The lyrics below are intended to be sung to the melodies of Franz Schubert's famous song cycle Winterreise, a Winter's Journey.
I wrote them during the Great Chicago Blizzard of January 26-27, 1967, over 50 years ago, which set records for snowfall and stopped the city for many days!
Here are a few accounts of those days:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1967_Chicago_blizzard
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-blizzard-1967-20170125-story.html
https://patch.com/illinois/chicago/fifty-years-later-remembering-chicagos-big-snow-1967
https://www.gpb.org/blogs/two-way-street/2014/01/31/remembering-when-snow-storm-brought-down-political-empire
Keep scrolling down to see the lengthy Weather.gov account as well as some news photos from these remarkable days!
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Schubert: Winterreise: Gute Nacht (Good Night)
Chicago Snowstorm of January 1967
Lyrics © Joan Levin 1979
The City Council met today to talk about the snow.
The hot air in the Chamber Room would melt the ice below.
Ross Lathrop* made a fiery speech (he’s running hard this year),
And asked why not one Fifth Ward street was passable or clear.
“I’ve old folks living in my ward; their food is running low,
“ I can’t imagine why you boys can’t clear away the snow!”
Our Mayor** on the TV Tube looked puffy-eyed and sore,
And not the buoyant Bridgeport boy that we have seen before!
“You didn’t carry well for me, my local pols have said,
“And now you think we’ll dig you out? You’ve snowballs in your head!
“The Party gives, the Party takes, there ain’t no more free beer!
“Take lessons from Marzullo,*** Ross, and better luck next year!”
“We’ve made a deal with Kenny Sain**** from ninety thousand bucks,
“For which he’ll send the number of a pal who owns some trucks.
“He’ll get his like his Daddy did he knows the game quite well,
“And all you independent cranks can warm your toes in Hell!”
Now Oberman***** would pass a bill to make us clean our walk,
While all the City Council does is sit around and talk.
They’ll jerry-rig some garbage trucks and send them forth to clean,
They will not spend one dollar on a modern snow machine!
And will we see one penny of the cash they save that way?
Forget it friend, they’ll meet again to vote themselves more pay!
I’ve watched the scene at City Hall as crises come and go,
But this one makes my gooseflesh crawl: the politics of snow!
The politics of snow!
* An independent alderman
** Mayor Richard J. Daley
*** Alderman Vito Marzullo, a Daley machine alderman
**** A party factotum, sometime putative Deputy Mayor, tied to Daley machine
*****Martin Oberman, an independent alderman
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Schubert, Winterreise Der Lindenbaum The Linden Tree
The Little Boys Lyrics © Joan Levin 2019
On the walk outside my doorway there stands my oldest child,
And he says he’ll help me shovel, where the drifts of snow are piled.
So I offer him a chocolate or a gingersnap or two,
But he answers as he starts his work, “Mama, fifty cents will do!”
Now the young one sees his brother removing heaps of snow,
And he thinks he’d like to try this and make a lot of dough.
Does he think to help his mother who is cold and stiff and sore?
No! That little imp is shoveling for the folks who live next door!
They’ve built snowmen, they’ve gone sledding,
They’ve pushed strangers cares that mired –
But when I cry “Please help me!”
They say “Mom, we’re just too tired!”
There are puddles in the parlor from a hundred snowy shoes,
Wool socks drying in the kitchen on this morning’s unread news.
Cocoa burning in a saucepan where they’ve gone to fix a snack,
And I’d gladly trade this household, for a day upon the rack!
For a day upon the rack!
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Schubert Winterreise Die Wetterfahne (Weathervane)
Snow Fashion Lyrics © Joan Levin 1979
I go out to roam in the bright winter sunshine,
To witness the wonder of nature’s display.
But here upon the streets about me,
I notice the fashions of winter today!
A jacket of down with an L. L. Bean label,
Of bright rip-stopping nylon is now de rigeur,
Unless you’ve a liking for pipeline apparel,
In which case it’s canvas with coyote fur!
They’re low boots and high boots and right-up-your-thigh boots,
And boots with spike heels with a sharp downward thrust ---
That seems to center in your instep,
As you stand there helpless packed in a bus!
The children are dressed in their snowmobile outfits,
And climb on the drifts and slide down with ease,
And plodding there in mounds of sweaters---
Just like a slightly drunken walrus---
A middle aged matron on cross country skis!
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Schubert Winterreise Gefrorne Tranen (Frozen Tears)
Frozen Mittens Lyrics © Joan Levin 1979
My frozen mittens drying, I thaw my hands and face.
With hours and hours of trying, I’ve cleared a parking place—
I’ve finally cleared a place!
I’ve place a folding card chair; it marks my labor spot,
And damned be he who moves, it; I’ll make him wish he’d not!
Please take my bread and butter, but hands of that chair!
For the space I dug is mine, all mine, I’ll never, never share!
I cannot hang a ticket on your care, if it comes to that,
But beware, my friends, when you return,
You’ll find your tires all flat!
Yes all four tires dead flat!
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Schubert Winterreise, Der Musensohn (the Muse’s Son)
Big Snow, Chicago, January 1967 Lyrics © 2019 Joan Levin
Day 1:
The snowflakes gently easing a mantle white and pleasing,
Upon the wintry ground, upon the wintry ground.
The trees stand dark as etchings, the scene is simply fetching,
It makes the poet’s heart pound!
The scene is simply fetching, it makes the poet’s heart pound!
Day 2:
The snowflakes still are falling, and all the traffic’s crawling,
We shovel and shovel some more,
But when we’ve cleared a pathway, it just won’t meet us halfway,
It soon dumps more than before!
It dumps all over us as before!
Day 3:
Another snowy daybreak, my arms and legs and back ache,
I fight the drifts once more, that form at my front door!
I’m sliding and I’m slipping, on glacial sidewalks tripping!
I’m battered bruised and sore!
On glacial sidewalks tripping, I’m battered bruised and sore!
Day 4:
The windowpanes are leaking, the back porch roof is creaking,
My car looks like an igloo standing there!
The trees still look like etchings (they make me feel like retching)
It’s one big pain you know where!
It’s one great big royal pain you know where!
Day 5:
And once again it’s snowing, my cabin fever’s growing,
What shall I do? I know! What shall I do? I know!
I’ll conjure secret curses and hex all who write verses,
Romanticizing snow!
And hex all who write verses romanticizing snow!!!!
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Schubert Winterreise Frühlingstraume (Spring Dream)
Winter Nightmare Lyrics Joan Levin © 1979
I dreamed of a city snowplow,
Cleaning the snow from my street.
I dreamed that my driveway was shoveled,
The sidwalks swept clean at my feet: The sidewalks swept clean at my feet!
But with the sparrows chirping, Mel Zellman said “more snow!”
And sounds spilled through my window, from icebound streets below!
The whirring, screeching, churning, of cars in need of tow!
But down in Florida sunning, who’s toasting his buns on the beach?
But down in Florida sunning, who’s toasting his buns on the beach?
Could that have been our guv’nor, where icicles never reach?
Could that have been our guv’nor, where icicles never reach!
I dreamed that Rapid Transit, was cheerily making it’s way,
I dreamed that the buses were running, with never a snag or delay!
With never a snag or delay!
But once again, those sparrows! I grab my radio!
And hear the Shadow Network, and learn of transit woe!
And find that nothing’s running, to where I want to go!
But there at RTA, who’s saying “we must plan next year?”
But there at RTA, who’d saying “we must plan next year?”
Who could it be but Lou Hill! Better late than never, my dear!
Better late than never my dear!
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Mel Zellman was a TV weatherman
Lou Hill was a city and transit planner in Chicago
Otto Kerner was Illinois Governor whose then reported absence during this crisis did not serve him well politically.
The Shadow Network was a local network, not the Chinese one as far as I know!
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Schubert Winterreise Der Leiermann (the hurdy-gurdy man)
The Snow Woman Lyrics © Joan Levin 1979
Now the snow is melting, sunshine warms our way,
Sidewalks greet our footsteps, on Election Day,
Everyone is thinking: Surely she can’t win!
Stick it to Bilandic* and his silly grin!
Stick it to Bilandic and his silly grin!
Janey’s **in the subway, many hands to shake!
Say she’ll fire the big boys who are on the take!
All the pols are laughing, liberals the same,
They’re still second guessing Singer’s*** last campaign!
They’re still second guessing Singer’s last campaign!
See the morning paper?
No, it’s not a dream!
Snow and trash and Janey,
Stopped the big machine!
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*Mayor Anthony Bilandic, successor to Mayor Richard J. Daley.
** Mayor Jane Byrne – here running for office.
***Independent Alderman Bill Singer
Notes- interesting article about Musensohn
https://classical-iconoclast.blogspot.com/2016/09/manic-depressive-schubert-der-musensohn.html
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More about that big Chicago Snowstorm of 1967
https://www.weather.gov/lot/67blizzard
50th Anniversary of the 1967 Blizzard - Largest Snowfall in Chicago on Record
Weather.gov > Chicago, IL > 50th Anniversary of the 1967 Blizzard - Largest Snowfall in Chicago on Record
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- The January, 1967 Blizzard
By Jim Allsopp, Warning Coordination Meteorologist (ret.) & edits by Meteorologist Richard Castro
The Event
On January 26 and 27, 1967, Chicago endured its worst snowstorm on record. The snow started at 502 AM on the 26th, and by 1010 AM of the 27th a record 23 inches of snow crippled the city. The previous record snow for the city was 19 inches on March 25th and 26th, 1930. During the storm winds gusted to 53 mph at Midway Airport. The high winds caused considerable blowing and drifting. Drifts 4 to 6 feet high were widespread throughout the area.
The heaviest snow fell in the morning and early afternoon of the 26th with the maximum rate of accumulation 2 inches per hour during the late morning. A thunderstorm was reported at Meigs Field. Snow tapered off by evening but intensified again overnight.
Two days before the blizzard, on January 24th, the high temperature was 65 degrees and the low was 44, both records that still stand today. Thunderstorms occurred in the evening of the 24th. There were reports of wind damage, and funnel clouds were spotted in the southwest section of the city. The wind gusted to 48 mph at Midway. The wall of a building under construction at 87th and Stony Island toppled, killing one man and injuring four others.
From Cicero, 25th Street & 50th Avenue
Courtesy of Jeff Geisler
The Impact
Snow began on Thursday morning, January 26th but most people made it to work and school without much trouble. But by noon about 8 inches was already on the ground and O’Hare Airport was shut down. Some businesses and schools released employees and students early. The commute home, even for those who started early, was a nightmare. Many workers did not get home, or arrived very late. Many stayed at work or in hotels. By Friday morning the city was at a standstill. The airports and local transportation were shut down. In the city of Chicago 20,000 cars and 1,100 CTA buses were stranded in the snow. People walked to stores to clear the shelves of bread and milk. Helicopters were used to deliver medical supplies to hospitals, and food and blankets to stranded motorists. Expectant mothers were taken to hospitals by sled, bulldozer and snow plow. At least a dozen babies were born at home. Looting became a problem on the west and near south sides of the city. Another problem in the aftermath of the storm was low supplies of heating oil. Trucks couldn’t get access to buildings.
By Saturday the 28th, Chicago was beginning to dig itself out. Commuter trains were running and CTA buses were operating most lines. The city sent a workforce of 2,500 people with 500 pieces of equipment out to clear the streets. Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan sent heavy equipment to help with the snow removal. But the thousands of abandoned vehicles hampered the clean up. Snow was hauled by dump truck to the Chicago River. O’Hare finally opened around midnight Monday, allowing people who had been stranded for days to finally get home. Most schools didn’t reopen until Tuesday. By then most transportation was back to normal.
By the time it was over, 60 people were dead and there was an estimated $150 million in business losses (about $904 million in 2006 dollars). The 1967 snowstorm probably caused the biggest disruption to the commerce and transportation of Chicago of any event since the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
From an alley near Massasoit Avenue in Chicago
Courtesy of Brian LoCicero.
The Meteorology
On Wednesday January 25 a cold front had moved through the upper Midwest replacing the balmy 60 degree weather of the previous day with more seasonal readings. A strong 1032mb (30.48 in) high pressure center was over the prairie provinces of southern Canada. A vigorous upper level trough was moving across the southern Rockies causing a low pressure area to form at the surface near the Texas Panhandle. By midnight of Thursday January 26 the high was building into the northern plains states while the low, now at 1008mb (29.77 in) continued to develop and move east to Oklahoma. During the day Thursday the upper trough moved through the mid and lower Mississippi Valley and an upper level low began forming near the Missouri/Arkansas border. The surface low moved through Arkansas and western Tennessee and Kentucky, reaching south central Indiana by midnight Friday. The low deepened rapidly to 997mb (29.44 in) as it moved to Indiana.
Dew points in the 50s to lower 60s over the southern plains and Gulf Coast states fed the storm with ample moisture while the Canadian high pressure, now centered over Lake Superior and southern Ontario, kept cold dry air pouring into the Great Lakes. The strong pressure gradient between the high over the upper Lakes and the deepening low over the Ohio Valley caused winds to howl off Lake Michigan. This produced severe blowing and drifting of snow as well as causing lake effect enhancement of the snowfall.
On Friday the upper low continued to form and move northeast to northwest Ohio. The surface low occluded and deepened to 990mb (29.23 in) as it lifted northeast across Lake Erie and into southeast Ontario, Canada by Friday night. By this time the snow had ended in Chicago and winds shifted to north northwest and began to subside.
Weather Maps from the Great Blizzard of 1967
The Forecast
Issued at 945 AM Wednesday January 25th
Thursday...Cloudy with a chance of snow especially in the afternoon. High near 30. Northeast winds 8 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Issued at 345 PM Wednesday January 25th
Thursday...Cloudy with rain or snow likely. High in the 30s. Northeast to east winds 10 to 18 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Thursday Night...Rain or snow likely. Low in the lower 30s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Friday...Rain or snow ending.
Issued 945 PM Wednesday January 25th
...Hazardous Driving Warning late tonight and Thursday...
Remainder of tonight...Cloudy and colder with snow possibly mixed with freezing rain beginning late tonight. Low in the upper 20s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Thursday...Snow mixed with freezing rain likely. High in the lower 30s. Northeast to east winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation greater than 90 percent.
Thursday Night...Snow or rain changing to snow and turning colder. Low near 20. Chance of precipitation greater than 90 percent.
Friday...Partly cloudy and colder.
Issued at 345 AM Thursday January 26
...Heavy Snow Warning...
Today...Snow with accumulations of 4 inches or more by this afternoon. High in the lower 30s. Northeast winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation greater than 90 percent.
Tonight...Snow diminishing or ending. Colder with the low near 20. North to northeast winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precipitation 80 percent.
Friday...Partly cloudy and colder. High in the mid 20s. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
Issued at 945 AM Thursday January 26
...Heavy Snow Warning...
Today...An additional 4 to 8 inches. Windy with steady temperatures. Northeast winds 25 to 35 mph. Chance of precipitation 100 percent.
Tonight...Snow diminishing and ending. Colder with the low 10 to 15. North to northwest winds 15 to 30 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Friday...Partly cloudy and colder. High in the middle 20s. Northwest winds 12 to 22 mph. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.
Over the last half century, the advent of high resolution numerical weather prediction models, advanced GOES satellite technology, Doppler radar, and a dense network of automated surface observations has allowed forecasters to give much more accurate warnings of snow storms with much greater lead time, which enabled, for instance, a much longer advanced notice and preparation time for the 2011 Groundhog Day Blizzard. Despite the infamous photos of cars standed on a snowbound Lakeshore Drive, similar scenes were far more isolated after the Groundhog Day Blizzard. This is because the blizzard warnings were heeded and many businesses were closed before or as the snow started, so many people stayed home or left work early enough to return home safely.
Chicago Records
- ▪ Greatest snowfall from a storm - 23.0 inches January 26-27, 1967.
- ▪ At the time, greatest snowfall in a calendar day - 16.4 inches on January 26, 1967 (this was surpassed when 18.6 inches fell on January 2, 1999).
- ▪ At the time, greatest snowfall in a 24 hour period - 19.8 inches January 26-27, 1967 (surpassed by Groundhog Day Blizzard 1/31-2/2/11: 20.0 inches February 1-2, 2011).
- ▪ At the time, greatest snow depth - Additional snows brought the snow depth to 27 inches by February 6, 1967. (This was surpassed when 29 inches covered the ground January 14, 1979) A total of 36.5 inches of snow fell on the city during the 11-day period from January 26 through February 5, 1967, which is close to normal snowfall for an entire season! Snow covered the ground until March 10.
- ▪ At the time, greatest snowfall for a season - The winter of 1966-1967 set the record for Chicago with a total of 68.4 inches. (The record has since been surpassed four times).
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