May 16, 1874 Ballad

A ballad about the 1874 Mill River Flood disaster in Williamsburg, Haydenville and Leeds, Massachusetts.
(April 2024 re-upload of (enhanced) original video recording with newly synced audio)
Words and music by Lynne Bertrand and Penny Schultz. Liz Rose on viola, chorus members listed below.
Video recording by Reelife Productions
Audio recording by Clay Neely of Black Coffee Sound
Audio Syncing / video reformatting by Jim Weigang
Recorded on May 16, 2006 in the Haydenville Congregational Church, which in 1874 served as a morgue in the wake of flood.
You can read about the Mill River catastrophe here: millrivergreen...
And read more in Elizabeth Sharpe's book, "In the Shadow of the Dam," available for borrowing or purchase at Meekins Library in Williamsburg:
willmsbrg.cwma...
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"May 16, 1874"
by Lynne Bertrand and Penny Schultz
1 (George Cheney)
The sky is giving us nothing but rain;
It's been that way since the day began.
And I am going again and again
To check the walls of the Williamsburg dam.
Fly fast! George Cheney! We need you today!
The walls are giving away, away.
Fly faster than ever you thought you could go--
Today is your day to be a hero.
2 (Colin Graves)
My morning milk run is nearly made
And there goes Cheney, with a cry:
"The dam has burst, the walls--they gave!"
And none believes him, none but I.
Fly fast, Colly Graves! We need you today!
The whole bless-ed reservoir's coming our way.
The folks in the village down river don't know.
Today is your day to be a hero.
3 (Robert Loud)
From up above the fields I plow,
I hear the blast of Civil War
But war is long behind me now
My second thought: the dam, for sure.
Fly fast! Robert Loud! We need you today!
Run to the village and warn us we pray.
A soldier turned farmer defend us again
Today is your day to be a hero.
4 (Jerome Hillman)
I am coming home up River Road
When, from ahead, a thund'rous sound,
And then a sight that stops me cold,
A wall of mayhem bearing down.
Fly fast! Jerome Hillman! We need you today!
The river is sweeping our fam'lies away.
To ride t'ward the mills you'll have to be brave.
Today is your day to be a hero.
5 (Christina Hills)
Like all the mothers in this fray
I rush my brood to where it's safe
But here it comes, the monstrous wave.
To save my boy, I'll give my life.
Stand fast! Christina Hills! We need you today!
A mother's love willl not give way
We won't forget the choice you made
Today is your day to be a hero.
6 (Myron Day)
The folks of Leeds will never know
If I don't race to bear the news.
I'll die in the gorge if my horse is slow.
Charge! We'll run it--live or lose.
Fly fast! Myron Day! We need you today!
Your courage lifts us for now and aye.
Don't falter, don't stumble--oh, steady you go
Today is your day to be a hero.
7 (Jimmy Ryan)
'Tis just another Saturday;
I'm just a kid with chores to do.
But heroes come in ev'ry way.
To warn the mills, I bravely go.
Fly fast! Jimmy Ryan! We need you today!
The river will carry our towns away
And we will perish but more will be saved
Today you will choose to be a hero.
Running over, turning under
Running over, turning under
Running over, turning under...
Many heroes, many heroes
Many heroes, many heroes
Many heroes, many heroes...
The Flood Chorus members:
Christine Allen, James Cahillane, Maureen Cahillane, Rose Carragher, Emily Dines, Miecke Geffen, Kai Geffen, Anne Gelbard, Maya Gelbard, Phoebe Gelbard, Lillian Hillenbrand, Richard Hillenbrand, Tina Howard, Paul Jahnige, Sage Loomis, Sierra Loomis, Marisa Melchiorre, Jessica Nardi, Michelle Nardi, Karen Peter, Emma Rodrigue, Candy Smith, Carl Smith, Mary Smith, Zevy Steinetz, Georgia Teensma, Abby Weems, Lisa Wenner, Paula Wentworth, Rochelle Wildfong...with many thanks to Emma Sachs Peterson