EXCERPT

BOSTON

“Overboard she goes, my boys, heave ho where darkling waters roar;
We love our cup of tea full well, but we love our freedom more.”

Since colonial days, Boston has been a port of much excitement. Sea-faring songs such as “Boston Harbor” were written depicting the wind that blew like “the devil of a gale with the ring-tail set all around the mizzen peak” and “the dolphin striker plowin' up the deep.” But Boston's initial fame and place of honor in American history all came down to a party – a tea party. Outraged colonists, incensed by British taxes, disguised themselves as local Indians and destroyed a shipment of tea belonging to the British East India Company. Burl Ives rekindled musical interest in the event by bringing the “Ballad of the Tea Party” to the press in his Burl Ives Songbook of 1953. “The Ballad of the Tea Party” was one of many songs that glorified and ennobled what may have been Americans' first rebellious act against tyranny, with verbiage that refers to the rebels as “the Sons of Freedom” who “love (their) cup of tea full well,” but “...love...freedom more.”

Paul Revere was one of the Sons of Freedom who stole aboard ship at the tea party in 1773. Revere again influenced history with his 1775 ride to Concord and then to Boston, warning that the Redcoats were coming. In her song, “Boston Beans,” Peggy Lee reminds us that “Paul Revere rode his horse one night; he lit a lantern before the big fight.” Peggy then speculates that “he must have been hungry when he got back; Boston beans must have been a beautiful snack.”

Old and New

While Peggy may stretch the imagination a little with the thought of Paul Revere eating Boston beans, the blend of old and new is not unfamiliar to the colonial city. Boston, capital of the state of Massachusetts, is often categorized as the historical, educational, and industrial center of New England. Situated on the Charles River, Boston boasts a deep-water harbor and a climate that is moderate but with a wide range of temperatures. Mark Cohen, in “California Sunset,” speaks of Boston in contrast to California: “a hundred shades of gray, everything frozen and unmoving.” But David Loggins describes Boston in the springtime where “you can sell paintings on the sidewalk” in his song, “Please Come to Boston.” It's a city of changes, springtime flowers to shades of gray, even a red moon. Indeed, Romanovsky and Phillips describe a “Red Moon Over Boston” in a song by that title on their album Be Political Not Polite. But more than the moon changes in Boston. Certainly the history of the city has evolved from a plethora of distinct and inconstant events that has molded its culture and economy.

Boston's exciting legacy calls to mind more than colonial and revolutionary history. Events of subsequent centuries have shaped its fame – and its music – more than once. In the 1920's, two Italian emigrants were accused of a brutal murder associated with the holdup of a payroll truck from the Boston shoe factory of Slater and Morrill. Evidence was questionable, and public outrage sparked an intense national interest. Woody Guthrie sang about the trial of Sacco and Vanzetti in his saga, “Red Wine.” Similarly, in the 1960's, Boston made national crime news again with the serial killings of Boston women. Albert DeSalvo, who was convicted as the Boston Strangler, wrote, “he'll take her nylon stockings down and her neck they'll go around.” Macabre recorded DeSalvo's lyrics as “The Boston Strangler,” on their album Sinister Slaughter. Now, that's a far cry from dumping tea in the river. But it's all a part of this outrageous city's heritage.

Settling Down

In his song, “Maybe I'll Settle Down,” Tom Paxton had “worked [his] way from Boston” and was “going down the highway…to another town.” What he couldn't find in Boston is hard to imagine – from history to high-tech, it's all there! Banking, investment management, textile, printing, and metal fabrication are just a few of the business and industrial opportunities that the mega-city offers. Then you add in the food and wine markets, and you're still just beginning! Peggy was right to sing about Boston beans, as well as “plenty of fish, Chinese food…steaks and chops.” And don't forget lobsters, mussels, and clam chowder. Boston is home to the Union Oyster House, the oldest restaurant in the country. Exotic Chinese food can be found in Boston's Chinatown, the third largest Asian neighborhood in America.

The waterfront plays an important role in showcasing much of Boston's charm. From marinas to museums, the quaint atmosphere of times gone by permeates the district. Artists work from lofts high above the hubbub of the street while visitors tour the Boston Tea Party Ship. With a few dance lessons and a walk along the tree-lined streets of the Back Bay area, one can imagine what must have inspired Ira Gershwin to create the “Boston Back Bay Polka.” Beacon Hill's cobblestone streets are reminiscent of an aristocratic life that began with the colonial era. A walk down the Freedom Trail or a visit to Fanueil Hall, and folks are sure to believe that Paul Revere is just around the corner.

Still, Boston's not a city that got lost in its past. The water leads to modernization and a shining skyline that can be seen while sailing along the Charles River. High-rise office buildings – Prudential Center and John Hancock Tower, for instance – stand as symbols of a city on the move. While an authentically clad colonist may greet passers-by in the downtown historic area or at Old Sturbridge Village, contemporary Bostonians look to their city for continuing transition.