Hi, I have a request that is not kayak-related but I know that a lot of people on these listserves are pretty plugged in and may be able to help. It is for any information on a song I heard late last month. Please bear with me. Here is the background: On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the NY Shorewalkers, a local walking group dedicated to the right of innocent walking passage along the city's waterways, held its traditional Walk Off The Turkey (WOTT) event, an 11 mile walk along the Hudson River from the Battery up to the Little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge. This year's WOTT had a particular poignancy to it because of the events of 9-11 . . . our walk took us within 100 feet of where the Twin Towers once stood. The day was cold and rainy but still some 30 people or so showed up at the southern tip of Manhattan including Pete Seeger, who sometimes accompanies part or all of some of the traditional Shorewalkers events. I wound up being designated "leader" for the trip by the fellow who heads up the organization because I had been down near Ground Zero earlier and so knew what to expect and where we could walk in that area. I proceeded to give a running commentary on things while we approached the site. I got us as close as we possibly could to Ground Zero and also walked us through where there were impromptu memorials of tens of hundreds of teddy bears, photos and notes. Seeger took this all in with a most sad face as he loped with his long legs from photo to photo and over to the fence separating us from the smoldering site. After drinking in the somberness of what we were sensing, Seeger turned to me and said "Ralph, have you heard Tom Paxton's song about the Twin Towers that he sung on the Garrison Keillor show?" I said no. Seeger then tilted his head back and, in a low, shaky voice began to sing the song. He would sing a verse or two, stop, search his memory and sing another one or two. Our group was completely mesmerized as we crowded close to him to hear him sing; we could see the dew of tears glisten in his eyes. The song was so intense that frankly I got lost in the words about seeing the planes hit, the people rushing down the stairs as the firemen climbed higher and higher. I can't remember much of them since the impression was so overwhelming. It was a memorable experience: the legendary Pete Seeger singing privately to us such a heartrendering song of sacrifice and human triumph right at the site that has forever changed history. There were two fellow kayakers with me. Mary Ann Furda from the San Francisco Bay area who contacted me earlier about coming to NYC to paddle, where to find a soup kitchen to work in, etc. (I also had told her about the walk); and Suellen Nelson, a local paddler who helps out on many of our kayak escorts for Manhattan swim events. We three shared a hug in awe at the unique experience and our own special bond as kayakers. I have been trying to find a source for the words of that song. I did some web searching but have found nothing. I have no idea if Tom Paxton has recorded it. I doubt if Seeger has although he should. If anyone can help me find the words or anything else about the song, please contact me. thanks, ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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