Cause the Cuyahoga River Goes smokin' through my dreams
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 12:00AM
El Guapo in Conservation, a river runs through it

Cleveland's Cuyahoga River which once burned, spurring an environmental movement, is now showing more diverse fish life. LINK (Via Fox News 8)

The Cuyahoga gained its infamous reputation on June 22, 1969 when oil and debris on the surface of the Cuyahoga River erupted into flames and burned for approximately 25 minutes.

This was not the first time that the river had caught on fire. Fires occurred on the Cuyahoga River in 1868, 1883, 1887, 1912, 1922, 1936, 1941, 1948, and in 1952. The 1952 fire caused over 1.5 million dollars in damage. LINK

The fire of 69 inspired Randy Newman's song 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

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