What has happened down here is the wind has changed
Clouds roll in from the north and it start to rain
Rained real hard and rained for a real long time
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline
The river rose all day
The river rose all night
Some people got lost in the flood
Some people got away alright
The river has busted through clear down to Plaquemines
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
President Coolidge come down in a railroad train
With a little fat man with a note-pad in his hand
President Coolidge say, "Little fat man inn't it a shame, what the river has done to this poor cracker's land."
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
--Randy Newman, "Louisiana 1927"
the rath of nature and great music transcend politics
Posted by: Kevin | August 30, 2005 at 02:38
[CHORUS:]
Wasn't that a mighty storm?
Wasn't that a mighty storm
In the morning?, well
Wasn't that a mighty storm
That blew all the people all away...
You know the trumpets give them warning
You'd better leave this place
Now, no one thought of leaving
'til death stared them in the face
And the trains they all were loaded
The people were all leaving town
The trestle gave way to the water
And the trains they went on down
[Chorus]
Rain it was a' falling
Thunder began to roll
Lightning flashed like hell fire
The wind began to blow
Death the cruel master
When the wind began to blow
Rode in on a team of horses
I cried, "Death, won't you let me go".
[Chorus]
Hey, now trees fell on the island
And the houses give away
Some they strained and drowned
Some died in most every way
And the sea began to rolling
And the ships they could not stand
And I heard a captain crying
"God save a drowning man".
[Chorus]
Death your hands are clammy
You got them on my knee
You come and took my mother
Won't you come back after me
And the flood it took my neighbor
Took my brother too
I thought I heard my father calling
And I watched my mother go
(Artist unknown.)
Posted by: emptypockets | August 30, 2005 at 08:33
by the way, "wasn't that a mighty storm" was written about the 1900 hurricane in Galveston, until this week the worst to hit the US and I believe the only other category 4 we've experienced. 6000 to 8000 were killed (so that's one thing to be thankful for -- our storm warning & emergency management is to be appreciated).
photos of 1900's wreckage from NOAA site
Posted by: emptypockets | August 30, 2005 at 09:22