Blue Water Line

Just 100,000 quarters
And just 40,000 dimes
And we’ll ride again to glory
On the old Blue Water Line.

Such are my random thoughts about the three incredible summers I spent at camp Don Bosco in New Jersey and Camp St. Frances in California from 1961 to 64. Folk music was the big rage. Me and my guitar absolutely worshiped the three gods; PP&M, The New Christy Minstrels, and the Bros Four, the last group hailing from my own beloved northwest. I think my life as a Salesian encouraged such enthusiasm. I was endowed with a good set of pipes and a fair ability at looking like I could play the guitar. My show stoppers were The Fox and Blue Water Line and the kids at camp loved it all.

But memories have a way of enshrining themselves and they never quite live up to what they were. Let me explain this. I remember how disappointed I was when I eagerly attended a concert by The Bros Four in 1985. Where was the originality, spontaneity and spunk? Where was the magic? Instead all I saw were four tired old guys making fools of themselves on front of an audience that seemed pleasantly bemused. But everybody apparently seemed to love it nonetheless, and time goes on and we all move out of our former selves.

Wait a minute. I was the original aficionado. I was the one who so greatly appreciated and adored their stuff. I was the one who listened to and admired every nuance of The Fox and Blue Water Line and Where Have all the Flowers Gone because I wanted it to be so much more.

Blue Water Line was written by D. Graf with music by M. Seligsen. It’s a completely fictional story but based just a little on fact. It appears to be placed about 1912 or so (ref: William Jennings Bryan), but then there is also the added reference to Abe Lincoln just for more flavor.

Of course The Fox was wonderful and pure Steven Foster.