Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?

Subject: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 06:38 PM

I heard a song today on the radio about smokejumpers told from the hospital bed of a man who is trying to make peace with his life. He was the Captain and lone survivor of team that went into a fire and were lost.

His crew paniced and died while he survived to be haunted for many years by the incident. It may be called "Thirteen Crosses" or "Stations of the Cross"

Any ideas?

Don Meixner

Subject: Lyr Add: COLD MISSOURI WATERS (James Keelaghan)
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 06:44 PM

Well why not answer my own question, sheesh?

Don


ARTIST: James Keelaghan
TITLE: Cold Missouri Waters
Lyrics and Chords


My name is Dodge, but then you know that
It's written on the chart there at the foot end of the bed
They think I'm blind, I can't read it
I've read it every word, and every word it says is death
So, Confession - is that the reason that you came
Get it off my chest before I check out of the game
Since you mention it, well there's thirteen things I'll name
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters

/ D - Bm - / G - D A / : / Bm - G D / Bm - G A /
   / Bm - G D / Em G A Bm /

August 'Forty-Nine, north Montana
The hottest day on record, the forest tinder dry
Lightning strikes in the mountains
I was crew chief at the jump base, I prepared the boys to fly
Pick the drop zone, C-47 comes in low
Feel the tap upon your leg that tells you go
See the circle of the fire down below
Fifteen of us dropped above the cold Missouri waters

Gauged the fire, I'd seen bigger
So I ordered them to sidehill and we'd fight it from below
We'd have our backs to the river
We'd have it licked by morning even if we took it slow
But the fire crowned, jumped the valley just ahead
There was no way down, headed for the ridge instead
Too big to fight it, we'd have to fight that slope instead
Flames one step behind above the cold Missouri waters

Sky had turned red, smoke was boiling
Two hundred yards to safety, death was fifty yards behind
I don't know why I just thought it
I struck a match to waist high grass running out of time
Tried to tell them, Step into this fire I set
We can't make it, this is the only chance you'll get
But they cursed me, ran for the rocks above instead
I lay face down and prayed above the cold Missouri waters

And when I rose, like the phoenix
In that world reduced to ashes there were none but two survived
I stayed that night and one day after
Carried bodies to the river, wonder how I stayed alive
Thirteen stations of the cross to mark to their fall
I've had my say, I'll confess to nothing more
I'll join them now, those that left me long before
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri waters
Thirteen crosses high above the cold Missouri shore

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 06:49 PM

So, like OK then, Tell me about James Keelaghan?
(Why do I feel like a dope?)

Don

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: DebC
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 06:52 PM

Actually, Don, almost 30 years ago in Redding, CA I ran across a guy named John Albright who wrote a parody to the Battle of the Green Berets. A bunch of jumpers used to come into the bar we used to play and John would strike this one up. I only recall a fragment:

Fighting fires from the sky
Men who jump
And men who fry
No one cares if they survive
Cuz they're only GS-5

Fighting fires overhead
Clumpy boots and lumpy beds
They wear shorts with polka dots
They get cooking when things get hot

Back at home, his wife grows old
day old meat loaf getting cold....



And that's all I remember.

Debra

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 07:12 PM

Thanks Deb, thats a scream waiting to be rediscovered.

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 09:46 PM

Don, if you are unfamiliar with James Keelaghan, you are in for a treat as you remedy that situation! And if you EVER get the chance to see him in person, DO IT!!! Get some of his recordings, including one with the song Kiri's Piano, as well as the one with Cold Missouri Watters. It really doesn't make any difference which recording you start with as they all contain outstanding songs. Im My opinion, James is the very best of the "young" folkies. He has won all kinds of awards with his writing and is a killer performer.
I've been lucky enough to see him and talk with him on two occasions.

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: John Hardly
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 10:01 PM

What a great song. I first heard it by the "Cry Cry Cry" trio. Bone-chilling.

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,Cluin
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 10:55 PM

Keelo's website

One of my favourites and a helluva nice guy too.

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 10:57 PM

He is at a venue 30 minutes away in Syracuse, NY on April 29th.

I'll have to go.

Thanks all.

Don

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: Cluin
Date: 23 Apr 06 - 11:09 PM

Do go, Don. I envy you the chance. He doesn't play around my neck of the woods much anymore.

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 24 Apr 06 - 03:04 AM

When I thought Keelaghan couldn't get any better, he came out here with Oscar Lopez and the two of them blew me away. Outstanding performer, on his own or with Lopez.

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Apr 06 - 12:02 PM

He's even better with Oliver Schroer and Hugh MacMillan

James K's Forum where some keener is slowly assembling chords and lyrics for all his albums

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From:
Date: 24 Apr 06 - 03:38 PM

BTW, here's a link to the story that Keelaghan song was about:Missoula

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,Texas Guest
Date: 24 Apr 06 - 04:45 PM

Well, thanks, George Seto. James Keelaghan is one of my most favorite singers and songwriters and I do a few of his tunes.
I really really like "Cold Missouri Water" a lot but decided not to do it cause I wasn't sure how other folks would react to it - I do
"Fires Of Calais" and sometimes folks just kinda sit there and look at you as if to say, "What?" - and that can be a depressing waste of time. The link to the story, however, has changed my mind - great story. I do a nice version of "Calais" and so it shall remain - now
I'll do a nice version of "Cold Missouri Water" and to hell with the world, they're just going to have to enjoy it, damn it!

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Apr 06 - 04:48 PM

My cover of CMW rocks audiences in their seats!

:-)

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: Big Jim from Jackson
Date: 24 Apr 06 - 06:44 PM

The song's background can be found in a book titled something like "Young Men And Fire" by the same author of "And A River Runs Through It". James occasionally does a vivid intro to the song that will send chills up your spine.

What Cluin said on his first post.

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 24 Apr 06 - 06:48 PM

Hi Jim

I read the story from George's Blue Klicky thing. It must have been a horrific turn of events. In some ways not unlike the Yarmouth Castle by Gordon Lightfoot.

Thank you everyone for this help.

Don

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From: GUEST,Larry Meyer
Date: 24 Apr 06 - 06:52 PM

Hearing CMW on the radio was my personal route to Keelaghan too. It just had a spark (no pun intended) that stood out from the crowd. He thus joined my very short list of special favorites: Gordon Bok, Greg Brown, and Stan and Garnet Rogers. You wouldn't think such a story would grab you that way, but that's what is special about Keelaghan. His songs have an exceptional depth.

Subject: RE: Help! A song about Smoke Jumpers?
From:
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 05:43 PM

What's even nicer is to hear it first through local singers, and then encounter James Keelaghan doing it.

First, because the singer I first heard Cold Missouri Water from is a low key kind of fellow and he made it real for me.

Several years later, at Celtic Colours, I got to see James Keelaghan performing his own song. While the song is still great, it kind of gets lost in the performance.

Both are great, but it is SPOOKY when it's done with a solo guitar and with feeling! Thanks, Shaun!