Story Behind the Song
The foundation of this song was written by David Moyer on the day that Mount Saint Helens erupted (May 18th, 1980). Christopher took David's original work and added his own experiences of that day to create a Samba/swing tune telling the tale of the mountain's eruption from the perspective of the residents of Spokane, Washington.
On that day, Christopher was scheduled to play his first concert with Dizzy Gillespie and the Spokane Jazz Orchestra. Needless to say, that concert did not take place and this is referenced in the lyrics and music.
Christopher and his orchestra recorded this song at Spokane's Fox Theatre in April 2001.
Lyrics
The day began, in Lilac City,
a place that's known as heaven on earth.
How could we know that we would soon bear witness, to Mount St. Helens, in rebirth.
The Southern sky, grew black and hollow, choked in the cloud of St. Helens plight, she spread her veil of ash across our whole world, when would we see, the morning light.
May 18th, 1980, Mount St. Helens came to life. In a plume of heat and ashes, 61 people doomed to die.
Only the mountain, knowin' why.
May 18th, 1980, Mount St. Helens came to life. In a plume of heat and ashes, 61 people doomed to die.
We lost the sweet scent of the lilacs in the springtime air, we lost the beauty of the evening sunset's golden flare, we lost a chance to share the music of a trumpeter extraordinaire.
Only the mountain, didn't care.
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