Origin: Galveston Flood

Subject: Galveston Flood
From:
Date: 22 Dec 99 - 10:05 PM

Can anyone tell me the origin of the song about the Galveston Flood, variously titled "Mighty Day," "Mighty Storm" and "The Galveston Flood"? I've heard it by various folk revivalists (Bob Gibson, Tom Rush, Billy Faire, Chad Mitchell Trio, Golden Ring, etc.), but I would like to know who recorded it first and/or who brought it into the folk revival of the late '50s/early '60s. (In Sing Out they printed the Bob Gibson version, and it says he learned it from an "old jazz recording.")

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From: ddw
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 12:03 AM

Pete, I just refreshed a thread I started on this some time ago. Check out Rich R's reply to me.

Sorry I couldn't just put you into the thread without refreshing it, but blue clicky things are beyond me.

Cheers, David

Click here

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From: JamesJimFolk
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 12:06 AM

I'm familiar with the song and just looked it up in my old "Folk Singers Wordbook" from Oak Publications. They have printed the Bob Gibson version as well. The Copyright was in 1960, by Melody Trails, Inc. in New York.

Jim

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From: ddw
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 12:07 AM

Sorry, Pete, I should have said see Rockaday Johnny's reply in that last post.

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From: _gargoyle
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 12:24 AM

Smithsonian Magazine recently (Sept. 99) had an article on the flood....facinating reading....in its original context....Galveston Flood

A letter to the editor the following month had a family historical addition.

Smithsonian Magazine
November 1999
Letters

Galveston Hurricane

"For a While...It was Fun" by Stephen Fox reminded me of my grandmother's friend who struggled for hours against the roiling waves of Galveston's 1900 hurricane. Finally, someone pulled her from the flood and helped her to a still-standing house. She had no idea where her husband was. When the storm was over, my grandmother's friend and other women formed an assembly line of biscuit-makers. After hours of baking, she looked up and saw a buck-naked man, save his celluloid collar. It was moments before she recognized him as her husband.

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From: MarkS
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 12:33 AM

Pete: Per liner notes on the new Tom Rush CD, first recorded at Darlington State Penetentiary in 1942 on a Library of Congress recording by The Reverend "Sin Killer" Griffen. I think it may go back further than that and I will try to get more details to add to the post. 73 MarkS

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From: Sourdough
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 02:26 AM

I would guess that one reason that this tragedy, already of epic size, made such an impression on the national consciousness was that Galveston was one of the main ports of entry into the US for European immigrants so the port was very well known throught much of the country.

Sourdough

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 03:53 AM

Good Gargoyle, here's a biscuit and a pat on the head...ouch!

--seed

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From:
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 01:09 PM

Thanks, everyone, especially ddw and MarkS (73 to you, too). I really appreciate the help. Sorry I missed the thread earlier this year. Happy Holidays!

Subject: RE: Galveston Flood
From: Áine
Date: 23 Dec 99 - 01:31 PM

There have been several good books written about this disaster; but, my favorite one is 'A Weekend in September' by John Edward Weems, published by Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas 77843-4354, ISBN 0-89096-390-8.

I particularly like this book in that it follows individuals through the day and night of the storm and gives you a very good idea of the life and people of Galveston at the time.

-- Áine