Ride Across The Great Divide (The Ballad of Northwest Flight 255)

I was living in Hawaii on August 16, 1987 when I came home after spending three days at sea to turn on the TV and watch the horror story of Northwest Airlines Flight 255. Having flown off of that very same runway many times myself, I felt a connection to what the people must have gone thru in those 17 seconds before impact. Then the news that one little girl was the only miracle survivor out of 155 passengers. I wrote this song that night. I never recorded any version of it until now.



Take a late night ride, across the great divide.
Look through any window, where the sun might shine, bright.

Here the echoes, calling from the sky... before the trouble rains on you and I.
For such a story, goes with no reply. It knows no reason why.

Please enjoy your flight, we shall arrive tonight.
Somewhere in a moment, at the speed of light.

But as we slowly take off, from the earth. A simple prayer might have priceless worth.
Our situation calls for no concern. But you never know for sure.

So loud, so loud, is the sound of people crying.
Why is it then, that it is so hard to hear?
So now, for now, here's a simple fool who's trying,
to make some sense of what has happened here.

One-hundred-fifty-four more ways to be aware.
Glide these feathers to the ground, with one to spare.

But did Cecilia offer out her hand, so you and I might someday understand?
What lies ahead, has already been planned. It cannot be changed by man.

(words and music by Robert Decker)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Northwest
• Airlines
• Flight
• 255
• Detroit
• Michigan
• Phoenix
• Arizona
• 1987
• Original
• Song