the bell only chimed twenty-nine times. This was because of exactly twenty-nine crew members.

10. A "main hatchway caved in" at what time, according to the lyrics?

Answer: Seven P.M.

The ship sank in the evening, in the region of nine P.M.

11. Gordon Lightfoot believed that the cook and captain of the ship were well what? Official lyrics: "With a crew and good captain well______."

Answer: Seasoned

Seasoned is a term normally used in cooking. Strange how it is applied to a crew, but the term would imply "squared away."

12. What was the name of the location in Detroit in which the rememberance ceremony was held? lyrics: "In a musty old hall in Detroit they prayed in the ...."

Answer: Maritime Sailors' Cathedral

This ceremony actually occured, and was shown on live television. After a mentioning of a departed soul, a person would chime the bell once.

13. Complete the lyric: "Superior, they said, never gives up her ____________."

Answer: dead

The following phrase, and last line of the song, is "When the Gales of November come early."

14. Here begins the pre-mentioned deeper knowledge. The Chippewa Indians called Lake Superior "Kitchi-gummi", obviously not the modern spelling. What does this translate to in English?

Answer: "great-water"

"Great Water" would lead to the name "Lake Superior", because of the "Superior" size.

15. Though never directly mentioned in the song, in what year did the "Edmund Fitzgerald" sink? Sorry if it seems like a history question, but it's necessary.

Answer: 1975

Yep, it was 1975. Oh, the ship was built in the 1950's, and launched for the first time on June 7, 1958.

16. An allusion in the lyrics is made to the ship's bell. Officially, in what year was the ship's bell recovered from the wreckage?

Answer: 1995

The bell was found by a submarine. Unfortunately, none of the sailors' bodies were ever recovered.

17. A necessary question- Who wrote the song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"?

Answer: Gordon Lightfoot

Well, the name was mentioned in the quiz's Introduction. Lightfoot personally sang and recorded the song.

18. The song explains how the ship sank to the icy bottom of Lake Superior. Approximately how many feet of water did it sink in?

Answer: 530 feet

Deep water. Lake Superior is not only the largest, but the deepest of the Great Lakes.

19. In 1976, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" was written by Lightfoot to honor the ship. Was it written more than a decade after the sinking?

Answer: No

1976 is one year after the ship sank, in 1975. So, it obviously wasn't more than a decade.

20. The music to the song was primarily played on what instrument?

Answer: Guitar

Listen to the beat of the music, which resembles guitar strokes.

Source: Author greg9570

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bullymom before going online.
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