Lyrics

I like writing BIG songs
And there I was right in the middle of one
We were evacuated for a week from Caravan Farm
After being allowed back I spent two days behind
the cookshack furiously writing and editing the lyrics
to make it all work
Scary time

ballad of the cedar hill fire

up in the mountains northwest of vernon
somewhere near falkland the trees started burning
the forests were tinder dry no rain since june
one hundred degrees plus each day before noon
then late on a friday by lightning or man
a fire was kindled it spread cross the land
high winds blew it east down below salmon arm
and straight in its path caravan farm

second week of its run joan henry was playing
on the farm cast and crew and their families were staying
two hours after curtain came the first call
prepare to evacuate one and all
we walked down to the gate and looked to the west
saw a mountain on fire from valley to crest
i’ll always remember till the day i am dead
that feeling of horror all silent with dread

look away on the mountain
where the gates of hell open wide
and the fire like a demon
comes devouring everything
no place to hide

covered in ashes when we awoke
round the cookshack we’d slept in a cloud of grey smoke
soon after dawn came the second alarm
they gave us one hour to leave the farm
children and dogs food clothes guitars
cloud of dust down the driveway caravan of cars
but still there were horses and livestock to save
down the valley they moved out wave after wave

look away.....

fire brigades knew what was in store
they’d been through the worst but this was like war
the crews and equipment the best anywhere
but even these heroes looked on in despair
the fire now a monster beyond control
the wind came howling fanning the coals
trees crowning exploding borne through the air
run for your life it’s not safe anywhere

look away.....

emergency radio six nights and days
never knew if we’d get back to our play
dry lightning and thunder fierce wind no rain
and some of these people can’t go home again
does it take a disaster to make us all see
that we’re in this together one big family
i’ll tell you the story any time you desire
year 2003 cedar hill fire

look away.....

up in the mountains northwest of vernon
somewhere near falkland trees started burning
high winds blew it east down below salmon arm
and straight in its path caravan farm