Were You in Boston in 1919?

Steve Suffet – Acoustic Folk Artist

Political Music Acoustic Folk Track | Were You in Boston in 1919? by Steve Suffet | Free Download

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The story of Boston's Great Molasses Flood of 1919. Words & music by Steve Suffet. Back-up vocals by Laura Munzer. Fiddle by Gina Tlamsa.

americana roots music folk music political music traditionalfolkmusic suffet

Steve Suffet

Old fashioned folksinger in the People's Music tradition.

Born Stephen Lawrence Suffet in 1947, Steve Suffet is best described as an old fashioned folksinger. His repertoire is a mixture of railroad songs, trucker songs, cowboy songs, union songs, old time ballads, blues, ragtime, Gospel, bluegrass, topical-political songs, and whatever else tickles his fancy. He takes songs from whatever sources he wishes and then he sings them his own way, maybe rewriting the lyrics on the spot, flatting a 7th, or changing a major key to a mountain modal.Steve also writes his own songs, sometimes set to the tunes of traditional folk songs, but more often set to tunes he has composed in traditional styles.

Photo credit: Jody Kolodzey

"Were You in Boston in 1919?" by Steve Suffet is an Acoustic Folk production available on SoundClick. There is an authenticity to the performance that draws the listener in. The track creates a listening experience that feels political music, singer-songwriter and country. It has peaked at #1 in Acoustic and #1 in Acoustic Folk on the SoundClick charts. Listeners into Americana, Roots Music and Folk Music will find this track a natural fit within their rotation. This song is available as free download.

Song Info

Genre

Acoustic • Acoustic Folk

Charts

Peak #1

Peak in subgenre #1

Author

Steve Suffet

Rights

Steve Suffet

Uploaded

August 19, 2008

Track Files

MP3

MP3 3.3 MB • 128 kbps • 3:35 minutes

Story behind the song

A huge storage tank burst on January 15, 1919, sending a 40-foot high wall of molasses crashing through the North End of Boston, killing 21 people and injuring 150. Some said the Germans did it. Others said it was the Russians or the anarchists. It was none of the above.

Lyrics

WERE YOU IN BOSTON IN 1919?
By Steve Suffet  

Start on chorus:
Ah, were you in Boston in 1919?
Were you in old Boston town?
Molasses did flood like a brown wall of mud.
Were you in old Boston town?

They built a big tank at the foot of Copp's Hill.
Were you in old Boston town?
And up to the top that big tank they did fill.
Were you in old Boston town?

Four years had passed since they last took a peek.
Were you in old Boston town?
To see if that tank would dribble or leak.
Were you in old Boston town? [Repeat chorus.]

The foreman had told them, "Just fill it half way."
Were you in old Boston town?
He said the old tank would be safer that way.
Were you in old Boston town?

The owner said, "Fill it way up to the top."
Were you in old Boston town?
So the crew didn't stop 'til the rivets went "Pop!"
Were you in old Boston town? [Repeat chorus.]

The rivets went "Pop!" like the burp of a gun.
Were you in old Boston town?
And I thought once again I was facing the Hun.
Were you in old Boston town?

But it wasn't a German and it wasn't Red.
Were you in old Boston town?
And it wasn't a Russian left twenty-one dead.
Were you in old Boston town?

No, it wasn't a German and it wasn't a Red.
Were you in old Boston town?
Just the rich owner's greed that left twenty-one dead.
Were you in old Boston town? [Repeat chorus twice.]

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