Santa Susana (The Things You Knew) original song

History Channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRdC5I0Yn2k&feature=player_embedded

Facebook page connecting survivors, with links to "cancer map"
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Secrets-of-the-Santa-Susana-Field-Laborato...

Slap in the face by Boeing:
http://www.boeing.com/aboutus/environment/santa_susana/healthstudy.html

a SSFL employee's account:
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2009/jul/12/field-lab-meltdown-50-years-later-dela...

I'm no activist.....this is my say, my 2 cent "take" on a tiny part of the big old world.....
In looking back at my Mom's lifetime of produced artwork, I, as well as my Dad noted the somber and
almost depressed style she painted in, in the late 50s early to mid 60s...the "cold war and assassination era"
.....she was troubled in her heart and, and it never surfaced in word, but on canvas, it did. A little like my mom,
my "troubledness" is exorcised in song.
Post war many were in a race for power, a race for space.....and California was a player, paying a huge price, to play.

I promise, a happier subject next time....!!

"Santa Susana"(the things you knew)

Where were you in July of 59?
I was a wee lass of only two......
Out here in the West
They were experi-menting .....
Oh Santa Susana the things you knew , you knew..
Santa Susana the things you knew, you knew...
Oh.............

Your Safety is our business, is what the
Cap he wore, it said
Atomics International led the race
N.uclear E.nergy R.esearch and
D.evelopment
You can call it NERD
Let me lay some truths on you
Some things you may not
Have ever heard..........

It was a hot day, at the Hot Lab
That sad day in July...
No containment structure meant
The particles could fly
Mayday mayday meltdown!
It was the battle cry
Fire in the fourth reactor
Cap it lest we die,
Lest we die,..
Oh..........

They named it worst in US history,
But I did not know it
Did you, did he, did they,...did she?
Did you know it?
mostly it was hushed and covered
till cover it they could no more
Boeing paid up 30 million
then stepped outside the
courtroom door
for plaintiff Margaret-Ann
it shoulda been
shoulda been, much more,
much more, much more
oh............

458 times over, the
Radiation count
Higher than three mile island's
later tallied score
The open air sodium burn pit
it was no Bar-B-Que........
22 out of 27,
of that government lab coat crew,
oh
22 died of their cancer,
I'd say that's quite a few,
Wouldn't you?
Oh .................

Oh RocketDyne, Oh RocketDyne
some how it don't seem so fine
That you'd ignite all those barrels
Full of waste
Doing their job there, in that place
Up went Mr Heiney, and Mr Pugh
they were blown to kingdom come, whoa
the sacrificial few
whoa oh

You can't undo that
Which cannot be undone
It's the gift that keeps on giving
Nowhere to hide
And nowhere to run
Can it ever be, can it ever be forgiven?
The price to pay, it's an unknown
On which no one can agree
Zero to Eighteen Hundred
Is what the Sooths have shown ,
We'll see, we'll see, We'll see, Won't we?

Where were you in July of '59?
I was a wee lass of only two......
Out here in the West
They were experi-menting .....
Oh Santa Susana the things you knew , you knew..
Santa Susana the things you knew...you knew
Oh,..........

Copyright
LaurieLeeC
Nov 16th 2011

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Santa Susana Field Laboratory
• nuclear accident
• 1959 meltdown
• Rocketdyne
• Boeing
• Atomics Internationl
• Space Race
• Nuclear Rocketry
• testing
• waste
• California nuclear catastrophy
• cigar Box slide guitar
• original protest songs
• peace

[sidtypical]

Jeez Laurie, this is powerful stuff. The intro, lyrics and vocal are all amazing and that guitar sounds fantastic ! This really hits the spot, and an obvious fav. Jim

[cinderellalifestyle]

@sidtypical thankyou Jim, for listening....it is birthed outa truth,..the best sort of ballad:-) the subject, very sad..the "discovery" led to research, cause i love to learn, which led to finding many such accidents worldwide, and fallout...and of course, there is..Fukushima, which I'm almost certain is censored. Leads me to arrive at the summary : $....the root of all evil?....might be the king of truths, lol!!

Cheers, Jim!. again--thankyou

[sidtypical]

@cinderellalifestyle Hi again Laurie. Your song prompted me to research Santa Susana and I was, of course, horrified and angered by what I read. I,m left wondering if our authorities have any idea what they're doing, or worse, are a 'few' lives considered expendible in the endless hunt for energy ? Here in Scotland, we have an increasing number of windfarms appearing on the hillsides and whilst unpopular with some, to me they represent hope y'know ? no nukes, no oil wars.

[cinderellalifestyle]

@sidtypical I'm glad you did,. thankyou!...it is rather terrible to get hipped to tragic events,..my studies were an eye opener. I think it is critical to learn by our mistakes....(if that is possible in governmental cases) where $ is concerned, it is a battle,.... Avoiding war and preserving what we do have, for future generations,,,,a must. I was reading about madame Curie this past week..we have come a long way in a short time.....I'd rather see a windmill than a refinery, too;-)

[streetspiritlive]

i was a just a kid in 59.

i was hiding in the cellar in the potato bin,

cause they told me so.

It wouldn't of helped against that atomic bomb they'd invented by then.

It's Truly Amazing how we're still alive n singing!

In the name of Love!!

of ourselves and our children!!!

Love, m ; }

[cinderellalifestyle]

@streetspiritlive Thankyou, m'dear. It was strange times to say the least. What matters is the human spirit, you are right......:-) Love is THE bomb.

XO's, hugs!

Laurie

[cbrb40]

Laurie my dear you always have that unique sound,I really love it,it's cosmic sounding,your voice is different it stands out,you sing so beautifully perfect for this style of alternative pop folk. :) The song is fabulous,music & words,what creative story telling. Love the lines in the song,you come up something interesting unique. Love your guitar that's a cigar box again? it's a cool sound like a steel guitar. I dig it! Big Hugs :))

[cinderellalifestyle]

@1wiesehoefer1 Thankyou Friedel!

[cinderellalifestyle]

@Rutle Thankyou very much--I agree, still scary!

[cinderellalifestyle]

@TAZBO264 thankyou Tam!!:-)

[cinderellalifestyle]

@TINMANschannel I'm so glad you shared that, but so sorry for your losses:-( it is too young an age to die. And for doing a job in duty to country, all the harder to understand....There was so much that was not known then, your accounting is witness to that. There are many people who have been affected by this who are fighting to keep a very public eye on it, legislation enacted. etc, sadly it is only one of many "slip ups" worldwide. There ought to be compensation.