Clay Track Press

Written and Narrated by William E. Spear
Produced by The Three Fifty-seven
27 May 2024
Released: 28 May 2024

(Cold)

The Three Fifty-seven finishes its commemoration to individuals who died while serving the country.

My name is William Spear and this series is titled I WILL NOT DANCE. Over four episodes, an Unnamed Service Personnel told of leaving family and dying in battle.

The events are set in the Second World War and the Narrator is from New Jersey, U.S.A, but the story could be told of many conflicts and the warrior could be from any country.   

Previously, the Unnamed Service Personnel spoke of dying in France: “I was shot. Killed . . . alone and far from home.”

What happened to the memories before the war? Family and Friends whose two hundred feet crescendoed in a wedding hall? Rhythms and sounds of gray mornings and frosty evenings? Rich tapestries of aromatic foods filling the air?

Listen beyond the sadness of forever echoing funeral music or never ending melancholia for a lost relative. Listen to the Fourth and Final Episode titled RAUCOUSLY, STILL.

(Theme for A LONELY DEATH comes up and goes under)

Herrlisheim. Bloody, bloody Herrlisheim. France. Where I
Died. Middle of January, Nineteen Forty-five.
Three thousand, eight hundred, and sixty-one miles from home.
Shot while bat’ling Operation Nordwind. The snow turn’d
Red beneath me.

In that moment, the wintry cold disappeared. I could
Not feel a thing. Shocked from me. But slowly, rumb’ling tanks
Were sensed. Falling back. Carrying bodies. Attacking.
Machine guns harvesting anyone opposed. Ending
Lives of others.

We were Mister McRae’s poppies. Twenty-nine later
Years and crosses without. We handed cooling guns to
Those still flamed by battle.   The tank rumb’lings and machine
Gun strafings faded. We lay in silence until- There!
In the distance.

Voices filling my emptiness. Some older, and much
Older. Others my age. Others, too, I could not place.
Ah! Fam’lies and individuals, before and since.
Celebrating with brash laughter in and around East
Bréifne. Cavan.

From Epinal, with crosses, I hear them living. Sweet
Sounds. Jersey City. New Jersey. America and
Beyond. Those embracing old worlds and new, I revere,
Cheer, and celebrate you. However, remember this:

I will not dance . . . cannot dance, unless you laugh with me.

(Theme for I WILL NOT DANCE comes up and goes under)

That was Episode Four titled RAUCOUSLY, STILL. It was written and narrated by William Spear.

Music was through the courtesy of Serge Pavkin and Laurent Buczek.

The series I WILL NOT DANCE was produced by The Three Fifty-seven.

Before ending, The Three Fifty-seven offers its remembrance of, and honor for, the men and women of every generation who gave their lives in military service to our country.

We commemorate them and, yes, we laugh with them. Not only on Memorial Day but throughout the year.

Thank you for listening.

(Theme for I WILL NOT DANCE comes up and goes under)

WESJr

Written and Narrated by William E. Spear
Produced by The Three Fifty-seven
21 May 2024

(Cold open)

The Three Fifty-seven continues its commemoration to individuals who died while serving the country.

My name is William Spear and this series is titled I WILL NOT DANCE. Over four episodes, an Unnamed Service Personnel will tell of leaving family and dying in battle. Although the events are set in the Second World War, and the Narrator is from New Jersey, U.S.A, the story could be told of any conflict and the warrior could be from any country.   

Previously, before shipping out, the Unnamed Service Personnel visited Family members and Friends and savored the sights, sounds, and foods of Jersey City. When those days dwindled, the Narrator realized “The time had come . . . I was now Uncle Sam’s.”

Others from all walks of Life join the Narrator as they lean hard against a north wind in Episode Three titled DEEP PERCUSSIONS.

(Theme for I WILL NOT DANCE comes up and goes under)

We came from thousands of hometowns across the country.
Our heartbeats echoed roots from the Mid Atlantic,
The Northeast, Down South, all the Wests, and the Mountains, too.
Each with mem’ries of Fam’ly and Friends as dear to them
As mine to me.

We pounded and forged a single combat unit. Bound
And dedicated to serve the country, fortify
Europe, and defeat Axis countries. Built for lightning
Speed and trip hammer power, we were then deployed as
The Twelfth Armored.

Our division’s First Action was December, Nineteen
Forty-four. Near the Maginot Line. France. Our Second
Action included a Christmas gift of living in
The frozen cold. We continued, more tested and more
Experienced.

New Year of Forty-five shelled us as we swaggered through
More than one-hundred-fifty days fighting. “Attitude”,
My never met Fam’ly and Friends would say. “Fierce”, back in
Our day. Allies praised us. Enemies feared us. We were
Now the Hellcats.

We scratched forward, fell back, and clawed ahead. Relentless.
Nothing stopped us. Little delayed us. ’Til Herrlisheim.
Hades. We blitzkrieged the enemy’s Nordwind.   With awe,
They now called us the Suicide Division. Then, in
The month’s middle,

I was shot. Killed . . . alone and far from home.

(Theme for A LONELY DEATH comes up and goes under)

That was Episode Three titled DEEP PERCUSSIONS. It was written and narrated by William Spear.

Music was through the courtesy of Serge Pavkin and Laurent Buczek.

The series I WILL NOT DANCE was produced by The Three Fifty-seven.

Thank you for listening.

(Theme for A LONELY DEATH comes up and goes under)

WESJr

Written and Narrated by William E. Spear
Produced by The Three Fifty-seven
14 May 2024

(Cold open)

The Three Fifty-seven offers a commemoration to those individuals who died while serving the country.

My name is William Spear and this series is titled I WILL NOT DANCE. Over four episodes, an Unnamed Service Personnel will tell of leaving family and dying in battle.

The events are set in the Second World War, and the Narrator is from New Jersey, U.S.A. However, the story could be told of any conflict and the warrior could be from any country.

Previously, the Unnamed Service Personnel celebrated a family wedding and shared glimpses of heritage back in County Cavan in Ireland.

And received a draft notice to join the military.

This time, the Narrator reacts to the notice and the prospect of leaving family. Listen to Episode Two titled RHYTHMS AND SOUNDS.

(Theme for I WILL NOT DANCE comes up and goes under)

The wedding celebration had barely stopped ringing
In our ears and our aching heads when my notice came.
Report to the nearest recruiting office! At Once!
Uncle Sam wants you!

But Uncle Sam’s haste did not stop me from embracing
Family and Friends ’round the city. From the youngest
To most senior, our neighborhoods sparkled with laughter
And glit’tring eyes.

Songs, too, were sung. G.I. JIVE. SUNRISE SERENADE. MY
BROKEN HEART. THE RATION BLUES. Which, by the way, neither
Slowed nor stopped vibrant, rich tapestries of aromas.
Senses were thrilled.

Savored, too, was Jersey City’s gray landscapes. Steaming
Breaths in air floated and sidewalks crunch’d from chilled temp’tures.
Solo excursions captured the abundance of home.
Oh, the riches.

But soon, the pattern of days and nights dwindled. Barely
A few remained. Celebrations roared of unspoken
Worries. Music? Fell quiet. Food? Lacked flavor. Weather?
A north wind blew.

The time had come . . . I was now Uncle Sam’s.

(Theme for I WILL NOT DANCE comes up and goes under)

That was Episode Two titled RHYTHMS AND SOUNDS. It was written and narrated by William Spear.

Music was through the courtesy of Serge Pavkin.

The series I WILL NOT DANCE was produced by The Three Fifty-seven.

Thank you for listening.

WESJr