Sunday, January 18, 2009

Cuyahoga River fire of 1969


The infamous Cuyahoga River fire of 1969 inspired the adoption of significant pollution control laws in the United States, including the Clean Air Act and the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970. It also inspired a song by Randy Newman:

"Burn On, Big River" (excerpt)
from the Sail Away album by Randy Newman:

...There's an oil barge winding
Down the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake

Cleveland city of light city of magic
Cleveland city of light you're calling me
Cleveland, even now I can remember
'Cause the Cuyahoga River
Goes smokin' through my dreams

Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on
Now the Lord can make you tumble
And the Lord can make you turn
And the Lord can make you overflow
But the Lord can't make you burn

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