New York's Damn Bravest

by Brian De Vale



Well me Granda' come over the great ocean blue,
In search of the freedom that he never knew,
But the doors that were open to his kind they were few,
So he danced 'round with death on the City's fire crew.
 
Now me Da' he was born here, a "narrowback" was he,
And he said "as a man, like my father I'll be",
I'll work with the ladder the trucks and the hose,
To bravely face dangers that only a fireman knows....
 
And its up the long ladder and into the flame,
To seek neither fortune nor glory nor fame,
They call us The Bravest a name proven true,
Sons of old Ireland, here serving in blue. 
 
We were raised just beyond the great skyscrapers reach,
My brothers and I down in Rockaway Beach,
Through the warm Summer sun, and the pub's winter glow,
There was more love and music than most folks ever know...

For our roots they were strong and we knew that one day,
We'd grow up to march the St. Patrick's parade,
Alongside our heroes, the big men in blue,
Our father smile proudly as we strolled Fifth Avenue.
 
And its up the long ladder and into the flame,
We seek neither fortune nor glory nor fame,
They call us The Bravest, a name proven true,
Sons of old Ireland here serving in blue.
 
Well we got that damn call, it came over the wire,
A plane it had hit and the Towers had caught fire,
So we moved into action, to save one and all,
Our sworn obligation to answer the call.

Well we moved through the stairways, the smoke and the smell,
Through the heat and the flames, 'twas a sight out of hell,
There were old ones and young ones burned down to the bone,
But we just couldn't leave them up there on their own.

So we called down to base from way up on 4-0,
A code had gone out there were minutes to go,
'Til the whole bloody building would come open wide,
We were able to run but remained by their side.

So we worked with the weak and we made up some lies,
To pacify nerves as we prayed deep inside,
And the Acts of Contrition we said for our lives,
As we asked him to watch o'er our children and wives...
 
And its up the long ladder and into the flame,
We seek neither fortune nor glory nor fame,
They call us The Bravest, a name proven true,
Sons of old Ireland here serving in Blue.
 
Well we lost countless brothers in that Godawful site,
But they worked on like heroes the black, brown and white,
For this job is for all men their lives sworn to give,
To sacrifice all so that others might live...
 
And its up the long ladder and into the flame,
We seek neither fortune nor glory nor fame,
They call us The Bravest a name proven true,
Sons OF ALL NATIONS, here serving in blue.
 
Now St. Peter came out and he opened his gate,
In peace now forever our children to wait,
For they'll grow into men faithful brave strong and true,
They'll be SONS OF ALL NATIONS, here serving in blue....
 
And its up the long ladder and into the flame,
We seek neither fortune, nor glory nor fame,
They call us The Bravest, a name proven true,
Sons OF ALL NATIONS here serving in blue.