A song about the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge released today hits all the right notes, one year after the tragedy:

“Ballad of the Baltimore Bridge” starts by recalling the workers who built the 1.6-mile long steel truss structure, many of them returning Vietnam veterans happy to lock down union jobs.

But it focuses mainly on the six workers who died in the wee hours of the morning on March 26, 2024, when the cargo vessel Dali smashed into one of the bridge’s piers, causing it to tumble into the icy waters of the Patapsco River.

Six men died with the bridge that day,
Immigrants who’d come from far away.
From Guatemala and El Salvador
Seeking new lives at America’s door.

Patching potholes in the middle of the night
Lost in the rubble, lost from sight
Lost in the river below.

Credit for the 3½ minute piece goes to Mat Lane, who wrote and performed the music, and former Baltimore Sun columnist Dan Rodricks, who wrote the lyrics. (Rodricks now contributes to The Brew and other publications.) The video was produced by Kevin Richardson.

The song steers clear of the contentious question of who should be held accountable for the collapse.

The National Transportation Safety Board recently pointed a finger at Maryland, saying had state highway officials conducted a recommended risk assessment, they would have found that the bridge was at serious risk of collapse from a strike by a large ship.

“There’s no excuse,” Chairwoman Jennifer L. Homendy chided last week.

Pushing back on the NTSB’s scathing report, Maryland Governor Wes Moore blamed the “reckless behavior” of the Dali, asserting “that’s the sole reason for it.”

“Ballad of the Baltimore Bridge” does have a message, gently calling out the harsh rhetoric and government actions that target immigrants, just like the men who perished last March 26 while simply doing their jobs.

Hold forever the promise and a word to all:
Better to build a bridge than to build a wall.
Better a bridge than a wall.