Sultana Lyrics - Son Volt

April 27, 1865 the worst American Disaster of the maritime 

No one knows the count of lives lost 

The soldiers, civilians and the sisters of charity 

$5 a head Captains Mason and Hatch 

Boarded 6 times the legal load of the Sultana 

Leaving Vicksburg bound for Cairo 

Memphis was the tragic last port of call of Sultana 

6 miles out of Memphis a boiler gave out 

From the flooding swift river and extra heavy load of Sultana 

The current was cold the river was wide 

A mile to either side away from the burning Sultana 

3 boilers blew fire and lit up the night sky 

Hell was a better place than on board the Sultana 

The worst American disaster on water 

The Titanic of the cold Mississippi was the Sultana 

Hell was a better place that night 

Titanic of the cold Mississippi was the Sultana