"By the way if you ever make it to Superior, Montana." -Circa 1943, by Chase Rice

I think I was reading some of the great comments on an Instagram post by Josh Smith with the Montana Knife Company in Frenchtown. I can't remember what that particular post was about, but I saw a comment from Josh where he told someone to check out the song "Circa 1943" by country music artist Chase Rice. I took his advice as well and wow- what a song...and a song about Chase's grandparents from Superior, Montana.

You can check out the song below. Here's what Chase Rice told WhiskeyRiff.com about how the song came about:

It talks about this couple, Harold and Berniece, who are my grandparents. We fictionalized their story; their story wasn’t what happened in the song. But made it in WWII, when he gets shot up and yeah, falls in love. She’s the nurse, takes care of him, brings him back to life. It all leads to him basically saying, ‘We don’t want to say goodbye. When this thing is over, by the way, if you ever make it to Superior, Montana, my brother’s band sure bangs around most Tuesday nights.’ It’s the story of ‘when this thing’s over, come see where I’m from in Montana.’

Looks like you may have the chance to hear this song in person real soon. He plays Missoula on September 18th and then in Billings on the 20th. Click here for tour schedule.

By the way- for another great story about Superior, Montana- check out this one:

The Incredible Montana History of the Gideon Bibles

LYRICS

Harold met Berniece circa 1943
That bullet to the leg nearly took him but it took him to her
He sure smiled when he came to, looking up into baby blues
She said gunny you’re lucky it could’ve been a whole lot worse

The next two months it was making her laugh every time she walked by
By the time it was time to send him back they didn’t wanna say goodbye
So he said

By the way if you ever make it to Superior, Montana
My brother’s band sure bangs around most Tuesday nights
Bet your boots I’ll get you two stepping’ to WC Handy
I think you’d love it out west think you might never leave my side
If we ever make it out of here alive

Harold wrote Berniece letters every day for weeks
’Til he could get back there to her when the fight died down
When that day finally came they snuck around that German base
They only had 4 days but boy did they make ‘em count

Just 4 days wasn’t near enough for the love they fell in
She longed to hear just the way he talked and to hear him say again

By the way if you ever make it to Superior, Montana
My brother’s band sure bangs around most Tuesday nights
Bet your boots I’ll get you two stepping’ to WC Handy
I think you’d love it out west think we might have a knot to tie
If we ever make it out of here alive

Harold wrote Berniece if you don’t hear from me
Thank you for making and changing and saving my life
That’s the last one that came in, down to her knees she went
With the news she never got to tell him about that night

She went home with a broken heart and a baby bump that June
She took her time to heal her scars but she knew what she had to do when she said

Wish you could see that we made it to Superior, Montana
Your brother’s band sure sounded good last Tuesday night
He just turned two and looks like you and although he don’t understand yet
flowers on a cross and water from his momma’s eyes
We just wanted you to know, we made it out of there alive

Harold met Berniece circa 1943
That bullet to the leg nearly took him but it took him to her