THE BASAL TILL SONG

to the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" lyrics by Allan James (1984)

Mine eyes have seen a glacier with strong fabric in its till.

When plotted on rose diagrams 't' was enough to give me chills.

The pebbles were aligned like soldiers marching in a drill...

that till is basal till.

Chorus:

Glory, glory, basal till we meet again. (3 times)

That till is basal till.

You'll find basal till in lakeshore bluffs and sediments offshore,

It's in kettleholes and hillsides and 'neath peat bogs you have cored

It's in drumlins and moraines and under terrible swift fiords...

that till is basal till.

Chorus:

Glory, glory, basal till we meet again. (3 times)

That till is basal till.

Lacustrine clays with varves can make a pretty good formation and

supraglacial till is fine just after its ablation

but none can match the splendor of those pebbles with striations...

that till is basal till.

Chorus:

Glory, glory, basal till we meet again. (3 times)

That till is basal till.

Most glacial deposits have rocks from far and wide.

Erratics bear mute testimony: they've been taken for a ride

but basal till's comprised of stuff that's locally derived...

that till is basal till.

Chorus:

Glory, glory, basal till we meet again. (3 times)

That till is basal till.