It was back in nineteen seventy-five.
I was a member of a seasoned crew.
We were taking iron ore from Wisconsin
one night under indigo blue.
The Captain told us, "We're on to Detroit."
That's how it all begun.
We were... steaming through Gitche Gumee.
The big fool said to push on.

The first mate said, "Sir, are you sure
this is the best way back to the port?"
"Lieutenant," he said, "I've made this trip
many times, as if for sport.
It'll be a little windy, but just keep steaming.
We'll soon be in Michigan."
We were... steaming through Gitche Gumee.
The big fool said to push on.

The first mate said, "Sir, with all this wind
the waves are breaking over the rail!"
The Captain said, "Shut up, Lieutenant!
Or else, we're bound to fail!"
The wind in the wires was tattletaling
suggesting we'd soon be gone.
We were... steaming through Gitche Gumee.
The big fool said to push on.

Well, all at once, the Moon clouded over
and we heard a gurgling cry.
The next thing we knew, the Captain's strawberries
were all that floated by!
The first mate said, "Turn the ship, men!
To Whitefish Bay, let's move on!"
And we just made it out of Gitche Gumee
with the Captain dead and gone.

The gales of November can come rather early
as all of the mariners know.
The Captain didn't pay much attention
to which way the winds could blow.
They're called the Great Lakes for good reason.
They get rough as ocean.
And we just made it out of Gitche Gumee
with the Captain dead and gone.

Well, I'm not going to point any moral.
I'll leave that for yourself.
Maybe you're still walking, you're still talking
and you'd like to keep your health.
But every time I... read the papers
about Tea Party Republi-con...
They're... steaming into a Gitche Gumee
and the big fools say to push on!

Steaming into a Gitche Gumee.
The big fools say to push on!
Steaming into a Gitche Gumee.
The big fools say to push on!
Steam in! Sinking! Soon even
the cook will say it's too rough to feed!
They're... steaming into a Gitche Gumee
and the big fools say to push on!