1.

AS LONG AS THE GRASS SHALL GROW

(Peter La Farge)

As long as the moon shall rise as long as the rivers flow

As long as the sun will shine as long as the grass shall grow

The Senecas are an Indian tribe of the Iroquios nation

Down on the New York Pennsylvania Line you'll find their reservation

After the US revolution cornplanter was a chief

He told the tribe these men they could trust that was his true belief

He went down to Independence Hall and there was a treaty signed

That promised peace with the USA and Indian rights combined

George Washington gave his signature the Government gave its hand

They said that now and forever more that this was Indian land

As long as the moon shall rise...

On the Seneca reservation there is much sadness now

Washington's treaty has been broken and there is no hope no how

Across the Allegheny River they're throwing up a dam

It will flood the Indian country a proud day for Uncle Sam

It has broke the ancient treaty with a politician's grin

It will drown the Indians graveyards cornplanter can you swim

The earth is mother to the the Senecas they're trampling sacred ground

Change the mint green earth to black mud flats as honor hobbles down

As long as the moon shall rise...

The Iroquios Indians used to rule from Canada way south

But no one fears the Indians now and smiles the liar's mouth

The Senecas hired an expert to figure another site

But the great good army engineers said that he had no right

Although he showed them another plan and showed them another way

They laughed in his face and said no deal Kinuza dam is here to stay

Congress turned the Indians down brushed off the Indians plea

So the Senecas have renamed the dam they call it Lake Perfidy

As long as the moon shall rise...

Washington Adams and Kennedy now hear their pledges ring

The treaties are safe we'll keep our word but what is that gurgling

It's the back water from Perfidy Lake it's rising all the time

Over the homes and over the fields and over the promises fine

No boats will sail on Lake Perfidy in winter it will fill

In summer it will be a swamp and all the fish will kill

But the Government of the USA has corrected George's vow

The father of our country must be wrong what's an Indian anyhow

As long as the moon shall rise (look up) as long as the rivers flow (are you thirsty)

As long as the sun will shine (my brother are you warm) as long as the grass shall grow

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2.

APACHE TEARS

(Johnny Cash)

Hoof prints and foot prints deep ruts the wagons made

The victor and the loser came by here

No head stones but these bones bring Mascalero death moans

See the smooth black nuggets by the thousands laying here

Petrified but justified are these Apache tears

Dead grass dry roots hunger crying in the night

Ghost of broken hearts and laws are here

And who saw the young squaw they judged by their whiskey law

Tortured till she died of pain and fear

Where the soldiers lay her back are the black Apache tears

The young men the old men the guilty and the innocent

Bled red blood and chilled alike with tears

The red men the white men no fight ever took this land

So don't raise the dust when you pass here

They're sleeping and in my keeping are these Apache tears

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3.

CUSTER

(Peter La Farge)

Now I will tell you buster that I ain't a fan of Custer

And the General he don't ride well anymore

To some he was a hero but to me his score was zero

And the General he don't ride well anymore

Now Custer done his fightin' without too much excitin'

And the General he don't ride well anymore

General Custer come in pumpin' when the men were out a huntin'

But the General he don't ride well anymore

With victories he was swimmin' he killed children dogs and women

But the General he don't ride well anymore

Crazy Horse sent out the call just to Sitting Bull and Gall

And the General he don't ride well anymore

Now Custer split his men well he won't do that again

Cause the General he don't ride well anymore

Twelve thousand warriors waited they were unanticipated

And the General he don't ride well anymore

It's not called an Indian victory but a bloody massacre

And the General he don't ride well anymore

There might have been more enthusin' if us Indians had been losin'

But the General he don't ride well anymore

General George A.Custer oh his yellow hair had lustre

But the General he don't ride well anymore

For now the General's silent he got barbered violent

And the General he don't ride well anymore

Oh the General he don't ride well anymore

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4.

TALKING LEAVES

(Johnny Cash)

Sequoia's winters were sixteen silent tongue spirit clean

He walked at his father's side

Across the smoking battle ground where red and white men lay all around

So many here had died

The wind had scattered around snow white leaves upon the ground

Not leaves like leaves from trees

Sequoia said what can this be what's the strange thing here I see

From where come leaves like these

Sequoia turned to his father's eyes and he said father you're wise

From where come such snow white leaves

With such strange marks upon these squares

Not even the wise owl could put them there

So strange these snow white leaves

His father shielding his concern resenting the knowledge Sequoia yearned

Crumbled the snow white leaves

He said when I explain then it's done these are talking leaves my son

The white men's talking leaves

The white man takes a berry of black and red

And an eagle's feather from the eagle's bed

And he makes bird track marks

And the marks on the leaves they say carry messages to his brother far away

And his brother knows what's in his heart

They see these marks and they understand the truth in the heart of the far off man

The enemies can't hear them

Said Sequoia's father son they weave bad medicine on these talking leaves

Leave such things to them

Then Sequoia walking lightly followed his father quietly but so amazed was he

If the white man talks on leaves why not the Cherokee

Vanished from his father's face Sequoia went from place to place

But he could not forget

Year after year he worked on and on till finally he cut into stone

The Cherokee alphabet

Sequoia's hair by now was white his eyes began to lose their light

But he taught all who would believe

That the Indian's thoughts could be written down

Just as the white men's there on the ground and he left us these talking leaves

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5.

BALLAD OF IRA HAYES

(Peter La Farge)

Ira Hayes Ira Hayes call him drunken Ira Hayes he won't answer anymore

Not the whiskey drinking Indian nor the marine that went to war

Gather round me people there's a story I would tell

Bout a brave young Indian you should remember well

From the land of the Pima Indians a proud and noble band

Who farmed the Phoenix Valley in Arizona land

Down their ditches for a thousand years the waters grew Ira's people's crops

Till the white man stole their water right and their sparkling water stopped

Now Ira's folks grew hungry and their land grew crops and weeds

When war came Ira volunteered and forgot the white man's greed

Call him drunken Ira Hayes...

Well they battled up Iwo Jima Hill two hundred and fifty men

But only 27 lived to walk back down again

And when the fight was over and old glory raised

Among the men who helt it high was the Indian Ira Hayes

Call him drunken Ira Hayes...

Ira Hayes returned a hero celebrated through the land

He was wined and speeched and honored everybody shook his hand

But he was just a Pima Indian no water no home no chance

At home nobody cared what Ira's done and when do the Indians dance

Call him drunken Ira Hayes...

Then Ira started drinking hard jail was often his home

They let him raise the flag and lower it like you would throw a dog a bone

He died drunk early one morning alone in the land he'd fought to save

Two inches of water in a lonely ditch was the grave for Ira Hayes

Call him drunken Ira Hayes...

Yeah call him drunken Ira Hayes but his land is just as dry

And his ghost is laying thirsty in the ditch where Ira died

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6.

DRUMS

(Peter La Farge)

From the Indian reservation to the governmental school

Well they're goin' to educate me to the white men's Golden Rule

And I'm learning very quickly for I've learned to be ashamed

And I come when they call Billy though I've got an Indian name

And there are drums beyond the mountain Indian drums that you can't hear

There are drums beyond the mountain and they're getting mighty near

And when they think that they'd changed me cut my hair to meet their needs

Will they think I'm white or Indian quarter blood or just half breed

Let me tell you Mr teacher when you say you'll make me right

In five hundred years of fighting not one Indian turned white

And there are drums...

Well you thought that I knew nothing when you brought me here to school

Just another empty Indian just America's first fool

But now I can tell you stories that are burnt and dried and old

But in the shadow of their telling walks the thunder proud and bold

And there are drums...

Long Pine and Sequoia Handsome Lake and Sitting Bull

There's Magnus Colorado with his sleeves so red and full

Crazy Horse the legend those who bit off Custer's soul

They are dead yet they are living with the great Geronimo

And there are drums...

Well you may teach me this land's hist'ry but we taught it to you first

We broke your hearts and bent your journeys broken treaties left us cursed

Even now you have to cheat us even though you this us tame

In our losing we found proudness in your winning you found shame

And there are drums...

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7.

WHITE GIRL

(Peter La Farge)

I am stunned and I am broken and my head is in my hand

For she who said she love me will not wed an Indian man

My Gods who were wild ridden stand quiet by my side

For although I loved her she would not be my bride

Oh goodbye softly sweet one it was splended while it ran

Goodbye my bitter white girl I'll forget you if I can

She came up to the pueblo with her bright blonde hair

They told me not to love her but I did not care

She took me to her parties she carried me around

And I was a proud one the tallest man in town

For I found great wonder all wrapped in brilliant dreams

I held her strong but gentle as kings have held their queens

I learned to drink strong whiskey as she took me here and there

Until life without my whiskey I could not bear

Oh goodbye softly sweet one...

[ guitar ]

Well when she came to leave me she took me by the arm

And she said she loved me and would not do me harm

But she would not marry not an Indian she said

She thanked me for my offer and I wished that I was dead

Now I'm back among my people and they are kind to me

Although I'm sad with staggers when I drink that tough whiskey

For I've been a white girl's pet a captive Indian

Shown off and discarded just a drunk who might have been

Oh goodbye softly sweet one...

Goodbye softly sweet one...

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8.

VANISHING RACE

(Johnny Cash - Johnny Horton)

Ii Ii ou Ii Ii Ii ou Ii Ii ou

Oh wagon trains rollin' along they fade from my visions and in time will be gone

I see an eagle in space my people will follow oh oh a vanishing race

Ii Ii ou Ii Ii Ii ou Ii Ii ou

An Indian brave rolled along one day on a lonely mountain trail

And he gazed below with a heart of woe where the prairie schooners sail

A vision formed like a mortal storm in the dust of the wagon train

A vanishing race appeared in space and he sang his sad refrain

Ii Ii ou Ii Ii Ii ou Ii Ii ou

Oh wagon trains rollin' along...

Oh now great spirits on high please spare them the sorrow you show to my eye oh oh

Now my blankets are roll and I ride to the valley of the brave Navajo oh oh

Ii Ii ou Ii Ii Ii ou Ii Ii ou

And I ride to the valley of the brave Navajo oh oh

Oh oh a vanishing Navajo oh the vanishing Navajo

Ii Ii ou Ii Ii Ii ou Ii Ii ou

**********