1913 Massacre

"1913 Massacre" is a topical ballad written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie, and recorded and released in 1945 for Moses Asch's Folkways label.

The song is about the death of striking copper miners and their families in Calumet, Michigan, on Christmas Eve, 1913, in what is commonly known as the Italian Hall disaster.

[2] While "1913 Massacre" never became a folk standard, the song has been recorded and performed by many artists, including Guthrie's son Arlo; Ramblin' Jack Elliot; Scottish folksinger Alex Campbell; and Bob Dylan.

"[2] The song revolves around a tragedy that took place on the evening of December 24, 1913, in Calumet's Italian Hall when more than five hundred striking miners and their families gathered for a Christmas party.

In addition to those mentioned, other artists covering "1913 Massacre" include Arlo Guthrie, Cabin Sessions, Alex Campbell, Scarlett O' & Jürgen Ehle, Katie Else, Christy Moore, Tim Grimm,[4] Uncle Dave Huber,[5] Enoch Kent,[6] Alastair Moock,[7] Lee Murdock,[8] Joel Rafael,[9] David Rovics, Jules Shear, and Sammy Walker.

More recently, both songs are central to a book released in June 2017, "Grown-Up Anger: The Connected Mysteries of Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, and the Calumet Massacre of 1913",[13] by Daniel Wolff.

Guthrie, meanwhile, might have drawn the melody for "1913 Massacre" from traditional folk songs including the English ballad, "To Hear The Nightingale Sing" (sometimes called "One Morning In May").