"This is a song about a bear and a boy."

I woke up with this song in my head this morning: “Burn On”, by Randy Newman. It came in 1972 on his amazing album Sail Away. There are several tracks on Sail Away that stand out: the title track, “Lonely at the Top”, “Political Science”, “Dayton, Ohio - 1903” ( I really love that one), and "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)". I understand that he is especially popular these days for his movie soundtracks, but don’t let him slide past you on the screen. He is a remarkable songwriter.

Briefly, it seems to me that in “Burn On” Randy sings about Cleveland in a fashion similar to what Sufjan Stevens is getting praised for these days. It is straight forward, and that is why I woke up with it in me. Nice strings too. See the lyrics below.


Burn On

There's a red moon rising
On the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake

There's a red moon rising
ON the Cuyahoga River
Rolling into Cleveland to the lake

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

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

Burn on, big river, burn on
Burn on, big river, burn on