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Canadian disaster songs: research project
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Subject: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Marion Date: 19 Jun 06 - 05:01 PM Hi folks. I found an interesting request at the bottom of another thread and am reposting it under a new title to get more attention. I will ask the researcher to return to this thread when it has run its course, so you can answer here instead of emailing him. "I am working on a study of Canadian disaster songs and would be pleased to hear from anyone who knows anything about such songs including the title, name of the artist, where we can find the words, what it is about etc. At the moment we have close to 100 songs some more complete than others. The complete list is pasted to this message. We have just started this work so I am sure the list contains errors -- corections are welcome. Our goal is to see whether these songs accurately reflect the incidents they sing about. [Other studies show this is not true for movies and fiction -- but our initial research suggests it may be true for folk songs.] Joe Scanlon, Professor Emeritus and Director, Emergency Communcations Research Unit, Carleton University jscanlon@ccs.carleton.ca If my mailbox jams use Joe.Scanlon@talk21.cm Suggestions as to who we might usefully contact would also be welcome Note from Marion: I emailed Joe to ask how Canadian is Canadian and how disastrous is disastrous, and he responded: " have already written an article comparing fictional and non-fictional accounts of the Halifax explosion. I thought it would be interesting to look at disaster music. The fiction distorts what actually happened -- and quite seriously. Our goal is to see if the songs do the same. Our definition is songs about incidents in Canada or incidents involving Canadians whether that meant Canadians were involved (e.g. a Canadian boat lost at sea) or that Canada was in on the response -- this includes Titanic -- since 200 bodies were brought to Halifax and stored at the Mayflower Curling Club. Mass death related to war is not being included. We are not writing a proposal to look at pandemic death -- there is almost no literature. I have written about the handling of the dead from the Halifax explosion and studied the Gander air crash.\" Songs "(The) Ballad of the Frank Slide" Robert Gard [Rocks from Turtle Mountain came crashing down on Frank, Alberta ?April 29, 1902] "(The) Ballad of Springhill" Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl THIS SONG WAS RECORDED BY MORE THAN ONE GROUP [Presumably the third Springhill, Nova Scotia mine disaster ?October 23, 1958] "(The) Ballad of Springhill" Peter, Paul and Mary THIS SONG WAS RECORDED BY MORE THAN ONE GROUP [Presumably the third Springhill, Nova Scotia mine disaster ?October 23, 1958] "(And the) Bridge Came Tumblin' Down" Stompin' Tom Connors [Second Narrows Bridge Collapse in Vancouver ?June 17, 1958] "Cape Royal Disaster" Stan McDonald "Captain Torres" James Keelaghan [The ship sunk in 1989 and was romanticized by Silver Don Cameron is his book Wind, Whales and Whisky ?39 dead, 23 from Captain Torres] "La catastrophe de l'Empress of Ireland" Cyrice Dufour [This song has been issued by Radio Canada and is on the CD "Chants et complaintes maritimes de Terres francaises d'Amerique" presumably another source of songs] "Crashing Down" Tanglefoot [Another song about the Frank slide] The singers say they tell a tangential story that is in fact fiction. "Disaster at Glace Bay" Bill Smith, Bill and Country Emotions "(The) Empress of Ireland" Brian Morton's [This is in his CD "A Lonely Cairn of Stones"] "Empress of Ireland" Susan Lawrence [This has been non-commercially recorded by Sweet Tyme]. "Fire in the Mine" Stompin' Tom Connors [Not sure what incident this is} "'(The) Flemmings of Torbay' Unknown CLEARLY FROM NEWFOUNDLAND "(The) Foundering of the Asia" Unknown THIS IS ALSO AN INCIDENT ON THE GREAT LAKES "Frank Slide" (The) Travellers "(The) Greenland Disaster" Jim Rice WE HAVE THE WORDS 1898 INCIDENT "The Halifax Explosion" Unknown [The December 6, 1917 explosion in Halifax harbour, Canada's only catastrophe] "Hillcrest Mine" James Keelaghan [There were a series of gas explosions in the Hillcrest mine in Hillcrest, Alberta, 189 miners killed ?June 9, 1914] "Hinton Train Disaster" Wiz Bryant [This is in the album Spirit of the North - LP 1986] "How the Mountain Came Down" Stompin' Tom Connors [Presumably this is about the Frank Slide] The album is called Tragedy Trail "Huntsville Fire" Gordon, James (with Tamarack) [A Major fire in 1904] "Into the fire" Bruce Springsteen [The song is about the firefighters' response to the attack on the World Trade Center in 9/11] "I will bring you home" Marion Parsons A song about the Newfoundland sealing disaster "(The) Jennie C" Stan Rogers THIS IS AN INCIDENT NOT IN OUR LIST, PRESUMABLY NOT A MASS DEATH INCIDENT "La Complainte de Springhill" Unknown" [Presumably the third Springhill, Nova Scotia mine disaster ?October 23, 1958] Lady Franklin's Lament" Unknown THIS IS ABOUT THE LOSS OF THE FRANKLIN EXPEDITION IN THE CANADIAN ARCTIC IN 1845 "Lanark Fire" Mac Beattie [This is in the album This Ottawa Valley of Mine] "(The) Last Goodbye" Bruce Moss [On the sinking of the oil rig Ocean Ranger ?February "Let's Roll" Neil Young [This is about the passengers on the hijacked plane which crashed in Pennsylvania on 9/11] "(The) Loss of the Jewel" Unknown THIS ALSO INVOLVED A RESCUE? "(The) Loss of the Maggie Hunter" Unknown THIS IS ABOUT AN INCIDENT ON THE GREAT LAKES "(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) Loss of the Regalus'" Unknown Ship lost off Cape Race "(The) Loss of the schooner Antelope" Unknown ANOTHER INCIDENT ON THE GREAT LAKES "Mack Wilson" James Gordon [Canadian crew on the S.S. Friar Rock Torpedoed in WW2] "(The) Mary Ellen Carter" Men of the Deeps "Mary Ellen Carter" Stan Rogers "Miracle of Colliery Two" Jack Kingston [This is about the survival of miners in the third Springhill Mine Disaster] "(The) Miramichi Fire" Unknown Words by John Jardine [This is about a fire which swept through the Miramichi region of New Brunswick in 1825] "My Brother's Fate New Waterford's Fatal Day" Unknown July 25, 1917 Explosion in Dominion Mine at New Waterford "Newfoundland Sealers" Gallaher, Bill "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 "No. 26 Mine Disaster" Men of the Deep DON'T KNOW WHAT INCIDENT THIS IS "Noronic Disaster" Jack Kingston "(The) Ocean Ranger" Mary Garbey [On the sinking of the oil rig Ocean Ranger ?February 14, 1982] "Ocean Ranger" Wiz Bryant "(The) Omen" Unknown THIS IS ALSO ABOUT NEW WATERFORD "(The) Ottawa Fire" Morris Manley THIS IS ANOTHER INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION. THERE WERE SEVERAL MAJOR FIRES IN OTTAWA BUT THIS ONE PREDATES 1900 "(The) Petty Harbour Bait Skiff" Unknown [This dates somewhere in the 19th Century] "Remember Me" Dan McKinnon Recorded in 1997 [A song based on survivor's accounts from the 1917 Halifax explosion] "Seven Bells Waltzes" Dulder, F. [THIS IS APPARENTLY INSTRUMENTS ONLY ?BUT IT IS ABOUT THE MIRAMICHI FIRE WHICH STARTED OCTOBER 5TH 1825] "(The) Southern Cross" Unknown [There is an article about this event] "Springhill Mine Disaster" Joe King [In his 1993 album Sings Songs of the Maritimes] "(The) Springhill Mine Disaster Song" Val MacDonald [MacDonald is the daughter of one the survivors of the third Springhill mine disaster and the song was written by her father, Maurice Ruddick, and recorded 50 years later.] "Springhill Mine Explosion" Jack Kingston [This is about the second Springhill mine disaster] "The 24th in 26" Unknown Another song about the incident in Glace Bay in 1979 "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] "Train Wreck at Almonte" Barry Luft and Tim Rogers [Songs of the Iron Rail ?1983] "Westray" 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" Weeping Tile [Mine disaster at the Westray mine ?May 9, 1992] "When that Great Ship went Down" Vesey and William Smith [This is the one about Titanic which sank in the Atlantic in 1912] "(The) Wreck of the Athens Queen" Stan Rogers "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" Gordon Lightfoot [The ship sank in Lake Superior on November 1, 1975] "Wreck of the John Harvey" Stompin' Tom Connors "Wreck of the John Harvey" The Dorymen [On the LP 20 Great Hits of Newfoundland] "(The) Wreck of the Julie Plante" Unknown THIS SUPPOSED TOOK PLACE ON LAC ST. PIERRE AND WAS SUNG BY LUMBERJACKS. "(The) Wreck of the Steamship Ethie'" WORDS BY MAUDE ROBERTS SIMMONS THIS ONE APPARENTLY INVOLVES A RESCUE, "Wreck of the Tammy Anne" Stompin' Tom Connors "Young, Young Man" Modabo [This is on the Newfoundland Sealing Disaster]. "'Your Last Goodbye" Ted Rowe THIS COULD BE THE SAME SONG THAT WAS RECORDED BY BRUCE MOSS [On the sinking of the oil rig Ocean Ranger ?February 14, 1982] |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST,mg Date: 19 Jun 06 - 05:21 PM Cool..I am on the list. Canada, especially Newfoundland, has some great songs about their terrible disasters. I also have one about a ship that went down with men from Cape Broyal...I think it is Broyal rather than Royal but would not totally swear to it. mg |
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Subject: Lyr Add: JAM ON JERRY'S ROCK From: HiHo_Silver Date: 19 Jun 06 - 06:02 PM Do not know if this is what you are looking for. Here are the lyrics from memory of a song out of the lumber camps on the East Coast. JAM ON JERRY'S ROCK Come all you true born shanty boys, and listen while I relate Concerning a young river man, and his untimely fate; Concerning a young river man, who manly true and brave, 'Twas on a jam on Jerry's Rock, he met a watery grave. 'Twas on a Sunday morning, in the springtime of the year. The logs were piled up mountains. we could not get them clear. The foreman said, "turn out, my boys, with hearts devoid of fear. We'll break that jam on Jerry's Rock, and for town we'll steer." Now some of them were willing, while others they were not, For to work on jams on Sunday, they did not think their plight. 'Twas six of our brave shanty boys did volunteer to go To break a jam on Jerry's Rock with their foreman Jack Monroe. They had not rolled off many logs when they heard his clear voice say, "I'll have you boys be on your guard. this jam will soon give away." These words were scarcely uttered when the jam did break and go, And it carried off these six brave boys, with their foreman young Monroe. When the rest of our brave shanty boys the sad news come to hear, To search for their brave comrades to the river banks did steer. In searching for their dead comrades, to their sad grief and woe, All crushed and bleeding on a rock was that of young Monroe. They took him from his watery grave, brushed back his raven hair. There was one fair form among them whose moans did rent the air. This one fair from among them was a girl from town Whose moans and cries they pierced the sky, for her true love that was drowned. Miss Clara was a noble girl, the river man's true friend. She with her widowed mother dear lived by the river bend; And the wages of her own true love the boss to her did pay, And the shanty boys for her made up a generous purse next day. They buried him with sorrow deep. 'Twas on the first of May. Come all you true born shanty boys and for your comrades pray. Engraved upon a hemlock tree, that by the grave did grow, Was the name and date of the sad fate, of this young man Monroe. Miss Clara did not long survive to worry and to grief, For in less than six months afterward, death came to her relief. And when this time had come to pass and she was call to go, The last favor she requested was to lay by young Monroe. Now come all you true born shanty boys, who would like to go and see These two green mounds by the river side, where stands a hemlock tree. Neath its branches wavering in the breeze, two lovers there lay low. They are Miss Clara Dinnis, and her true love Jack Monroe. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: RESCUE AT MOOSE RIVER GOLD MINE From: HiHo_Silver Date: 19 Jun 06 - 06:18 PM again from memory: Mine Disaster in Nova Scotia, Canada RESCUE AT MOOSE RIVER GOLD MINE ^^ Way down in old Nova Scotia Moose River it seemed was the name Three Canadians on Easter Sunday To a tumbled down gold mine they came They descended the mine for inspection Never dreamed fate trailed close at hand With a crash that gave them no warning They were trapped in that mine there to die. Great men from all over the country Volunteered to give up their lives They slaved with unceasing effort It seemed that death they defied. On Monday they got their first message From the men prisoned far far below Can you help us they heard the men calling Our suffering God only knows. Next message filled all hearts with sorrow As they heard them say one pal is gone We are trying our best to hold on, boys. Do your best. Don't make it too long. On Sunday they got their last message A miner out of breath brought the news We've won the great fight he was shouting At last we have dug our way through. Now friends my story is ending With hardships of many a day But the rescue will go down in history Of the gold mine down Moose River way. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Jeremiah McCaw Date: 19 Jun 06 - 06:19 PM "Mary Ellen Carter" is fictional (which doesn't preclude it from being a truly great song). |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WESTRAY REMEMBERED (A. McLean) From: Sandy Mc Lean Date: 19 Jun 06 - 06:25 PM Hi from Cape Breton Marion,^^ This is one that I have written. Sandy WESTRAY REMEMBERED (A. McLean) May 9, 1992.................5:18 am Listen to me, friends, and a sad tale I'll tell How a mighty explosion rose up straight from Hell And swept through a coal mine as it passed on its way And 26 men died down in Westray that day; Yes, 26 men died down in Westray that day. When the government inspectors were down in the mine, They ignored all the coal dust and the shortage of lime, And the methane detectors that were screwed up, they say, So 26 men died down in Westray that day. When the rescue team went down to search in that mine, A path of destruction was what they would find. 15 bodies was all they recovered that time. 11 are buried still down in that mine. Some high politicians, at first they did cry, But their greatest concern was to cover their hides, And the rot in the system meant that no one would pay. Our courts they did fail us so badly that way. The bosses and owners, they walked away free, Thumbing their noses at the inquiry, But someday in Heaven before God's great throne There'll be no escaping when sins are atoned. Now you've heard my story and a sad tale I did tell, How a mighty explosion rose up straight from Hell And swept through a coal mine as it passed on its way, And 26 men died down in Westray that day. Yes, 26 men died down in Westray that day. (c)2000 A. McLean, a.mclean@ns.sympatico.ca |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST,Jon Bartlett Date: 19 Jun 06 - 06:39 PM I'd like to add a whole slew of songs, but don't know what you mean by "disaster". e.g. Mary Ellen Carter - ship sunk,no deaths, and fictional. While you're at it, what is Canadian about Springsteen's "Into the fire"? You mean maybe songs made by canadians about disasters elsewhere? Springsteen still wouldn't fit. Jon Bartlett |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Marion Date: 19 Jun 06 - 06:48 PM Hi Mary. You'd better tell him how to spell your name, eh? Thanks for the additions, Sandy and HiHo. Jeremiah - I think Jeannie C. is fictional too, isn't it? Jon - well, he says he's looking for corrections as well as additions, so it's helpful to point out the fictional ones. When I asked about how he was defining Canadian disaster songs, he said the disaster should include Canadians as victims or rescuers (hence the inclusion of Titanic and Sept. 11 songs), even if the songwriter isn't Canadian. I'm not sure about whether he's interested in Canadian writer's songs about non-Canadian events. Marion |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Marion Date: 19 Jun 06 - 06:55 PM Here's a link to the lyrics to James Keelaghan's "Hillcrest Mine". It's a great song, but I'm not sure that it's "about" that mining disaster - it seems to be a more general warning about the perils of mining. Marion |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 20 Jun 06 - 12:55 AM "The Southern Cross" was sung by Jack Dalton, Codroy, 1960, in Peacock, "Songs of the Newfoundland Outports, vol. 3, p. 973-974. The variant has a different tune from the one in Greenleaf and Mansfield, "Ballads and Sea Songs of Newfoundland," which is the version written down by Lizzie Rose, 1929. Peacock's volumes have several 'wrecks' and many 'losses: The Wreck of the Morrissey The Wreck of the Semmity The "Union" from St. John's The Spring of '97 (ship not named) There are 15 'losses': The Loss of the Atlantic The Loss of the Barbara Ann Ronney The Loss of the Bruce The Loss of the City of Quebec The Loss of the Danny Goodwin The Loss of the Eliza The Loss of the Jewel (listed above) The Loss of the John Harvey The Loss of the Jubal Cain The Loss of the Rammelly The Loss of the Regalis (mis-spelled Regalus in list?) The Loss of the Riseover The Loss of the Sailor's Home The Loss of the Shamrock The Sally's Cove Tragedy George's Banks (ship Morning Bloom lost many crew, other ships sunk in storm, 1868) How many deaths make a disaster? ? |
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Subject: Lyr Add: DEATH AT GIANT MINE (Steve Lacey) From: CeltArctic Date: 20 Jun 06 - 01:18 AM Here's one from my neck of the woods. In Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, during a terrible labour dispute at one of our gold mines, 9 men were killed in an explosion that was found to have been intentionally caused. Steve Lacey of Yellowknife (who also sings with me in a quartette called Ceilidh Friends) wrote "The Death at Giant Mine" within a week of the disaster. DEATH AT GIANT MINE (C) Steve Lacey^^ 'Twas the eighteenth of September; 'twas the year of '92. The strike had gone on far too long as Yellowknifers knew. Some men had kept the picket line, while other men had crossed. But no one in this city guessed how much the strike would cost. CHORUS: A hard rock miner's work is cold and dangerous at best. A man on strike still has to pay his bills like all the rest. The owners have to keep their eye upon the bottom line. But nine men didn't have to die that day at Giant Mine. Nine men started down the shaft to go to work that day. They traveled in an open car, the ordinary way. Some were locals, some were not, & some had crossed the line, But none would ever walk out from the depths of Giant Mine. CHORUS: Explosives lying on the tracks on which the mine-car rolled; No warning for the men who died there in the dark and cold. No need to call for rescue teams; there was nothing they could do. Nothing left but angry pain that quickly spread and grew. CHORUS: Was it a striker trying just to scare the scabs away? Was it the owner's carelessness that killed those men that day? Was it some crazy loner who had once worked underground? This city won't find peace until these answers can be found. Actually, although the police charged a man with the murder of the 9 men, many people do not trust the crime has been fully solved. Moira Cameron |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST,Dale Date: 20 Jun 06 - 04:31 AM Loss Of The Truxton And Pollux This is about two ships which went aground in Newfoundland during a storm in 1942. ^^ Atlantic Blue written by Ron Hynes, recorded by several. It's not immediately obvious, but this is about the sinking of the oil rig Ocean Ranger in 1982. I also have the lyrics for Train Wreck at Almonte mentioned above. They're on my other computer, but I can post them if they are wanted. I have more, but they are on that other computer, so for now I can't post them. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST,Wayne Date: 20 Jun 06 - 05:27 AM The Ballad of Yarmouth Castle - Gordon Lightfoot Marie Christine - Gordon Lightfoot Rocks at Thieves Bay - Spirit of the West |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Willie-O Date: 20 Jun 06 - 08:11 AM Re: Lanark Fire, Mac Beattie From Lanark Highlands Township website(http://www.lanarkhighlands.ca/About/History.htm): "1959 - A catastrophic fire in the Village destroyed 43 buildings (including the Town Hall, the Library, Memorial Clock and Legion Hall), leaving more than 100 people homeless, and caused $1.5 million in damage. It is a commonly held view that the fire had a profound psychological impact on the spirit of the people of Lanark, causing a temporary depression." I'll be going through Lanark village in half an hour or so, if I ever get off the pesky Internet. It has long since recovered from the physical damage of the fire--of course, there's a stretch of newer buildings in that part of town, a contrast with the old houses and stone structures that are prevalent in the rest of this early 19th century settlement village. There's always been a depressive streak there, in the 20 years I've been around here. It's a village that never quite entered the 20th century, and now it's too late. Long story encompassing a lot more than the effects of the 1959 fire. It's looking pretty now, though the economic/infrastructure problems are still present. This is not one of Mac Beattie's better known numbers. He was a mid-20th century Ottawa Valley troubadour who played every kind of gig--bars, radio shows and concerts in the valley for over 40 years--writing songs about local places and events all the time. His straight-ahead style would generally stick to the facts and reference local characters and landmarks rather than wax poetic, so though I don't have the lyrics they are probably pretty accurate. I could take a look in the village library--I know Beattie's autobiography is there. Bill Cameron |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: JohnB Date: 20 Jun 06 - 10:10 AM "he said the disaster should include Canadians as victims or rescuers (hence the inclusion of Titanic " While you are on that subject don't forget Les Barkers "Have you got any news of the Iceberg" telling the Titanic story from a polar bears point of view. JohnB. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: CAPTURE OF ALBERT JOHNSON (Wilf Carter) From: HiHo_Silver Date: 20 Jun 06 - 10:12 AM Song from Northern Canada. About a trapper in I believe Rat River. Pretty factual: CAPTURE OF ALBERT JOHNSON ^^ As recorded by Montana Slim (Wilf Carter) There in that far-north country lived a trapper thought insane. Some of his redskin neighbors to the pólice sent a complaint. Two redcoats of the Mounties, who are known for their fame, Went north to find the trouble. On this trapper was put the blame. They journeyed out to his cabin. No harm was meant, you know. But the trapper with his six-gun, he laid a Mountie low. 'Twas then that the trouble started, and as the story goes forth, It was the greatest manhunt in the hist'ry of the north. For weeks and weeks they trailed him through the snow and the bitter cold, And the hardships that he endured we folks will never know. Once when they had him surrounded while trailing him through the snow, He laid another deadly shot, laid another Mountie low. Still on and on they trailed him. This trapper he knew his game. He'd backtrack on his trailers, this man they thought insane. Now the chances of his escape for the trapper they were too slim. They hunted him by day. They hunted him by night. This manhunt they must win. Then just in the evening twilight, he was climbing up a hill. This trapper sighted his trailers, aimed another shot to kill. Down deep in the snow for shelter, the bullets were flying low. He aimed another deadly shot, laid another Mountie low. The rest of them heard the shooting. They quickly joined the lead; And under a hail of bullets his riddled body dropped dead. Now the greatest of the manhunts are [sic] ended in the history of that northern land, But we'll give credit to the Mountie. They always get their man. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST,Bob Coltman Date: 20 Jun 06 - 10:55 AM "The Springhill Mine Disaster" (Maurice Ruddick, Bill Clifton, Paul Clayton and one other author) was recorded by Bill Clifton and His Bluegrass Boys and released within weeks of the disaster. Google Neil Rosenberg and "Springhill Mine Disaster" for a story on this. Bob |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST,thurg Date: 20 Jun 06 - 11:15 AM Definitely about "the mad trapper of Rat River", and I think accurate, as far as it goes, although of course it leaves out many interesting and curious details, including the involvement in the hunt of the legendary bush pilot "Wop" May. Marion - Your friend Scanlon should start off with the easy and obvious sources, such as Edith Fowke's Penguin Book of Canadian Folk Songs, and Helen Creighton's various publications. Many of the songs mentioned so far have been published along with summaries of the research into historical verity. I would recommend that he contact a bona fide folklorist or two (or is that what's he's done in contacting you?) Could save himself a lot of work. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: breezy Date: 20 Jun 06 - 12:28 PM Jeannie C was written for the fishermen of Dover N S |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: CeltArctic Date: 20 Jun 06 - 01:22 PM Does anyone know if anyone wrote a song about the Air India flight? There's a big news Canadian disaster - one that never seems to leave the news. Moira |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Slag Date: 21 Jun 06 - 03:03 AM Sung to the tune, "God Save the King" (Stimpy) Our country reeks of trees Our yaks are really large And they smell like rotting beef carcuses And we have to clean up after them And our sadle sores are the best We proudly wear women's clothing And searing sand blows up our skirts (Ren joins in with Stimpy) And the buzzards, they soar overhead And poisonous snakes will devour us whole And our bones will bleach in the sun (Stimpy) That's it! (Ren & Stimpy) And we'll probably go to phbbbbtlb And that is our great reward For being the Ro-oy-oy-al Canadian Kilted Yaksmen! (Stimpy) C'mon everybody (everyone) Repeats one more time. by Nickleodeon Now if that isn't a Canadian disaster, I'll never know what one is! |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE STORM OF 98 (Adrien Doucette) From: Beer Date: 21 Jun 06 - 06:45 AM Here is one I wrote in the spring of 1998. It was a disaster of sorts. Melody has a bluegrass tempo. Beer THE STORM OF 98 (Adrien Doucette) In the year of 98 when folks were sleeping and would not wake. The Ice storm came at our front gate and would not go away. Well people in the morning would not believe, When they woke up to the bent down trees. The lights were out there was no heat. Yet the children played. Now the news man said, don't be late, Gather up candles at the market place. It's not to late if you want some heat, But the stores will be empty soon. I couldn't believe when I ventured there, Candles, batteries the shelves were bare. Said " My God", what am I gonna do. Yet the children played, as we prayed. Yes they played, as we prayed. Two, four, six more days, still no heat but yet we prayed. Branches, trees, all broke down. Streets of the city was a big ghost town. Hydro lines and telephone poles. "Oh my God but how it's cold". Generators breaking down, Yet the children played. Chorus Help came from far and wide, Without their aid we'd not survive. Death came it was not surprise, To the old, weak, and lame. My neighbor who at 85, Lost his love yet he survived, ( strum, but a pause. No words. As if thinking.) Yet the children played. Red Lake and the Sagunay, How they suffered yet they came. Newfoundland to Halifax, P.E.I. did their best. Friends to the South and the great out West, Jumped in their trucks and shared our stress. The army left their babes asleep, Yet the children played. Oh yes they played, As we prayed. In the storm of 98. Adrien Doucette 1998 |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Peter T. Date: 21 Jun 06 - 07:58 AM "Stephen Harper is a fake, Doodah, doodah, Has the eyes of a cobra snake, Oh, doodah day! Gwine to run all day, Canada to betray, Oh, he'll give the country to the money men, Oh, doodah day." Canadian disaster song. yours, Peter T. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 21 Jun 06 - 12:47 PM Thanks, Peter. I'll pass on your warning of the coming Doomsday. That list posted by Marion seems odd to me. Too many songs printed in major Canadian collections are absent. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST Date: 21 Jun 06 - 01:50 PM This is great stuff and I appreciate it. I am keeping an eye on the postings and I will send emails to those who are helping. At the moment I am in Oslo so please excuse me for not reacting faster. Joe Scanlon |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Marion Date: 22 Jun 06 - 04:20 PM Hi Joe, and thanks for coming back to check these. I think a little more clarification about what a Canadian disaster song is would be helpful. For example - if you're not collecting songs about disasters caused by war or crime - wouldn't that rule out the September 11 songs (and anything that might be found about the Air India flight, also)? And what sort of body count are we talking? There are logging songs that talk about accidents causing single deaths, like "Jam on Jerry's Rock" (above), or "Peter Amberley". Do you want titles for those? Marion |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST Date: 22 Jun 06 - 04:42 PM Or Frozen Charlotte. Beer |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca Date: 22 Jun 06 - 07:04 PM There's Frobisher Bay by James Gordon.^^ |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GEST Date: 22 Jun 06 - 07:18 PM And there's also Sad Day In Gander, by Eric Waterman, about the worst air disaster on Canadian soil. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: bobad Date: 22 Jun 06 - 07:51 PM Your song brings back memories Adrien, I'd like to hear it sometime. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Beer Date: 22 Jun 06 - 08:12 PM Thanks Bobad. I did it two years ago when the throat was in shape at our festival. Beer |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Greg B Date: 23 Jun 06 - 06:48 PM Does Margaret Trudeau qualify? |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST,Michael Burton windhugger@yahoo.ca Date: 23 Jun 06 - 07:20 PM The Ocean Ranger certainly figures prominently as one of Canada's songworthy disasters, for sure. My friend Kevin Firth, a singer songwriter originally from Manchester UK, worked as a diver recovering remains, personal effects, etc. from the Ocean Ranger. He has written a very compelling song about the tragedy that probably can't be touched by the average armchair historical bard. He recorded it on a CD project a few years back. Some of his crewmates also died in the salvage operation. I will hunt down the CD and post lyric / link if interested. Michael Burton Singer-Songwriter-Boatbuilder Prince Rupert, BC windhugger@yahoo.ca |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Susanne (skw) Date: 25 Jun 06 - 10:26 PM Don't know if it qualifies, being man-made, but Montreal, December '89 definitely was a Canadian disaster, even though the song was written by an Australian, Judy Small. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: Jon Bartlett Date: 26 Jun 06 - 02:25 AM Wreck of the Green Cove The Oda G. Wreck of the C.P. Yorke (all three tugboat songs from the west coast by Stanley G. Triggs, the first two fictional, the second fact) |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THIS MEMORY (Wyrd Sisters) From: CeltArctic Date: 28 Jun 06 - 11:17 AM I just remembered another good one. The Wyrd Sisters - "This Memory" - about the Montreal Massacre. THIS MEMORY (as recorded by the Wyrd Sisters) Early that morning, cup of coffee in her hand, Kissed her mother on the cheek, said, "I'm more busy than I'd planned. I'll be coming home a bit late; would you keep the supper warm?" Oh, it's just another busy day. Early that morning, getting ready by the door, Kissed her lover on the cheek, said, "I'll be coming back for more. Oh, how I love you! We've got so much to live for. Oh, and I'll be coming home real soon." And it could have been me just as easily. Could have been my sister (lover) left there to bleed. Oh, it could have been my brother or my father done the deed. Oh, no! Don't let me lose this memory. Later on that evening I turned on my TV Listen as they're talking about the news of a shooting spree. Fourteen young women shot dead in Montreal. Oh, it's a-killing of us all. Yes it's a-killing of us all. And it could have been me just as easily. Could have been my sister (lover) left there to bleed. Oh, it could have been my brother or my father done the deed. Oh, no! Don't let me lose this memory. And it could have been you just as easily. Could have been your sister (lover) left there to bleed. Oh, it could have been your brother or your father done the deed. Oh, no! Don't let us lose this memory. Moira |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: CeltArctic Date: 28 Jun 06 - 11:18 AM Woops, that should say Wyrd Sisters, not Wyds. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST,Joe Scanlon Date: 28 Jun 06 - 07:37 PM I am delighted by the material that keeps coming and coming. The song on the Montreal massacre intrigued me. What is generally not known is that it was the third mass killing in a Canadian education institution. The first was at Centennial in Brampton. The second was at Pius X in Ottawa. The boy who did the shooting started by torturing and killing a young woman then shot up the school. Those incidents preceded similar incidents in the United States. Joe Scanlon Some of you might be interested to know that while doing research on the 1917 Halifax explosion I decided to compare six fictional accounts to what actually happened. The results were published in a Canadian academic journal which can be found in most university libraries. Scanlon, Joseph (1999) "Myths of Male and Military Superiority: Fictional Accounts of the 1917 Halifax Explosion" English Studies in Canada Vol. 24 pp. 1001-1025 The fiction tends to downplay the role of women and play up the role of the military. In fact the explosion occurred at 9:04:35 a.m. on a weekday morning when men were at war or at work and school age children were at or on their way to school. Those at home in the North end were women, pre school children and the elderly. The initial rescue work was therefor done by woman. The explosion caused damage, death and injury to soldiers at the Armouries and substantial damage, death and injuries to soldiers and their families at the Wellington Barracks. The military therefore had to deal with its own problems in the initial stages. At first glance it appears that the songs tend to be more accurate than fiction -- but that is what we will test. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: GUEST Date: 28 Jun 06 - 07:39 PM Marion asked whether one death was enough. I would like all songs. We may have to sort them out later. Perhaps it is helpful if I mention that one definition of a disaster is an event that causes or threatens to cause harm. The train derailment that led to the evacuation of Mississauga Ontario was a disaster even though there were no deaths. Joe Scanlon |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs:research project From: dick greenhaus Date: 09 Aug 07 - 06:56 PM There were at least two other Sprinhill mine disasters; both have songs associated with them. Check out LA COMPLAINTE DE SPRINGHILL and SPRINGHILL MINE DISASTER (1891) |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,harold macdonald Date: 21 Oct 07 - 11:00 PM I am looking for the words to "Springhill mine Explosion by Jack Kingston. Or, any songs relating to the 1956 mine explosion. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: Santa Date: 22 Oct 07 - 09:15 AM The Angel of Long Point, By Joe Grant and Steve Ritchie, of Tanglefoot? Dealing with the wreck of the Conductor, I assume it is based on a true story. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice Date: 14 Mar 08 - 02:35 PM "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" Gordon Lightfoot [The ship sank in Lake Superior on November 1, 1975] SS Edmund Fitzgerald (nicknamed "Mighty Fitz", "The Fitz" or "The Big Fitz") was a lake freighter that sank suddenly during a gale storm on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Charlotte (was 4 years old at the time) |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: Beer Date: 14 Mar 08 - 03:42 PM Great great song and very tragic. Mentioned above on the first thread. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: topical tom Date: 15 Mar 08 - 10:27 AM There is a song about a boat burning down in Whitehorse, Yukon, I think, but I cannot for the life of me remember the title or who sang it(perhaps the lead singer of Stringband ,Bob Bossin?)Or were there two boats? Rats, my memory is failing me! Does anyone know the song? |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice Date: 15 Mar 08 - 11:10 AM "Does Margaret Trudeau qualify?" yes *LOL* Charlotte (coffee and humour on a Saturday morning) |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,The Mole Catcher's unplugged Apprentice Date: 15 Mar 08 - 11:52 AM "Great great song and very tragic. Mentioned above on the first thread." I realise that, I was merely correcting the date of the disater..it was listed on the posting as 1st November 1975, where as it was 10th November, which happens to be my Dad's birthday as well. Charlotte (the view from Ma and Pa's piano stool) |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: Beer Date: 15 Mar 08 - 12:43 PM Than that is a date you certainly wouldn't forget. Good for you. I apologize. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,Norm Date: 17 Jun 08 - 10:42 PM there is one song and I cannot remember all the words to it but it is a song about the steelmen working on the 2nd narrows bridge when it collapased it was Called STEELMAN and the first line is Steelman working on that bridge of steel steel man and on the fateful day I cannot remember the rest of it or who sang it . If you find out could you please tell me thank you Norm |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: Beer Date: 17 Jun 08 - 10:46 PM Norm, I suggest that if you don't get your answer on this thread that you start one asking the same question. But give this one a run first. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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??? |
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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 |
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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" |
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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 paulhenrydallaire@live.com |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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) |
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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) |
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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. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: meself Date: 19 Jun 09 - 02:41 PM Hey, you've finally signed on - welcome aboard! |
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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 |
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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. |
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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 paulhenryd@yahoo.com |
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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. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: Sandy Mc Lean Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:04 PM The Escuminac Disaster |
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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 |
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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. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: Beer Date: 12 Mar 10 - 04:03 PM refresh |
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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 . |
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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. |
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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. |
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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? |
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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. |
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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? |
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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. |
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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 |
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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. |
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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! |
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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: jscanlon@connect.carleton.ca |
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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 |
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Subject: RE: Canadian Disaster Song Research Project From: Susan of DT Date: 18 May 11 - 04:52 PM Previous thread on topic |
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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." |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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. |
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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 |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: ollaimh Date: 04 May 12 - 09:05 PM jack hinks? |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: gnu Date: 05 May 12 - 05:25 PM Why is this thread below the line? |
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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 |
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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. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST Date: 08 May 13 - 01:07 PM |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,Arnold McBay Date: 09 Aug 13 - 04:26 PM I'm pretty sure that Spirit of the West also recorded a song about the Westray Mine disaster called Mum's the Word. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: sciencegeek Date: 07 Dec 13 - 06:57 AM Update from Heather- thought you might enjoy this little interview I did about the disaster songs research project for CBC in Gander. Cheers, Heather Hi Heather, Attached is the link to our interview which we aired on Central Morning recently. Thanks again for the chat. It was great fun. Sorry I had to edit so much out for time :/ http://www.cbc.ca/centralmorning/episodes/2013/11/29/the-disaster-songs-of-atlantic-canada/ |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: Fraoch Date: 21 Feb 14 - 10:28 AM Thanks for all the support, folks! You might be interested in checking out the updated disatersongs.ca website, especially the blog entries that I've started posting. http://disastersongs.ca/website-updates/ There are several new songs too, especially about the Miss Ally and Westray. BTW, I was excited to read about Spirit of the West's "Mum's the Word," but it turns out that it was about the Giant Mine explosion in the Northwest Territories. Both events occurred in 1992. Since it's not about an Atlantic Canadian disaster, I won't include it on the website. However, my research colleague, Joe Scanlon, will be interested in it since he's beginning work on disaster songs from across Canada. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,DTM Date: 21 Feb 14 - 12:29 PM Wreck of the Edmund's Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot. Not sure of the spelling or if the song is fact or fiction. Anybody? |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: maeve Date: 21 Feb 14 - 04:23 PM Yes- mentioned in the first post of this thread and once or twice in addition: " "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" Gordon Lightfoot [The ship sank in Lake Superior on November 1, 1975]" |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,DTM Date: 22 Feb 14 - 12:13 PM Thanks for the info re 'fact or fiction', Maeve. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST Date: 29 Oct 15 - 05:50 PM Please note my authorship of the Stompin.Tom Conners Song: http://www.larrysdesk.com/larrys-music.html |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: mg Date: 29 Oct 15 - 07:56 PM see the thread on the whale watching boat that just went down off Tofino in BC Canada. I am sure this will lead to some songs of remembrance...does any one know if any have been written yet? |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST Date: 17 Apr 19 - 11:42 PM wreck of ss langlecrag on Belle Isle Newfoundland written by Wayne Bartlett ,quripon,Newfoundland |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: mg Date: 18 Apr 19 - 01:43 AM I am winding up a new cd called for those in peril on the sea. I will include the Ocean Ranger song on it and expecting a new one from great songwriter about how the town of St. Lawrence I believed came to the rescue of a ship in distress. |
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Subject: RE: Canadian disaster songs: research project From: GUEST,Mad jock Date: 24 Apr 19 - 07:11 AM The now disbanded TANGLEFOOT had several narrative songs which may fit within your permitted range. |
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