“Willie’s” written for Willie Bain by Lissa Schneckenburger
song source: “Maine Traditional Music, vol 4” produced for Maine Public Radio by Jeff McKeen,
recorded from the singing of Newell Beam in Machias, Maine.
Now come all of you bold shanty boys and listen while I relate
The story of a river man and his untimely fate
The story of a river man who’s heart was true and brave
It was at the jam on Gary’s Rock that he met his watery grave
It was on a Sunday morning, as you shall quickly hear
The logs were piled up mountains high we could not keep them clear
Our foreman said come on brave lads with hearts devoid of fear
And we’ll break the jam on Gary’s Rock and for Adam’s Town we’ll turn
They had not rolled off many when they heard his clear voice say
I’ll have you be on your guards, boys for the jam will soon give way
These words were scarcely spoken when the jam did break and go
And it carried away those six brave lads with their foreman young Monroe
They pulled him from his watery grave, brushed back his raven hair
There’s one fair form among them who’s wails did ring the air
There’s one fair form among them, a girl from Logan’s Town
Who’s wonton cries rang to the skies for her true love that got drowned
They buried him with sorrow deep it was on the month of May
Come all of you bold shanty boys and for your comrade pray
They buried him with sorrow deep it was where the hemlock grow
With the day and date of that sad fate of that shanty boy Monroe