Canadian disaster songs: research project

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: meself
Date: 17 Jun 08 - 10:56 PM

Stompin' Tom wrote and recorded a song about that disaster - they played it on As It Happens this evening.

There was mention of the Ocean Ranger above. The late Newfoundland singer/songwriter and harmonica-player Reg Watkins recorded a heart-breaking song on that sad subject. I'll dig up more details if you want.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,bill
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 02:39 PM

Great conversation/thread! I think Murray McLaughlin also wrote & performed a song about the Ocean Ranger disaster, though I can't recall the title.

I have just recently completed a song about the sinking of the sealing boat, L'Acadien, that occurred this spring.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Beer
Date: 18 Jun 08 - 05:46 PM

At our festival last year I asked Ron Hynes which song he felt was his most accomplished song he ever wrote. I thought he was going to say "Sonny's Dream", but no, it was "Atlantic Blue" which is about the Ocean Ranger. I also see that he has made the same comment in his song book. "I consider it my best work".
If by chance you have never heard this song go to You Tube.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: topical tom
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 08:10 PM

The Encyclopedia of Music in Canada has a partial list of Canadian disaster songs.

                     Here

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BRIDGE CAME TUMBLIN' DOWN (Connors)
From: topical tom
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 08:45 PM

Here is Stompin' Tom Connors' version of a 1958 disaster:

http://www.sweetslyrics.com/512263.Stompin'%20Tom%20Connors%20-%20Bridge%20Came%20Tumbling%20Down.html

(And the) BRIDGE CAME TUMBLIN' DOWN
(recorded by Stompin' Tom Connors)

Nineteen scarlet roses the chaplain spread around
In the waters of Burrard Inlet in old Vancouver town
When the bridge came tumblin' down
When the bridge came tumblin' down

Nineteen men were drowned in June of 1958
In old Vancouver town
There were seventy-nine men working
To build this brand new bridge
To span the Second Narrows
And connect up with the ridge
Till a big wind hit the bridge
And the bridge came tumblin' down

And nineteen men were drowned
The medical corps couldn't be too sure of the rest of the men they found
In among the twisted girders one man realized
How last night he'd been dreaming and saw before his eyes
The big wind on the rise
And the bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen steel men drowned, and he saw the fright of the darkest night
In old Vancouver town

With frogmen in the water by the cutting torches glow
They fought to save the steel men
From certain death below and pain we'll never know
When the bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen men were drowned, and sixty more that came ashore
So thankful they were found

It often makes you wonder
In strength who has the edge
The longest steel beam structure
That spans the highest ridge
Or the men that built the bridge
For the bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen men were drowned
But the other men came back again
To lay the new beams down

Now if you're ever crossing
This mighty bridge sublime
And nineteen scarlet roses pass before your mind
Remember and be kind
The bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen men were drowned
So you could ride to the other side
Of old Vancouver town

So you could ride to the other side
Of old Vancouver town

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: r.padgett
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 12:54 PM

What about Doerflinger's collection of "Shanty men and Shantyboys?"

is there nothing apt in there?

Ray

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Beer
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 08:14 PM

How in the heck did the above(Subject: shoe pouch for ipod sport)
got on this thread???

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 06 Jan 09 - 11:30 AM

There is a song at www.poemhunter.com by Paul henry Dallairecalled "Men Of No Tomorrows" about the mining disaster at Belmoral mine in Val D'Or Quebec in 1980

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 06 Jan 09 - 11:41 AM

Also at wwwpoemhunters.com there's an song about the 1998 Ice Storm by Paul Henry Dallaire It's Called "El Nino"

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 06 Jan 09 - 11:56 AM

Another disaster song at www.poemhunters.com by Paul Henry Dallaire about the great fire of 1911 in that wiped out the area in Porcupine Ontario Canada then Called Golden City now is called Timmins the home town of Shania Twain and Paul henry Dallaire. Many lives were lost and many prospectors perished.
The song has been recorded and may be heard soon also Men Of No Tomorrows may be heard there also. El Nino is for sale at e-bay from the c.d. America Bleeds
www.johnnycashsong.com
My e-mail address is [e-mail]

Subject: Death at the Belmoral mine / Val D'or P.Q.1980
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 04:33 PM

The Disc jockey at the Maple Leaf Ranch radio show in Germany was heard to say if Paul Henry Dallaire wouldn't have written this song the disaster would have been forgotten in time.
How true cause before I sent you this song I checked Google about the accident at the mine and there was nuthin mentioned. This song can be heard on www.youtube.com

MEN OF NO TOMORROWS
(Paul Henry Dallaire)

T'was Tuesday the twentieth of May
Nineteen eighty was the year
The miners of Belmoral gold mine
That morning went down with their gear

Their work place a dark damp burrough
Where only the brave dare to try
Like the sun never shines in a hollow
Down there it's as black as the night

The officials claimed it was inspected
Tho no one seemed to know when
Gold stock was high on the market
So they gambled the lives of their men

They spoke of the grave situation
And felt the earth tremble and quake
The new road was under construction
To drill was a fatal mistake

Some say they heard an explosion
Some said they really don't know
The fact is it's too late to reason
For the eight men entombed there below

On Tuesday May twenty seventh
A cry was heard it was said
The rescue attempt was doubled
In a frenzy to dig for their friends

They tried but in vain for to reach them
For the slime kept pourring inside
Two weeks in that cold dark dungeon
They all were doomed there to die

Now mothers and fathers and relations
Will grieve for the rest of their lives
For the miners on shift on descended
In the depth of the Belmoral mine


Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub. SOCAN

U.S.Rep: ASCAP

Subject: Lyr Add: EL NINO (Paul Henry Dallaire)
From: GUEST,Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 12 Feb 09 - 04:51 PM

I was conversing with a gentleman after the ice storm and he told me he was on business in Texas when the storm hit and then commented that he missed the whole damn thing and wished he could have been here to witness the beauty of it. I thought a good way to start the song.

EL NINO
(Paul Henry Dallaire)

In the southern part of Texas there's news on the radio
"Bout an ice storm devastating Quebec and Ontario
It hit without much warnin and it put on quite a show
It beat all I ever saw like the Northern Lights aglow

Now the cows ain't got no water and the chicken's 'runnin round
The pumps that fed the pigs are dry cause the hydro poles are down
And the houses there all empty they've gone and locked the doors
The bus has come to take them to sleep on the school house floor

EL NINO EL NINO

It froze right down to China up to the pearly gates
The Yankees sent their linemen from the New York State
Now for eighteen days that winter will live in memory
Cause for eighteen days we fought the God El Nino from the sea

Now here's to the troops in khakis give'em credit where it's due
They got a raw deal in Somalia and we got half the truth
And I may not remember my last computer date
But I won't forget the ice storm of nineteen ninety eight

Now spring has sprung and it come to past the war of ice and snow
And all that's left are the trees that died which line the country road

Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub, SOCAN

Subject: Lyr Add: BALLAD OF DEAD MAN'S POINT (P H Dallaire)
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Feb 09 - 11:22 AM

Song about the 1911 fire that devasted Timmins and South Porcupine in Northern Ontario. Many lives were lost and the real count will never be known as there were many prospectors in the bush at the time.

BALLAD OF DEAD MAN'S POINT
(Paul Henry Dallaire)

Strolling along by the lakeshore
I came to an old graveyard
The words that were written on a tombstone
Set my mind back many years ago

The year was nineteen eleven
It was one hot july summer's day
Smoke filled the air then like an eclipse
The sky turned as black as the night

Chorus;
Our little town burned to dust many lives were lost
And it left behind a trail of woe and ashes
Those who died that day may their ghosts lead on the way
And protect us from another God we pray

Verse;
The fire came like thief in the night
With a wind crazy blowing wild
Down in the mine some when there to hide
But suffocated and did not survive

Others ran to the lakeside
Fleeing for their lives
Hoping the water could save them
But in the waters were doomed there to die

Talk:
Sometime when your fishing for pickerel on Porcupine lake
Just down the hill of dead man's point
The always blowin breeze will connect you
To the past of North Ontario

And if your standing there gazing at the grave sites
Among the Loon calls where the lonesome jackpine grows
You can see the spot where the weisse family's sleepin
Found in that mine shaft dark and deep below

Chorus:
Our little town burned to dust it was a holocaust
And it left behind a trail of woe and ashes
Those who died that day may their ghosts lead on the way
And protect us from another god we pray

Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub.SOCAN

Subject: I Got Dem coal minin blues / Paul Henry Dallaire
From: Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 13 Mar 09 - 11:15 AM

I got dem coal minin blues

I was born one day in a small town shack
By the river near the mill
My daddy worked in the coal mine
Sweatin hard to pay the bills

They called us the river rats
The high society did
Yes they did yes they did
Yes they did

Chorus:
Workin in a coal mine don't see much light'o day
Workin in a coal mine livin day to day
I got dem coal minin blues

Verse:
At age sixteen from a childhood dream
That seems like yesterday
I was lured to work in the coal mine
It's in your blood they say

Now there ain't no doupt dust 'll burn you out
And in time will destroy me
Yes it will yes it will
Yes it will
:
Now when I die don't fret for me
And please don't bury me
Just pickle my body so the boys can see
What minin did to me

But before I go let me buy the boys
Just one more round
One more round one more round
One more round

Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub. SOCAN
(Hear the song at www.youtube.com

Subject: Lyr Add: DON'T SLEEP AT THE PALESTINE HOTEL
From: GUEST,Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 20 May 09 - 11:31 AM

DON'T SLEEP AT THE PALESTINE HOTEL

A young man eager young and strong
For adventure joined the army
And like his dad who'd fought the Viet Cong
He would fight the Iraqis

My country right or wrong he said
And like a young John Wayne off he's go
The cavalry and bugle calls
A picture perfect Hollywood

Chorus:
Don't sleep at the Palestine Hotel
For American tank shells there will kill you
And Agent Orange Vietnam
Make's me sing this song of blue

Verses:
Alladin and the magic lamp
Alibaba and his forty thieves
Children stories told throughout the world
Since nine eleven take new meaning

In the year two thousand two
Near Kandahar Afghanistan
Four young Canadian soldier boys
Shed their blood in the dessert sand

You'd be proud of what the preacher said mom
For now there shippin me back home
Eight buddy's of mine will carry me
In a casket cold as stone

In the old days it was just the same
Chief Sitting Bull was on the menu
A rich man's war paid by poor man's blood
When will we realize the truth

Words & Music
Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub.
SOCAN
This song can be heard on www.youtube.com

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREAT BRITAIN WALTZ
From: GUEST,Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 21 May 09 - 11:31 AM

England's Rose I believe was written originally for Norma Jean (Marilyn Monroe)

THE GREAT BRITAIN WALTZ

Now once upon a time in an old country
Far away in a place called Paris France
Where August ninety seven is remembered
Of a crash that left the world in a trance

Lady Di on her way home from a party
With her prince in his mercedez benz
When just past midnight it turned into a pumpkin
It's the story of a fairy tale end

Chorus:
Now dance to the Great Britain waltz
Twirl around in your fine satin dress
But don't two step to close to the crevice
Cause if you do you'll fall over the edge

And when you fall you'll fly to a wonderland
To an ever lastin sleep among the dead
Where Princes and frogs have no power
To kiss you awake from the dead

Verse:
Now in the real world of speed and super hi-ways
Where flesh colides with concrete and steel
And if your dancin with the devil in the fast lane
The joker's wild he'll sweep you off your feet

Now you can change the name of an old song
And Re-arrange the words for somebody new
Candle in the wind is such an old flame
That can't hold a candle to you

By Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub.
SOCAN
The Great Britain Waltz Can be heard on www.youtube.com
And on the C.D. "America Bleeds" (Indie)

Subject: Lyr Add: DEATH OF THE NEW YORK CENTRAL
From: GUEST,Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 04:33 PM

Orval Prophet Canadian singer extraordinaire told me about the train and how he knew the people personally, unfortunately Orval died before he could record it.


DEATH OF THE NEW YORK CENTRAL

Hear that New York Central groanin
Slowin down at Russell Station
Tar paper shacks where time as stopped
Fifty years ago

Everything around has flourished
But the old train was all finished
When the chug a lug of coal fire
Was replaced by diesel fuel

She was a school ride to the children
The milk run to the farmer
Painted like a lion
Jim Forsythe the conductor

From Ottawa to Messena
Bringin mail and loved ones to ya
Folks ran out the back porch
When they heard her whistle whine


Chorus:
You can't hear her engines roar
For she's gone forever more
Oh! how time has slipped away

You can see them in the yard
Obsolete and rusted hard
Snow and rain has killed this train

Verse:
Bernie Campbell was station master
Dave Preston was a foreman
And in my past life
I was Casey Jones

Now I'm a railroad country picker
Till my time is up I'll wonder
My next time around
I wanna be an engineer

Words & Music
Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub. SOCAN

Song may be heard at: www.johnnycashsong.com (2 Versions of it)

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 18 Jun 09 - 06:32 PM

You know, it's not, strictly speaking, a Canadian disaster, but so many bodies recovered from the Titanic sinking were interred in Halifax, Nova Scotia that one would think someone in that region surely would have commemmorated them in song.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: meself
Date: 19 Jun 09 - 02:41 PM

Hey, you've finally signed on - welcome aboard!

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GREAT BRITAIN WALTZ
From: Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 19 Jun 09 - 02:52 PM

The life and death of Princess Diana of Wales in a song
Elton John gave her Norma Jeans song which makes it second hand.
(This is the good copy)

THE GREAT BRITAIN WALTZ

Now once upon a time in an old country
far away in a place called Paris France
Where August ninety seven is remembered
Of a crash that left the world in a trance

Lady Di on her way home from a party
with her Prince in his Mercedez Benz
When just past midnight it turned into a pumpkin
It's a story of a fairy tale end

Chorus:
Now dance to the Great Britain waltz
twirl around in your fine satin dress
But don't two step to close to the crevice
cause if you do you'll fall over the edge

And when you fall you fly to a wonderland
to an everlastin peace among the dead
Where Princes and frogs have no power
to kiss you awake from the spell

Now in the real world of speed and super hi-ways
where flesh collides with concrete and steel
And if your dancin with the devil in the fast lane
the joker's wild he'll sweep you off your feet

Now you can change the name of an old song
re-arrange the words for somebody new
Candle in the wind is such an old flame
that can't hold a candle to you

Words & Music
Paul Henry Dallaire
Paul Henry Pub. SOCAN
www.johnnycashsong.com

Subject: Lyr Add: DONALD AND THE PHANTOM PIPER
From: AnneMC
Date: 20 Jun 09 - 04:29 AM

I love the song on a CD by a group called Gopher Baroque. The song is "Donald and the Phantom Piper":

Donald Sinclair thought his family was doomed. The year was 1856, eight years after the first settlers arrived at what is now Kincardine, Canada, and Sinclair and his family from Skye were hoping to join the swelling population of newcomers. But night was drawing in and their tiny ship was taking on water as it was tossed around on the choppy, treacherous waves of Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes. There was little hope of the immigrant family finding their way to shore and Sinclair feared they could not survive the stormy, freezing night. In despair, he picked up his bagpipes to play one last traditional lament. Their cries for help had been lost in the howling wind - but the haunting sound of the pipes carried across the stormy waters. A Scotsman walking on the rocky shore heard Sinclair's plaintive lament wafting on the wind and ran to get his pipes to play a response; and, with the drones of his trusty pibroch acting like a sound beacon in the dark, the Sinclair family managed to sail safely to the shoreline. For the rest of his life, Sinclair was forever grateful to the energetic, skirling carrying-power of his bagpipes; and every dusk he ritually went down to the Lake Huron shore, regardless of the weather, and played his pipes as the sun set.

DONALD AND THE PHANTOM PIPER
D. Stone, J. Grant

The sun is sinking red across the lake,
In the distance the pipers sweetly play
An old love story comes to mind,
Of the ship that was lost in the black of the night
A ship that was lost in the black of the night

Donald Sinclair's name lives well today,
October had sent her mists his way
To a ship out of Goderich sailing north,
His family from the Isle of Skye on board,
His family from the Isle of Skye on board

CHORUS: Close close close was the dark,
the captain heard the beat of his own heart
Cold, cold, cold was the night,
No beacon, star or moon to give them light

Donald went below and fetched his pipes,
On the breath of a prayer they came to life,
On the deck he played a sweet lament,
But in the dark he knew not where it went,
In the dark he knew not where it went

But on the shore the phantom piper heard,
Donald's lament he returned,
So sweetly across the lake,
Donald knew that soon the clouds would break,
Donald knew that soon the clouds would break.

CHORUS

The clouds blew out and the night sky turned clear,
The moon and all her diamond stars appeared,
The captain saw the family home,
Guided by the phantom piper's drone
Guided by the phantom piper's drone.

Now I stand here on Kincardine's golden shore
From eighteen fifty six I hear once more,
The magic in the music of the pipes as
Donald and the phantom piper played,
Donald and the phantom piper played
Donald and the phantom piper played …..

Donald and the phantom piper played,
Donald and the phantom piper played
Donald and the phantom piper played …..

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Paul Henry Dallaire
Date: 04 Jan 10 - 12:37 PM

There are 2 songs at www.poemhunter.com. Namely: "Men of No Tomorrows" & "El Nino" You can hear "Men Of No Tomorrows" it's about the mining disaster at the Belmoral mine in Val D'Or P.Q. in 1980 You can hear it at ww.johnnycashsong.com and I'm at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,joshuagreen
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 02:45 PM

lyrics to the above Miramichi Fire disaster song can be found in Louise Manny and James Reginald Wilson's 1968 book 'Songs of Miramichi'.

Also in that book are the lyrics to several songsc composed in 1959 by Miramichi residents who were moved by the Escuminac Disaster/Desastre sur baie ste. anne (pardon my terrible french). A terrible storm racked these Miramichi fishing communities and lives and livelihoods (ie boats etc) were lost.
The few songs are called 'the escuminac disaster' and 'desastre sur la baie ste.-anne' or something like that. The french version may have been written by jerry hebert. one of the english versions was written by bernadette keating (only 13 or so years old at the time!) and perhaps another english one by alec milson.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:04 PM

The Escuminac Disaster

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Beer
Date: 03 Feb 10 - 09:07 PM

You are right GUEST,TJ in San Diego. You would think that there would have been some written about the time the went down Titanic . There is one that I know of that was written not to long ago by Lennie Gallant from Prince Edward Island. It is on his c/d titled "Lifeline" and the tune is called "The Band's Still Playing".
Adrien

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Bill D
Date: 04 Feb 10 - 06:13 PM

I have sung a shortened version of "Miramichi Fire" several times...it's pretty dramatic & gruesome. Not for just any gathering.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Beer
Date: 12 Mar 10 - 04:03 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: meself
Date: 13 Mar 10 - 09:19 PM

Here's the Reg Watkins song I mentioned awhile back, about the Ocean Ranger disaster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uReLpGLboIo .

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,Carol
Date: 27 May 10 - 08:10 AM

Hello, I am wondering if anyne has the lyrics to:
1. Disaster at Glace Bay by Bill Smith
2. The 24th in 26
3. Springhill Mine Disaster by Joe King
If anyone has these lyrics, it would be much appreciated if you could post them on the forum. Thankyou.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: kendall
Date: 27 May 10 - 09:21 AM

We Maniacs claim that the Jam at Gerry's Rock happened on the Machias river in Maine.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Larry The Radio Guy
Date: 27 May 10 - 08:32 PM

I'm looking for a song I saw in a book in the early 70's about the avalanche on the Hope-Princeton Highway. Chorus went "through sunshine and snow or maybe just rain, the Hope Princeton Highway will ne'er be the same".

Anybody have the lyrics or a reference to it?

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 27 May 10 - 09:51 PM

I don't know the song but it was one Hell of a slide! it buried a whole lake.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,Mike Holland
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 06:26 PM

Re song "Steel Men" about 2nd Narrows bridge collapse. This is NOT Stompin Tom's song. In 60's Toronto, the Bermuda Tavern, there was a calypso band (the Debonairs?) who played this at least once a night. I seem to remember that they said it was written by the drummer (Derek or Eric?) Jimmy Dean and Roger Whittaker both recorded it. Does anyone know for sure who wrote it?

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Beer
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 07:00 PM

Moose River Gold Mine. Tragedy (mining disaster) which took place in Nova Scotia. There is a National Film Board short on this as well.
ad.

Subject: Lyr Add: FOUR RODE BY (Ian Tyson)
From: GUEST,Sandy LaPrelle
Date: 29 Nov 10 - 07:49 PM

This story is supposed to be true, and a friend of mine says he met a descendant of the "wild old family"

FOUR RODE BY
(by Ian Tyson)

Willie Palmer's stallion was no twenty dollar cayuse
And when the wild ones stole him he hightailed it into town
Ussher in those days was keeping order in the district
But before he'd ridden thirty miles the McLean boys shot him down

chorus:
Four rode by
Rode through here
Three Mclean boys and that wild Alex Hare
They were armed
All were armed
It was them I'd have known them anywhere

A shepherd known as Kelly saw the wild one as they passed
They shot him with a rifle and took his watch and chain
When the posse found him in the lonely cabin
A hunger took their pride away and no one else was slain

Chorus

They hung the boys in January 1883
First time in that province that they'd strung up brothers three
And their sons killed 19 Germans cross the seas back in '17
One thing that's for damned sure they're a wild old family

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Dec 10 - 02:02 PM

I worked underground as a miner at the Giant Yellowknife gold mine in 1962 with a friend Gary Parnell. I still remember the old stope and the Yellowknife Cafe. I met a girl there named Sheila Halliday and a Smith girl who at the time was the daughter of a funeral home owner.
My name is Paul Henry Dallaire and also wrote a mining song "Death at the Belmoral mine" (Men Of No Tomorrows) on a thread here at The Mudcat Cafe.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,Heather Sparling
Date: 15 Feb 11 - 06:32 AM

I am working with Joe Scanlon, the person who originally made the request for Canadian disaster songs. We have developed a website to share the results of our research and thought you might be interested:

disastersongs.ca

Because of the huge number of Canadian disaster songs, we have limited our research to disaster songs of Atlantic Canada (which is the source of some 80% of Canadian disaster songs in our database) and we have started our research with a case study of mining disaster songs of Nova Scotia.

Please feel free to leave your comments, questions, suggestions, and stories on our forum. Thank you to all who contributed song titles, lyrics, and information: you really helped us to develop our database!

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,Joe Scanlon
Date: 03 Mar 11 - 09:33 PM

Hi again:
Just to let you know the disaster song project is doing well. We finished a study of songs about Nova mine disasters. We are nicely into a study of Titanic songs -- have found two in Yiddish, one in Norwegian, three in Finnish as well as lost (20+) in English. A number focus on the unsinkable ship as a challenge to the Lord.
My next move will be songs about major Canadian disasters - and the you folka produced is helping. We got some funding last year are waiting to hear if we get more. If so Heather Sparling at Cape Breton and I will be looking at Maritime songs. We are both presenting at a music conference in St. John's in July.
Just so everyone knows I have a new email address:
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 02 Apr 11 - 10:23 PM

I met a Titanic survivor who was a friend of my father's. He does not show up on any records, but I have no reason to doubt his story. His daughter is alive. The story is very interesting..what I originally heard was he was 14 and immigrating from Ireland and was given a ticket by a brother..there were 20 brothers and sisters and each brought the next over I think. My father said he had lost his memory and they had to write to Ireland to find out who he was but his daughter said it was not like that. Someone really needs to interview the daughter..she has been interviewed before. He was not a stowaway but his ticket might have had some irregularities. His daughter told me how he survived but I can't remember the exact details. He was picked up by the Carpathian I think and brought to ?? Rhode Island I think by his family...mg

Subject: RE: Canadian Disaster Song Research Project
From: Susan of DT
Date: 18 May 11 - 04:52 PM

Previous thread on topic

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: A---V
Date: 18 May 11 - 09:29 PM

Hi!
I'm a researcher for Professor Joe Scanlon. We have now completed a study of songs about mining disasters and a study of songs about the Titanic. This research has suggested that folk songs are a more accurate representation of what actually happens in disasters than are other forms of popular culture (such as movies, novels, ect.). We want to understand why.
To do this, we are expanding our study of folk songs to include many other Canadian incidents and are thus looking for more songs – all suggestions about any Canadian disaster related songs are welcome! Any information would be excellent – the song title, name of the artist, where we can find the words, what it is about etc. I have pasted our current list of songs below. We are missing information for some. Corrections are also welcome.   

Thanks for your time,
A---V



"(The) Miramichi Fire" Unknown Words by John Jardine [This is about a fire which swept through the Miramichi region of New Brunswick in 1825]
"(The) Miramichi Fire" – 1
"(The) Miramichi Fire" -II and IV
"(The) Miramichi Fire" – III
"Seven Bells Waltzes" Dulder, F. [THIS IS APPARENTLY INSTRUMENTS ONLY – BUT IT IS ABOUT THE MIRAMICHI FIRE WHICH STARTED OCTOBER 5TH 1825]
Doucette, Edmund "The Miramichi Fire" [This is about a devastating and fatal forest fire along the Miramichi in 1825]
"The Union from St. John's" UNKNOWN
"The Wreck of the Union" UNKNOWN
"Franklin and His Bold Crew" as sung by Angelo Dornan, Elgin, N.B. This is short song about the failed Franklin expedition. They left England in 1845 with 200 men, never to return again
"Franklin and his Ship's Crew" is a different song than Creighton sited in her book Folksongs from Southern New Brunswick
"(The) Franklin Expedition" -A as "sung by Joe Cooke, Fortune Harbour, 1929. Words from James Day, Fortune Harbour, 1929."
"(The) Franklin Expedition" -B "Words from Mrs. Minnie Payne, Green Point, 1929."
"Lady Franklin's Lament" Unknown THIS IS ABOUT THE LOSS OF THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION IN THE CANADIAN ARCTIC IN 1845 "The Franklin Expedition" –C "Words from Stephen John Lewis, Fleur de Lys, 1929."
"The Excel" performed by Mary "Min" Caul (Arnold's Cove), 1977
"The Excel" performed by Dorman Ralph (St. John's 1977)
"The Loss of the Atlantic" Unknown
"The Wreck of the Atlantic" from the singing and recitation of Robert Langille (Tatamagouche, Colchester County)
"(La) Complainte de Springhill" Unknown" [May be the first Springhill, Nova Scotia mine disaster – February 21, 1891]
"Springhill Mine Disaster (1891)" Performed by Ruth Metcalfe for Helen Creighton. (Creighton p. 185)
"Loss of the Maggie" UNKNOWN
"The Maggie" UNKNOWN
"The Greenland Disaster" UNKNOWN
"(The) Ballad of the Frank Slide" Robert Gard [Rocks from Turtle Mountain came crashing down on Frank, Alberta – April 29, 1902]
"Crashing Down" Tanglefoot [Another song about the Frank slide, April 29, 1903, when rocks came crashing down from Turtle Mountain, hitting the town of Frank, Alberta and barely missing a passing train, leaving more than 70 residents dead.] The singers say they tell a tangential story that is in fact fiction.
"Frank Slide" (The) Travellers [April 29, 1903, rocks came crashing down from Turtle Mountain, hitting the town of Frank, Alberta and barely missing a passing train, leaving more than 70 residents dead.]
"How the Mountain Came Down" Stompin' Tom Connors [Presumably this is about the Frank Slide April 29, 1903, rocks came crashing down from Turtle Mountain, hitting the town of Frank, Alberta and barely missing a passing train, leaving more than 70 residents dead.] The album is called Tragedy Trail
"The Timmins 100th Anniversary Song" Susan (Stanlake) Gauthier (Vocals), Tony Last (Bass), Michael Armstrong (Harmonica), Diane Armstrong (Keyboard, Music & Lyrics) – This song recounts "One Hundred Years of History" for the Town of Timmins. One of the Four verses describes the South Porcupine Fire. There is also a French translation of the song.
"Loss of John Harvey" UNKOWN
"The Wreck of the John Harvey" Stompin' Tom Connors
"The Wreck of the John Harvey" The Dorymen (on album "20 Great Hits of Newfoundland")
"The Wreck of the John Harvey" Lillian Crewe Walsh
Hutchison, Frank "(The) Last Scene of the Titanic" Recorded April 29, 1927 in St. Louis [Titanic sank in the Atlantic in 1912 but many bodies were brought to Halifax]
"Titanic" Unknown
Smith, Vesey and William "When that Great Ship went Down" [This is the one about Titanic which sank in the Atlantic in 1912]
"The Band's Still Playing" Lennie Gallant
"Titanic: A New Musical" Peter Stone (book) and Maury Yeston (lyrics and music)
Parsons, Marion "(The) Newfoundland Sealing Disaster" (2004)
Parsons, Marion "I will bring you home" A song about the Newfoundland sealing disaster
"Young, Young Man" Modabo [This is on the Newfoundland Sealing Disaster].
"The Southern Cross" Unknown
"Newfoundland Sealers" Bill Gallaher
"The Newfoundland Disaster" Jean Pardy [ABOUT THE SEALING DISASTER??
Dufour, Cyrice "(La) catastrophe de l'Empress of Ireland" [This song has been issued by Radio Canada and is on the CD "Chants et complaintes maritimes de Terres francaises d'Amerique"}
Three Points Gone (Celtic Band) NOT SURE OF TITLE OF SONG BUT CD WITH THE SONG IS TITLED, "There is a ship"
Lawrence, Susan "Empress of Ireland" [This has been non-commercially recorded by
Sweet Tyme].
Morton, Brian "(The) Empress of Ireland" Brian Morton's [This is in his CD "A Lonely Cairn of Stones"]
"Hillcrest Mine" James Keelaghan [There were a series of gas explosions in the Hillcrest mine in Hillcrest, Alberta, 189 miners killed – June 9, 1914]
"Auction Days," Jon Brooks (2007; from the album Ours and Shepherds)
Men of the Deeps "(The) Omen" It refers to the 1917 explosion in No. 12 Colliery in New Waterford on July 25, 1917.
Timmons, Angus. "New Waterford's Fatal Day"
Unknown "My Brother's Fate New Waterford's Fatal Day" July 25, 1917 Explosion in Dominion Mine at New Waterford
Unknown "New Waterford's Fateful Day" Unknown" July 25, 1917 Explosion in Dominion Mine at New Waterford
"No. 12 New Waterford" Unknown July 25, 1917 Explosion in Dominion Mine at New Waterford
[Unknown title] Joe Nugent [poem]
Unknown, "The Halifax Explosion" [The December 6, 1917 explosion in Halifax harbour, Canada's only catastrophe]
McKinnon, Dan "Remember Me" Recorded in 1997 [A song based on survivor's accounts from the 1917 Halifax explosion] WE HAVE THE WORDS
Endacott, Joan "The Wreck of the Florizel" A chronicle of the tragic wreck of the S.S. Florizel off Renews Rocks where 40 were saved out of 106
"(The) Florizel"
"(The) Wreck of the Steamship Florizel" Blondahl, Omar.
"Princess Sophia" Daniel Halen
"The Wreck of the Danny Goodwin" Unknown
"The Loss of the Danny Goodwin"
"Tidal Wave at Burin" Gerald Aylward [In 1929, a tsunami caused by earthquake in Gulf of St. Lawrence hit Burin, Peninsula in Newfoundland, 28 dead]
"The Annie Young" Unknown
of the Annie Young" Rosy Northcott
"The Wreck
"The Song of The Annie Young" Walter Hayman (brother of the lost cook) [a shorter version of Northcotts?]
"The August Breeze/Gale" Johnny Burke
"The August Breeze/Gale" Billy Wilson
"The 1938 Disaster" Anonymous
"Truxton and Pollux Disaster" Unknown
"Loss of the Truxton and Pollux" Simani (Bud Davidge & Sim Savory)
And also: Fate Of The Caribou (Barry Davis)
And also: The Caribou (Collected by MacEdward Leach)
See also: The S. S. Caribou (Fay Herridge/Michael T. Wall)
The S. S. Caribou (Traditional)
"Train Wreck at Almonte" Barry Luft and Tim Rogers [Songs of the Iron Rail – 1983] [A troop train crashed into a standing passenger train at Almonte, Ontario – December 27, 1942]
"Train Wreck at Almonte" Mac Beattie and the Ottawa Valley Melodiers [A troop train crashed into a standing passenger train at Almonte, Ontario – December 27, 1942]
Kingston, Jack and Earl Heywood "Noronic Disaster" [September 17, 1949 – Cruise ship Noronic burns in Toronto harbour, 119 dead Some sources say the figure is as high as 139]
"The Night Train for Southampton" words and music by Peter C. Bart
"Rescue from the Springhill Coal Mine" Don Miller
"The Springhill Disaster" Vera Coeburn
"Springhill Mine Disaster" Eddie LeGer
"Miracle at Springhill" Roy Rudolph
"Springhill Mine Explosion" Jack Kingston [This is about the second Springhill mine disaster – November 1, 1956, 39 dead]
Connors, Stompin' Tom "And the Bridge Came Tumblin' Down" [Second Narrows bridge collapse in Vancouver – June 17, 1958]
Seeger, Peggy and Ewan MacColl "The Ballad of Springhill" THIS SONG WAS RECORDED BY MORE THAN ONE GROUP [Presumably the third Springhill, Nova Scotia mine disaster — October 23, 1958] – also recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary; U2; Dubliners; Kay Porter and Fred McKenna "Springhill Mine Disaster"
"Springhill Disaster" Maurice Ruddick This is the song by a miner rescued in 1958. The title might also be "(The) Springhill Mine Disaster Song"
"Springhill" Brian Vardigans
"Buddy, Can You Hear Me Calling?" John Archbold
"Down in Springhill's Bumpy Mine" Stuart McCawley, is probably based on the poem, The Bumps, by Danny Boutilier It was published in George Korson's Coal Dust On The Fiddle. (probably written after or in response to the 1958 disaster)
"The Pill vs. The Springhill Mine Disaster" Richard Braughtigan (POEM)
"Miracle at Colliery Two" Jack Kingston
"(The) Springhill Mine Disaster Song" Val MacDonald (nee Ruddick) [MacDonald is the daughter of one the survivors of the third Springhill mine disaster in 1958 and the song was written by her father, Maurice Ruddick, and recorded 50 years later.] – Same as "No More Pickin' Coal" by Val MacDonald?
"Spring Hill Disaster" Clifton, Bill and the Dixie Mountain Boys
"Le Vent du Nord (La Mine de Springhill)" UNKNOWN
"These are Green Hills Now" Brian Vardigis
"The Blue Wave" John Sr. Lushman (Lehr p. 17)
"The Tragedy of the Blue Wave" John Sr. Lushman
*MAYBE related to Blue Wave – "One Morning I Rose From Bed" Unknown
"No. 12 New Waterford" Roy Holland
"Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" Gordon Lightfoot [The ship sank in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975]
"Le Désastre de Baie Ste-Anne" Jerry Hebert
"The Escuminac Disaster" Keating
"The Escuminac Disaster" Alex Milson
"Disaster at 1-B" Whyte, Anne M
"The 24th in 26" Unknown Another song about the incident in Glace Bay in 1979
Men of the Deeps "No. 26 Mine Disaster" This is the same song with a different title as "(The) Miner's Song (Ten Men Died)" It was written by Allister MacGillivray and is about the disaster at No. 26 in Glace Bay in 1979
"Mining Town of Fame"/ "Disaster at Glace Bay" (possibly the same song?), performed by Bill Smith and the Country Emotions
"No. 26 Mine Explosion: The Root Cause" Joe Nugent ("No.26 Mine Explosion: The Root Cause" is a poem rather than a song. Source: "Joe Nugent, Inspector of Mines, Ret'd," an interview with his grandson, Don Nugent, 1996. Cape Breton Magazine, Issue 70, pp 63-74.)
"Atlantic Blue" Ron Hynes
"In Memoriam" Jim Payne
"Ocean Ranger" Dominic D'Arcy
"The Ocean Ranger" Rosanna, Bruce, Grace and Carl
"Ten Thousand Miles from Shore" Murray McLaughlin
"Valentine's Disaster" Performed by Reg Watkins
Rowe, Ted "'Your Last Goodbye" THIS COULD BE THE SAME SONG THAT WAS RECORDED BY BRUCE MOSS [On the sinking of the oil rig Ocean Ranger – February 14, 1982]
"(The) Loss of the Ocean Ranger" Cal Cavendish THIS MIGHT BE THE SAME SONG AS THE ONE RECORDED BY MARY GARBEY [The sinking of the oil rig Ocean Ranger off the coast of Newfoundland 15 Feb 1982]
"(The) Ocean Ranger" Mary Garbey [On the sinking of the oil rig Ocean Ranger – February 14, 1982]
"Ocean Ranger" Michael T. Wall
"Your Last Goodbye" Bruce Moss [On the sinking of the oil rig Ocean Ranger – February 14, 1982]
"Ocean Ranger" Wiz Bryant [February 14, 1982 -- Oil rig Ocean Ranger overturns and sinks in Atlantic storm off Newfoundland, 84 dead The bodies were brought back to St. John's]
[Unknown title] Kevin Firth
"From Gander to Kentucky is a long way home" Nesbit Chhangur and sons An Ottawa group on the 1985 Gander air crash
"Sad Day in Gander" Waterman, Eric On the December 12, 1985 air crash involving the 101st Airborne
"Hinton Train Disaster" Wiz Bryant [This is in the album Spirit of the North - LP 1986]
"Aftermath" Al Provoe, performed by Men of the Deeps
"The Boys of Westray" Diane Langille
"Pictou's Black Coal" John Archibald
"Pictou County Coal" Kevin, Bob & Bar Hamilton
"The Deadly Foord Coal Seam" Steve Phalen
"Every Ounce of Coal" Tom O'Keefe
"In Daddy's Name" Shelle McCallum
"Miners' Way" Susan and Margaret Walsh
"The Miner's Song" Denis Conn, performed by John Allan Cameron on Glencoe Station, Atlantica; also by Dave Gunning
"Twenty-six Angels" Anonymous
[Unknown title] Simon Lilley [poem by son of a miner killed at Westray]
"Their Lights Will Shine" Ron MacDonald, performed by The Men of the Deeps
"Twenty-Five Miners" Father Ron McIntyre and Mike Madigan of The Sharecroppers
"26 Good Workin Boys" written by Karen Boyle, performed by her husband Gary Boyle.
"Coal Black" Lennie Gallant
"Westray" (1995) Sarah Harmer IT IS NOT CLEAR IF SHE SANG THIS AS A SINGLE WHILE WITH WEEPING TILE OR THE GROUP DID IT [Mine disaster at the Westray mine – May 9, 1992]
"Westray" (1995) Weeping Tile [Mine disaster at the Westray mine – May 9, 1992]
"Westray" (2002) Ronald Gillis (lyrics), Shane MacLean (music)
"Westray Remembered" (2000) Mclean, Sandy.
Doucette, Adrian "(The) Storm of '98" A song about the 1998 Eastern Canadian Ice Storm
"State of Emergency/Ice Storm/98" Mike Wood and Beverly
"The Ice Storm of 1998" Stan Ransom (American experience)
"The Power of Ice" Tamarack, from the album Tree
"Peggy's Cove Disaster" Eddie Coffrey
"Sleep Well, Sleep Long" Chhangur, Nesbit and songs
"The Mary Ellen Carter" Men of the Deeps
"The Mary Ellen Carter" Stan Rogers
Roberts, Bill "Some songs about a flood" Flooding along the Red River
"Red River Flood" Murray McLauchlan
"Red River Rising" James Kellaghan
"When the water goes down" Michael and Gloria Bauemeister A song about flooding along the Red River
"The Loss of Eliza"
"Loss of the Bay State" – Unknown
"The Old Bay State" Unknown
Disasters on the Great Lakes include "The Loss of the Schooner Antelope," "The Loss of the Maggie Hunter," and "The Foundering of the Asia." These songs can be found on Songs of the Great Lakes (Folk FE-4018).
A train accident at Montreal's Windsor station in 1909 prompted Henri Miro and Raoul Collet to write "La catastrophe de la gare Windsor."

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 18 May 11 - 09:44 PM

It's interesting to see "Rescue from the Springhill Coal Mine" Don Miller listed. Don was a dear friend of mine and I sang at his funeral.
He knew more about "old country" songs than anyone I ever knew or met. He wrote some good stuff as well and although I have heard him sing this song I do not know how it went at this time.
                            Sandy

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 02:43 AM

The canadian disaster song project is rolling along and the posting have been an enormous help.
Our study of songs about mass death incidents in Nova Scotia mines is beingg published shortly in the International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters. Our study of folk sons about Titanic appeared this past weekin Canadian Folk Music.
We are doing a presentation on songs about major Canadian incidents at the conference of the Canadian Society for Traditional Music ay Ryerson University in May. I just fionished copying the words for two songs we mention in that presentation from a posting on this list serve.
We have made a proposal for more funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Heather Sparling already has received two small grants). If we get more funding we will be doing some travelling and will be making personal contact with mnay of you.
Mudcat Cafe is mentioned as a key source in our proposal.
Joe Scanlon
Carleton U

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Beer
Date: 01 Apr 12 - 11:50 AM

Congratulations Joe and best of luck in your application for funding.
Adrien

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: gnu
Date: 04 May 12 - 02:22 PM

My old man used to sing a song about The Saxby Gale and what it did at "The Bend" (Moncton, NB). I'll see if any of my elderly relatives recall it... I can't.

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 04 May 12 - 02:44 PM

Congratulations..and did I say that a woman here, now well into retirement, was the phone operator as a young teenager during the Springhill disaster...if she is still well I could put her in contact...mg

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: ollaimh
Date: 04 May 12 - 09:05 PM

jack hinks?

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: gnu
Date: 05 May 12 - 05:25 PM

Why is this thread below the line?

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: sciencegeek
Date: 06 May 12 - 08:18 AM

good luck with your funding request.

and start thinking about doing a symposium paper for Mystic Seaport about your progress on the Maritime Disaster song project. (totally unsubtle plug) they are always looking for presenters, besides being an excellent resource for material.

and I'd like to thank "mg" for putting Heather in touch with the hubby regarding his song... I can hardly wait for her updates on the songwriting process... her interview/podcast was great and really thought provoking

http://www.canadashistory.ca/Education/New-Research/Articles/The-Disaster-Song-Tradition.aspx

Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 06 Apr 13 - 07:42 AM

My congratulations to Dr. Heather Sparling! Heather has posted as a guest on this thread gathering information. Heather was kind enough to invite me to a reception for this event but I was not able to attend. She was more than kind in thanking me for playing a very small part with her research.
This is copied from the Cape Breton Post:
SYDNEY — CBU's Heather Sparling has been named a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Musical Traditions.
Topics : Tier 2 Canada Research Chair         , Musical Traditions
Sparling, an associate professor of ethnomusicology, will become the Canada Research Chair in Musical Traditions in July. The award is valued at $500,000 over five years.
"This is a pretty amazing opportunity," says Sparling. "It will allow me more time to do my research and there will be some money allowed to fund my research costs."
Sparling's research focuses on how traditional music is sustained by communities, and how it, in turn, sustains communities.