Re: Song about the Montreal Massacre

[Roslyn Schwartz <rs4...>]

About four years ago, at a folk festival in Owen Sound, Ontario, I heard
a deeply moving song written about the Montreal massacre.  In each
verse, a peaceful, idyllic scene is shattered by an act of random
violence.  The verse about the Montreal massacre (as I recall) begins
with a description of the preparation for final exams, and the
anticipation of the end of term.

I have not been able to locate the writer, performer, or text of this
song, since then, despite internet enquiries ... has anyone else ever
heard of this song?

By the way, this puts me in mind of the movie "Galipoli", which is
nine-tenths about the main character's peaceful life in Australia, and
one-tenth about the war ... much more powerful than most other war
movies, which reverse this ratio.

- R.S.


> About 8 years ago a terrible event occurred here in Montreal.  Fourteen
> female engineering students were gunned down at the University of Montreal
> by a crazed misogynist.  Over the years there have been a number of vigils
> to remember the victims on the day of the massacre -- Dec. 6.  For the past
> couple of years I have participated musically in one which is held by a
> women's centre in a church but is non-demoninational.  This year our temple
> will have a service to mark this event and I will be singing.
> 
> I have been thinking about what I would sing.  So far I have three
> possibilities.  They are Lo Yisa Goy, Laugh at All My Dreams (a translation
> of the poem Sachaki by Debbie Friedman, and I Still Believe, a song based
> on excerpts from the diary of Anne Frank and composed by Marshall Portnoy.
> I would like to hear about any songs which would more specifically address
> the theme of violence in our society, especially against women.
> 
> I may have posted this request before, but I was having mail problems at
> the time and am not sure it made it to the list.
> 
> Does anyone have any suggestions for music which might approach this
> difficult subject?  Is there an anti-violence song which was not written as
> an anti-war song, or perhaps a song about women's strength?
> 
> If you prefer to e-mail me privately,  I will compile a list of songs and
> post it after a while.
> 
> Thanks
> Rachelle
> 
> Rachelle Mingail Shubert
> shubert (at) total(dot)net