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eagle in the river

by David Nash

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about

I wrote this song years ago as an entry to the Great River Folk Festival songwriter contest. Last week, I decided it was time to dress it up a tad and record it.

The War Eagle was a notable steamboat that sank at the mouth of the Black River in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1870. Two of the five deaths from were Felix Spiller, a black barber, and another passenger, Mary Ulrich who drowned when they jumped overboard to escape the fire.

lyrics

I’m a sidewheel packet gonna race those trains
This sidewheel packet is gonna fly some day
With my golden wings and boilers three
I’m an eagle of war, I’m filled with steam
Come on Mary you’ve got some place to be
Your sister’s getting married up in Waumandee
Come on Felix please keep her safe
Keep an eye close as your $2 shave
Well tonight the boys are celebrating with opium and whisky
Someone’s on the pilot house dancing where they shouldn’t be
So swing on down the jack staff and kick off the stage
We’ve got barrels full of fuel to set this eagle ablaze
So I went down fast no chance to save me
You see a steam boat is made of nothing but kindling
Most of them got away even those left sleeping
Last to wake for goodness sake was 18yo Mary
Come on Felix make some noise you’re sharp as a razor
Through the fire and oil smoke by the Grace of God you’ll save her
If you don’t burn with me tonight please at least embrace her
We’ll surely drown; we’re going down quick as Dr. McMunn's Elixir (the Eagle in the River)


Well time forgets and years have passed sleeping in the River
Buried in silt but for 100 years I’ve lingered
Now that the mural fell, time will tell if I’ll be lost forever
Oh Felix thank you for being bigger

I’m a sidewheel packet gonna race those trains
This sidewheel packet is gonna fly some day
With my golden wings and boilers three
I’m an eagle of war, I’m filled with steam

credits

released March 11, 2021

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about

David Nash La Crosse, Wisconsin

Based in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Kinda folk. Kinda Americana. Kinda singer-songwriter. Author of the novel “The Man in the Pines.”

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