Sunday Song Lyric:

Eugene’s post on the infamous Cuyahoga River fire brings to mind the R.E.M. song, “Cuyahoga” off of “Life’s Rich Pageant.” The lyrics are somewhat dense (as is typical for R.E.M. tunes). Nonetheless, I suspect the song was inspired — at least in part — by the myths about the 1969 fire discussed in Eugene’s post from Tuesday. As the fire occurred 35 years ago this week, it seems a fitting Sunday Song lyric, even if it didn’t make the latest R.E.M. greatest hits compilation.

Let’s put our heads together and start a new country up

Our father’s father’s father tried, erased the parts he didn’t like

Let’s try to fill it in, bank the quarry river, swim

We knee-skinned it you and me, we knee-skinned that river red



This is where we walked, this is where we swam

Take a picture here, take a souvenir



This land is the land of ours, this river runs red over it

We knee-skinned it you and me, we knee-skinned that river red

And we gathered up our friends, bank the quarry river, swim

We knee-skinned it you and me, underneath the river bed



This is where we walked, this is where we swam

Take a picture here, take a souvenir

Cuyahoga

Cuyahoga, gone



Let’s put our heads together, start a new country up,

Underneath the river bed we burned the river down.

This is where they walked, swam, hunted, danced and sang,

Take a picture here, take a souvenir

Cuyahoga

Cuyahoga, gone



Rewrite the book and rule the pages, saving face, secured in faith

Bury, burn the waste behind you



This land is the land of ours, this river runs red over it

We are not your allies, we can not defend

This is where they walked, this is where they swam

Take a picture here, take a souvenir



Cuyahoga

Cuyahoga, gone

Cuyahoga

Cuyahoga, gone.