Today marks the 350th anniversary of the Battle of Bloody Brook, which took place in Deerfield, Massachusetts. The devastating loss of 76 men in a single ambush sent shockwaves throughout New England and the other American colonies.  During this time, music in the colonies-especially in religious communities-was often sung a cappella, using shape-note singing or lined-out hymnody. The musical style was simple, repetitive, and meant for group participation rather than performance, reflecting the communal and devotional focus of early colonial life.

(Verse 1)
In sixteen seventy-five, by the brook's crimson flow,
Deerfield's green valley where the wildflowers grow,
The drums of war echoed through the autumn's bright air,
King Philip's fierce shadow cast a weight of despair.

Seventy-six brave souls, sons of the colony's dream,
Marched through the meadows by the winding stream.
Ambushed in silence, where the tall grasses sway,
The Battle of Bloody Brook stole their breath away.

(Chorus)
Oh, Bloody Brook, where the brave ones fell,
In Franklin's fields, where the tales still dwell.
One in six were lost in that sorrowful month,
Their names carved in stone, their courage won't blunt.

(Verse 2)
The map of old Deerfield, drawn in seventeen-ninety-four,
Holds scars of that battle, etched forevermore.
From Hampshire to Franklin, the news spread like fire,
New England's heart trembled, yet rose ever higher.

The war cries rang out, ‘neath the September sun,
Muskets and arrows, the fight had begun.
The brook ran red with the cost of the fray,
Yet the spirit of freedom would not fade away.

(Chorus)
Oh, Bloody Brook, where the brave ones fell,
In Franklin's fields, where the tales still dwell.
One in six were lost in that sorrowful month,
Their names carved in stone, their courage won't blunt.

(Bridge)
Two hundred years later, in eighteen seventy-six,
The books and the ballads still mourned those conflicts.
Our forebears remembered, their sacrifice told,
In stories of valor, unyielding and bold.

(Verse 3)
The map shows the places where heroes were laid,
Their blood in the soil, their memory won't fade.
Through forests and rivers, their echoes remain,
In the heart of New England, through joy and through pain.

So raise up a glass to the men who stood tall,
Who answered the call, though they knew they might fall.
For the Battle of Bloody Brook, we'll sing through the years,
Their courage our beacon through trials and tears.

(Chorus)
Oh, Bloody Brook, where the brave ones fell,
In Franklin's fields, where the tales still dwell.
One in six were lost in that sorrowful month,
Their names carved in stone, their courage won't blunt.

(Outro)
From the pages of history, their voices still call,
The Battle of Bloody Brook, remembered by all.
In Deerfield's old valley, their spirits endure,
For freedom's high price, their hearts stood so sure.

Battle of Bloody Brook

all songs from the Sacred Harp (2025 Revision)

recorded @ NYC weekly singing, Wednesday 10-01-2025

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