The song about the Erie Canal, the famous 363-mile route in the United States, was written in 1905 by Thomas S. Allen. The canal had transformed American society by replacing the stagecoach, and its own replacement by the railroad was well underway. The title "Low Bridge, Everybody Down" is a warning—oblivious passengers on the top of boats risked being scraped off into the canal or crushed to death between the low bridge and the boat. Allen's original lyrics describe violence, murder, and the stark reality of unemployment. But by the time Pete Seeger recorded the song during folk revival movement of the 1960s, the softened lyrics brought about feelings of nostalgia for the past. This iconically American song has been sung by many and it remains a staple in schools and sing-alongs.

Further reading:

• Parr, Kimberly. "The Erie Canal Song Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Does." Medium, December 29, 2022.

—The GCNA