Swingin' That Steel

Words and music by Joe Muldoon. (Other Muldoon songs at GodBlessTheBiker.com and https://tinyurl.com/joemuldoonyoutubes).
For a thorough look at the story behind the song, read Jim Ricci's historical review of the politics and technology that made this magnificent structure a reality: "The Newport Bridge" by James Ricci (A prince!).
From the publisher: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Pro... or

Swingin' That Steel is one of the songs on my “Bridgeport Boy” YouTube playlist (tinyurl.com/BridgeportBoy). All about my experiences and influences growing up in a bustling industrial city by the sea. Here’s the full playlist:
Jefferson Ferry
Mama, the Lake, and `49 Fastback Chevy
Song for Itself
Rollin’
Magical Child
Swinging' that Steel (about Newport RI. A good neighbor.)

More Doon tunes at:
http://GodBlessTheBiker.com
https://tinyurl.com/joemuldoonyoutubes
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There's a good description of the first stage of the bridge job in 1966 -- building the concrete ‘footing’ or foundation blocks of the east and west towers -- at http://www.ritba.org/history.

While there is a bit of poetic license in the song -- in deference to rhyme or rhythm -- you can get a detailed explanation of the pics and the lingo in the lyrics in the photo album I’ve posted at:
https://www.facebook.com/GodBlessTheB....

The line in the song, "Joe was lead, connecting those cells" makes use of some artistic leeway. All the connectors --the young, athletic ironworkers who climb up or out to the end of steel beams and other structures to guide the next 30 tons or so of steel into place and lock it down -- were pretty much equally, and highly, skilled. But when they were ready to set a boom at the very top of the towers, they had Joe, an Indian working on the west tower, climb underneath the boom at 400 feet and put in the linch pin. It was hair-raising to watch.

A word about Leroy Shenandoah ("Lee Shenandoah was working the bells."). The work of the ironworkers on this job took place hundreds of feet above the the base where the crane operator sat below with no direct view of the work. They did not use intercom or walkie-talkie voice communications to tell the operator how to position the load. Rather, they employed a bell signaling system. The best Ironworker on the job, Lee Shenandoah, worked the bells on the east tower. He wore a vest with 4 buttons to signal boom up/down/left/right, load up/down, whip up/down/left/right and just how much for each move. Shendandoah was an Iroquois Indian, champion lacrosse player, Green Beret and a member of the honor guard at JFK’s funeral. He died young, but not due to the dangers of high steel work. Here’s the story.
https://indiancountrytoday.com/archiv...
and
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/22684...