Folk Processing the weather

I was sent home early from work downtown today because of the bad weather. As I drove home through what was only mildly annoying bits of snow on roads mostly plowed, I thought on other trips home where the weather took us by surprise and was scary to drive in and hard to see in and much more in line with being a significant threat to travel. As I mushed along in the troughs of slush on Carnegie, I thought of "the really bad stuff" and of the wonderful Michigan Snow Shantey that details the work of winter survival. Written in 1989 by Michigander Judi Morningstar, and performed by her all women's string band "Just Friends" (and me, in my car). I loved her irreverent take on it: “Written in the genre of the Sea Shantey which had three unwritten rules: Never sung on dry land - never sung in harmony - never sung by women. Rules begging to be broken.” I find humor a necessary survival skill for living in Siberia-on-the-Heights.

Michigan Snow Shantey

Heave ho! Heave ho!
Rock your car in the snow
Forward, first throw it in reverse
Way up in Michigan-i-o

On Saginaw Bay where I come from
You learn survival on the run
Chains and saws and shovels and sand
Are tools you’ll always have on hand.
Heave ho! Heave ho!...

Well bundle up and cover your nose
Wear your hat when the big wind blows
Air so cold you can see your breath
If you get sick you’ll sneeze to death.
Heave ho! Heave ho!...

Well wear you woolies whenever you roam
By springtime they can walk alone
Keep your mukluks on your feet
You’ll need the traction in the ice and sleet
Heave ho! Heave ho!...

Pretend that you like winter games
Downhill skiing is quite insane
Hang your ice-skates on the wall
You can’t hur yousealf if you don’t fall.
Well…
Heave ho! Heave ho!...