Sing oh! the City oh!

Pittsburgh was given its name by the dying but victorious General John Forbes in honor of William Pitt, England’s great statesman who later became the Earl of Chatham. In a letter to Pitt, he said “Sir, I do myself the Honour of acquainting you that. It has pleased God to crown His Majesty’s Arms with Success over all his Enemies upon the Ohio. I have used the freedom of giving your name to Fort Duquesne, as I hope it was in some measure the being actuated by your spirits that now makes us Masters of the place.”
It has grown from a primitive village to its present proud and important position through the work of many minds, hearts and hands.

Vivien Richman

Listen to a Schmertz clip (at Smithsonian Folkways site)

Sing Oh! the City Oh! the City in the Valley Oh!
Two hundred years ago, they named it Pittsburgh town -
Sing Oh! the village Oh! that rose from flame and pillage Oh!
When Frenchmen gave up Fort Duquesne, and tried to burn it down.
Sing Oh! the Redmen Oh! the English, French and Scotsmen Oh!
Who bled for the land we so peacefully share
Sing Oh! the trappers Oh! the settlers and the builders Oh!
Whose axes rang clear on the sweet, scented air!

Sing Oh! the City Oh! our fathers thought it pretty Oh!
Here where three rivers flow, they chose to settle down
Sing Oh! their labor Oh! when they lay down the saber Oh!
To forge a mighty city from a struggling frontier town.
Sing Oh! the people Oh! and every church and steeple Oh!
Sing the sweet land we so peacefully share -
Sing Oh! the lovers Oh! the do-ers and the givers Oh!
Sing proudly sing! let our song fill the air!

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