Black Day in July

[julie b]

I would like to know what event this song is about-or is it fictional

[leslie owens]

I would like to know what event this song is about-or is it fictional

[vlmagee]

Unfortunately, the event is real: the riots in Detroit which started on July 23, 1967 as a result of a case of racially motivated police brutality. The song was actually banned on the radio in the area - I guess it hit too close to home.

I tried to find something on the Internet about it, but all I found was a retrospective in the Detroit News, published on the occasion of the 30 year anniversary. The information on the event is sketchy, but it's there. Maybe someone else can find a more complete account?

Detroit News. Articles:
www.detnews.com/1997/detroit/9707/30/index.htm

------------------
Valerie Magee

Visit my GL web site at gordonlightfoot.com

[CanadaGirl38]

I'll look, but I'm old enough to remember the Detroit riots ( I was 16 at the time). I remember a bit later listening on the skip to W-KBW in Buffalo (I was in New Jersey, but AM radio would go magical at night and you could get these far away stations) and hearing "Black Day in July" and being utterly amazed and just nailed to the wall. It is an incredible telling of the event - right up there with the Fitzgerald in its own way. I only wish Gord had done more of such songs. I understand why he didn't - don't want to get pidgein-holed as a "protest singer," but taht wasn't so much a protest song as music as journalism.

[fezo]

I'll look, but I'm old enough to remember the Detroit riots ( I was 16 at the time). I remember a bit later listening on the skip to W-KBW in Buffalo (I was in New Jersey, but AM radio would go magical at night and you could get these far away stations) and hearing "Black Day in July" and being utterly amazed and just nailed to the wall. It is an incredible telling of the event - right up there with the Fitzgerald in its own way. I only wish Gord had done more of such songs. I understand why he didn't - don't want to get pidgein-holed as a "protest singer," but taht wasn't so much a protest song as music as journalism.

[Dan]

"The riot erupted on the morning of July 23, 1967, after Detroit Police raided a blind pig on the second floor of the Economy Printing Co., 9125 12th St."

Valerie,

That's great information. I never knew it was about a specific event. I read the stories at the link and I am now wondering what is a blind pig as described above.

Dan

[gathrb]

I've never heard this song before, but its ironic that I almost downloaded today off of Napster(I DID get "Somewhere USA" which is one of my favorite love songs & should have been included on SONGBOOK too!) I looked up the lyrics @ this website and can relate. I was 6yrs old in 1967 living in the suburbs of Detroit and remember being scared and "...the doors are quickly bolted/And children locked inside" accurately describe the reality.

"...If YoU fEeL iT yOu BeTtEr BeLiEvE iT, yOu'Re GoNnA sEe It, YoU nEeD tO kNoW/iT iS rIsInG lIkE a FeAtHeR, dIpPiNg & DaNcInG fRoM bElOw/ThErE's A nEw WaVe ThAt Is BrEaKiNg In ThE wAkE oF a PaSsInG sHiP/eVeRy NaTiOn'S gOnNa Be ShAkEn, PuT iT tOgEtHeR, dOn'T lEt It SlIp..."

[This message has been edited by Tom (edited July 10, 2000).]

[Tom]

I've never heard this song before, but its ironic that I almost downloaded today off of Napster(I DID get "Somewhere USA" which is one of my favorite love songs & should have been included on SONGBOOK too!) I looked up the lyrics @ this website and can relate. I was 6yrs old in 1967 living in the suburbs of Detroit and remember being scared and "...the doors are quickly bolted/And children locked inside" accurately describe the reality.

"...If YoU fEeL iT yOu BeTtEr BeLiEvE iT, yOu'Re GoNnA sEe It, YoU nEeD tO kNoW/iT iS rIsInG lIkE a FeAtHeR, dIpPiNg & DaNcInG fRoM bElOw/ThErE's A nEw WaVe ThAt Is BrEaKiNg In ThE wAkE oF a PaSsInG sHiP/eVeRy NaTiOn'S gOnNa Be ShAkEn, PuT iT tOgEtHeR, dOn'T lEt It SlIp..."

[This message has been edited by Tom (edited July 10, 2000).]

[vlmagee]

I am NOT knowledgable in this area, but I found a couple of other web sites with information. I don't know if these are accurate but they probably are. (The web site I referenced earlier was the Detroit News).

According to another web site, a "blind pig" is an after hours club. Here is the reference:
www.xnet2.com/patti/archives/9706/msg00382.html

There is also a brief description of the 1967 Detroit riots on a web site about police actions leading to riots. This description confirms that it was an after hours club.
www.backgroundbriefing.com/raceriot.html

Detroit 1967. The vice squad raided the United Community and Civic League, a black club, a site of gambling and after-hours drinking. They found more patrons than expected; it took an hour to arrest them while a crowd gathered. Rumors spread of excess force in the raid. Kerner Commission: "Police practices were, in some form, a significant grievance in virtually all cities and were often one of the most serious complaints. ... about physical or verbal abuse of Negro citizens by police officers, the lack of adequate channels for complaints against police, discriminatory police employment and promotion practices, a general lack of respect for Negroes by police officers, and the failure of police departments to provide adequate protection to Negroes."

[Dan]

Valerie,
Thanks for the information on the 'blind pig'. I listened to Black Day In July about 4 or 5 times on the way to and from work today. I now have a new appreciation for that song thanks to you and Leslie Owens.
Thanks,
Dan
why can't we all be brothers
why can't we live in peace
but the hands of the have-nots
keep falling out of reach
GL of course!

[Florian]

*bump*

(to bring the topic up for spider )