Scatter My Ashes Copyright August 10, 2005 by Gary E. Andrews
All Rights Reserved For The Globe

In his book, "Bob Dylan Chronicles, Volume I", he tells of intending to write a song about union organizer and troubadour Joe Hill. Dylan said he thought he might research it and write a Song about it. I thought I might research Hill's story so I might write an informed Song. But the muse arrived before I got around to research.
She's so fine I always drop what I'm doing and let her in. Hope Bob doesn't mind. She may have been on the way to his house.
Songs don't have to be about the people they're about anyway; just fictions that get "a" story told, not necessarily "the" story. She gave me the Rhyme Lines for the quote, which Dylan said he would use as a Refrain, a Refrain-Type Chorus to end each Verse.

I played them on my Martin ONY16, then typed it out, writing new Lines as I typed, not my usual guitar-in-hand, ad lib Lyric, usual creative style.

I had an idea a choir could ask, "Anywhere?," after the lead sings "Scatter My Ashes anywhere," and the lead could come back to specify, "Anywhere but Utah!"

I later asked the internet about Joe Hill. I got a lot of 2005 Joe Hills' news. Then I entered "Scatter My Ashes..." A website said the quote was from a letter Joe Hillstrom (b. 1877-79?-d. 1915) wrote "to a pal" from jail before they hanged him November 19, 1915. He wrote something like, "After they hang me, get my body and have it cremated. Then scatter my ashes everywhere, anywhere but Utah. I wouldn't wanna be caught dead in Utah."
He advised, "Don't mourn! Organize!"

Hill was framed by authorities in league with mine owners where he was trying to organize a union for safety's sake. It seems a man named Morrisson was killed in the robbery of his grocery store. Two men were arrested in the train yards. But Joe had the importunity to get himself shot that same night and a doctor reported it. They latched onto him. He tried to fire his lawyer for pleading him guilty. The judge wouldn't allow it. I can see how that would piss a man off. So Utah is hallowed ground, and it's no fault of anyone alive today that such an injustice took place then; but such injustices continue to be perpetrated and that may be our fault for not knowing Joe's story and preventing it from being repeated.

There will always be another song to be written. Someone will write it. Why not you? www.garyeandrews.com