Reply #150: My favorite Fred Small song

[Jim Lane]

Fred Small is another one like Phil Ochs -- so many songs to choose from. But "Denmark, 1943" stands out for me. I still get the catch in the throat and the tear in the eye at this song about how the people of Denmark came together to protect Danish Jews during World War II. Excerpt:

Christian policemen, shopkeepers, and teachers
Tell their friends of the quickening storm.
While students on bicycles race through the streets
Searching for Jews to be warned.

And Katlev the foreman blurts out to the trainman
"My family has no place to hide."
"Well bring em to my house" the stranger replies
"And we'll spit in the damn Nazi's eyes."

Full lyrics are available . (The Øresund is a strait between Sweden and Denmark; Espergaerde is a fishing town on the Danish coast.)

Fred's recording of it is on YouTube but, alas, the sound quality doesn't do justice to his performance.