So far with our annual Songs of the Susquehanna project, we have received three submissions devoted to raising awareness for the hellbender, each very different from the other. We encourage you to listen to them and their unique sounds, check out the lyrics and then let us know which of them resonates the most with you and why.
Gentle Giant of the Susquehanna by Bill Dann & Jack Servello
He lives his life 'neath a huge flat rock
By huge, I mean the size of a car
Lots of room to roam and explore
Yet he never ventures too far
He dines on tons of crayfish
From his Susquehanna River lair
Putting a dent in crustacean nation
Invasive species beware
Hector's his name and we're told he came
Born and raised at the old Bronx Zoo
Largest of the salamander clan
The State's official amphibian too
Chorus:
Gentle giant of the Susquehanna
Hector never poses a threat
Just your average humble hellbender
Happy to stay slimy and wet
Hellbenders go by other names
Water dogs, old lasagna sides
They sleep all day and are seldom seen
From the places they like to hide
He may not be much to look at
Two feet long, with olive green skin
But in the river, he has a niche
Along with the rest of his kin
We can do our part to help Hector.
And all his aquatic friends
By keeping the Susquehanna clean
What a powerful message it sends
Chorus
By huge, I mean the size of a car
Lots of room to roam and explore
Yet he never ventures too far
He dines on tons of crayfish
From his Susquehanna River lair
Putting a dent in crustacean nation
Invasive species beware
Hector's his name and we're told he came
Born and raised at the old Bronx Zoo
Largest of the salamander clan
The State's official amphibian too
Chorus:
Gentle giant of the Susquehanna
Hector never poses a threat
Just your average humble hellbender
Happy to stay slimy and wet
Hellbenders go by other names
Water dogs, old lasagna sides
They sleep all day and are seldom seen
From the places they like to hide
He may not be much to look at
Two feet long, with olive green skin
But in the river, he has a niche
Along with the rest of his kin
We can do our part to help Hector.
And all his aquatic friends
By keeping the Susquehanna clean
What a powerful message it sends
Chorus
Hellbender by The Dave Miller Band
Where have you gone?
Are you lost, all alone
Hope for someone
Hiding from the sun
Been back to where you belong
Please, hellbender come back home …
The evolution of man
Kill what they don’t understand
Some called it a little mud devil dog
Some said it’s from hell, better kill them all
Habitat in freefall
Progress is the cause of it all
Millions of years they’ve forever roamed
All of a sudden now they’re losing their home
Mother Nature’s rage
Susquehanna betrayed
Don’t rebuild we just take
Whole species at stake
Ignore the truth
Just because they’re not cute
American greed
Incurable human disease
Beautiful monster lying in mud, about to die
Beautiful monster lying in mud, fight to stay alive
Hellbender will pay for the politicians’ lies
In tonight’s eyewitness news, the US Fish and Wildlife Service continues to ignore pleas from environmental experts who say the Pennsylvania State Amphibian hellbender needs to be listed as endangered. Its habitat has decreased by 95 percent as pollution and other issues continue to poison our river basin.
Mother Nature’s rage
Susquehanna betrayed
Don’t rebuild we just take
Whole species at stake
Ignore the truth
Just because they’re not cute
American greed
Incurable human disease
Beautiful monster lying in mud, about to die
Beautiful monster lying in mud, fight to stay alive
Hellbender forgive us all, we didn’t save your lives
Are you lost, all alone
Hope for someone
Hiding from the sun
Been back to where you belong
Please, hellbender come back home …
The evolution of man
Kill what they don’t understand
Some called it a little mud devil dog
Some said it’s from hell, better kill them all
Habitat in freefall
Progress is the cause of it all
Millions of years they’ve forever roamed
All of a sudden now they’re losing their home
Mother Nature’s rage
Susquehanna betrayed
Don’t rebuild we just take
Whole species at stake
Ignore the truth
Just because they’re not cute
American greed
Incurable human disease
Beautiful monster lying in mud, about to die
Beautiful monster lying in mud, fight to stay alive
Hellbender will pay for the politicians’ lies
In tonight’s eyewitness news, the US Fish and Wildlife Service continues to ignore pleas from environmental experts who say the Pennsylvania State Amphibian hellbender needs to be listed as endangered. Its habitat has decreased by 95 percent as pollution and other issues continue to poison our river basin.
Mother Nature’s rage
Susquehanna betrayed
Don’t rebuild we just take
Whole species at stake
Ignore the truth
Just because they’re not cute
American greed
Incurable human disease
Beautiful monster lying in mud, about to die
Beautiful monster lying in mud, fight to stay alive
Hellbender forgive us all, we didn’t save your lives
Hellbender (Hellbender!) by Billy Kelly
Hellbender, hellbender
Hiding ’neath a rock at the bottom of a stream.
You been around since the dinosaurs
If we’re gonna keep you around some more
people gonna have to learn to keep your water clean.
spoken:
The hellbender is the largest salamander in North America,
and the third largest salamander in the world.
They’re not poisonous, they’re not dangerous.
They’re just like really, really really BIG.
Hellbender, hellbender
Growing up to 30 inches long.
You got little bitty beady eyes,
Disproportionate to your size,
And arms so short you can’t put your glasses on.
spoken:
By day, hellbenders live under large, flat rocks in streams
Emerging in the dark of night to hunt for food.
They eat crayfish. They eat fish fish.
They’ve even been known to eat other hellbenders. Yuck!
Hellbender, hellbender
aka Mud Cat or Devil Dog
Some folks call you the Snot Otter
you live you whole life under water
Won’t never be found on the ground underneath a log
spoken:
The hellbender is a fully aquatic salamander
Which means they live their entire lives under water.
In order to thrive, hellbenders need fast-flowing water that is clear and clean
And I personally don’t think that’s too much to ask for.
Hellbender, hellbender
Hiding ’neath a rock at the bottom of a stream.
You been around since the dinosaurs
If we’re gonna keep you around some more
people gonna have to learn to keep your water clean.
You been around since the dinosaurs
If we’re gonna keep you around some more
people gonna have to learn to keep your water clean
Hiding ’neath a rock at the bottom of a stream.
You been around since the dinosaurs
If we’re gonna keep you around some more
people gonna have to learn to keep your water clean.
spoken:
The hellbender is the largest salamander in North America,
and the third largest salamander in the world.
They’re not poisonous, they’re not dangerous.
They’re just like really, really really BIG.
Hellbender, hellbender
Growing up to 30 inches long.
You got little bitty beady eyes,
Disproportionate to your size,
And arms so short you can’t put your glasses on.
spoken:
By day, hellbenders live under large, flat rocks in streams
Emerging in the dark of night to hunt for food.
They eat crayfish. They eat fish fish.
They’ve even been known to eat other hellbenders. Yuck!
Hellbender, hellbender
aka Mud Cat or Devil Dog
Some folks call you the Snot Otter
you live you whole life under water
Won’t never be found on the ground underneath a log
spoken:
The hellbender is a fully aquatic salamander
Which means they live their entire lives under water.
In order to thrive, hellbenders need fast-flowing water that is clear and clean
And I personally don’t think that’s too much to ask for.
Hellbender, hellbender
Hiding ’neath a rock at the bottom of a stream.
You been around since the dinosaurs
If we’re gonna keep you around some more
people gonna have to learn to keep your water clean.
You been around since the dinosaurs
If we’re gonna keep you around some more
people gonna have to learn to keep your water clean
