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| STAN ROGERS: MACDONELL ON THE HEIGHTS |
Song honours Brock, MacDonell and
that fateful day on Queenston Heights
Queenston, Ont. — Think there aren't any good songs on the War of 1812? Think
again. There's more than a few out there, from the Dead Trolls' humorous take on
the conflict to a rarely heard number performed by the Brothers-in-Law, a group of
Windsor police officers who put together a number of parody records in the 1970s
and 1980s.
But the best song inspired by the war has to be MacDonell on the Heights by Stan
Rogers. (Scroll down to see the lyrics.) Rogers laments the fact that Brock gets all
the glory and the fame for the Battle of Queenston Heights, despite the important
role MacDonell played and the fact MacDonell was also killed at the battle.
Unfortunately, if Rogers were still alive today, he could very well be singing the line,
"but not one in 10,000 knows your name" about Brock himself. Interested in the
song? Buy the CD from Amazon.ca by clicking on the ad underneath the photo of
Rogers on the right.
Here's how Wikipedia describes Rogers:
Stanley Allison Rogers (November 29, 1949 – June 2, 1983) was a Canadian folk
musician and songwriter. Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely-
crafted, traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian
history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing
villages of the Maritime provinces and, later, the farms of the Canadian prairies and
Great Lakes. Rogers died in a fire aboard an airliner on the ground at the Greater
Cincinnati Airport at the age of 33. A larger-than-life figure, his influence on
Canadian folk music has been deep and lasting.
Lyrics to MacDonell on the Heights
Too thin the line that charged the Heights and scrambled in the clay.
Too thin the Eastern Township Scot who showed them all the way.
And perhaps had you not fallen, You might be what Brock became.
But not one in 10,000 knows your name.
To say the name, MacDonell, it would bring no bugle call.
But the Redcoats stayed beside you when they saw the General fall.
T'was MacDonell raised the banner then and set the Heights aflame.
But not one in 10,000 knows your name.
You brought the field all standing with your courage and your luck.
But unknown to most, you're lying there beside old General Brock.
So you know what it is to scale the Heights and fall just short of fame.
And have not one in 10,000 know your name.
At Queenston now, the General on his tower stands alone.
And there's lichen on 'MacDonell' carved upon that weathered stone.
In a corner of the monument to glory you could claim.
But not one in 10,000 knows your name.
You brought the field all standing with your courage and your luck.
But unknown to most, you're lying there beside old General Brock.
So you know what it is to scale the Heights and fall just short of fame.
And have not one in 10,000 know your name.
that fateful day on Queenston Heights
Queenston, Ont. — Think there aren't any good songs on the War of 1812? Think
again. There's more than a few out there, from the Dead Trolls' humorous take on
the conflict to a rarely heard number performed by the Brothers-in-Law, a group of
Windsor police officers who put together a number of parody records in the 1970s
and 1980s.
But the best song inspired by the war has to be MacDonell on the Heights by Stan
Rogers. (Scroll down to see the lyrics.) Rogers laments the fact that Brock gets all
the glory and the fame for the Battle of Queenston Heights, despite the important
role MacDonell played and the fact MacDonell was also killed at the battle.
Unfortunately, if Rogers were still alive today, he could very well be singing the line,
"but not one in 10,000 knows your name" about Brock himself. Interested in the
song? Buy the CD from Amazon.ca by clicking on the ad underneath the photo of
Rogers on the right.
Here's how Wikipedia describes Rogers:
Stanley Allison Rogers (November 29, 1949 – June 2, 1983) was a Canadian folk
musician and songwriter. Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely-
crafted, traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian
history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing
villages of the Maritime provinces and, later, the farms of the Canadian prairies and
Great Lakes. Rogers died in a fire aboard an airliner on the ground at the Greater
Cincinnati Airport at the age of 33. A larger-than-life figure, his influence on
Canadian folk music has been deep and lasting.
Lyrics to MacDonell on the Heights
Too thin the line that charged the Heights and scrambled in the clay.
Too thin the Eastern Township Scot who showed them all the way.
And perhaps had you not fallen, You might be what Brock became.
But not one in 10,000 knows your name.
To say the name, MacDonell, it would bring no bugle call.
But the Redcoats stayed beside you when they saw the General fall.
T'was MacDonell raised the banner then and set the Heights aflame.
But not one in 10,000 knows your name.
You brought the field all standing with your courage and your luck.
But unknown to most, you're lying there beside old General Brock.
So you know what it is to scale the Heights and fall just short of fame.
And have not one in 10,000 know your name.
At Queenston now, the General on his tower stands alone.
And there's lichen on 'MacDonell' carved upon that weathered stone.
In a corner of the monument to glory you could claim.
But not one in 10,000 knows your name.
You brought the field all standing with your courage and your luck.
But unknown to most, you're lying there beside old General Brock.
So you know what it is to scale the Heights and fall just short of fame.
And have not one in 10,000 know your name.
Canadian folk icon Stan Rogers.