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Let us reminisce about the first Thanksgiving, when the Native Americans said to the pilgrims, "In exchange for this bountiful feast, you have the rights to all the land and resources of this great country and permission to slaughter any indigenous people who dare stand in your way." That's how it went, right? Right? Here are the six best songs about manifest destiny. Let us know your favorite songs about white men unfairly killing Indians in the comments below, and remember the screams of the innocent when dousing your turkey with gravy this Thursday. Gobble gobble!
6. Neil Young - "Pocahontas" "Pocahontas" mentions brutal attacks on Native Americans, the massacre of buffalo, and the practice of trading objects for women. Given the subject matter, it is surprising that Neil Young isn't more pissed. He instead uses "Pocahontas" to reflect on the chain of events that made this country what it is today. He implies hypocrisy as he speaks of decorating his apartment with an Indian rug and smoking a peace pipe, watching the taxis drive on the land where Native people once lived. Young also name drops Marlon Brando, an avid activist for Native American rights during his lifetime. When he fantasizes about hanging out with Brando and Pocahontas, he doesn't seem to be particularly putting himself in league with them. Rather, he appears wistful about situations that, for reasons buried in our complicated past and out of his control, can never be.
Aurora borealis
The icy sky at night
Paddles cut the water
In a long and hurried flight
From the white man
to the fields of green
And the homeland
we've never seen.
They killed us in our tepee
And they cut our women down
They might have left some babies
Cryin' on the ground
But the firesticks
and the wagons come
And the night falls
on the setting sun.
They massacred the buffalo
Kitty corner from the bank
The taxis run across my feet
And my eyes have turned to blanks
In my little box
at the top of the stairs
With my Indian rug
and a pipe to share.
I wish a was a trapper
I would give thousand pelts
To sleep with Pocahontas
And find out how she felt
In the mornin'
on the fields of green
In the homeland
we've never seen.
And maybe Marlon Brando
Will be there by the fire
We'll sit and talk of Hollywood
And the good things there for hire
And the Astrodome
and the first tepee
Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and me
Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and me
Pocahontas.
The icy sky at night
Paddles cut the water
In a long and hurried flight
From the white man
to the fields of green
And the homeland
we've never seen.
They killed us in our tepee
And they cut our women down
They might have left some babies
Cryin' on the ground
But the firesticks
and the wagons come
And the night falls
on the setting sun.
They massacred the buffalo
Kitty corner from the bank
The taxis run across my feet
And my eyes have turned to blanks
In my little box
at the top of the stairs
With my Indian rug
and a pipe to share.
I wish a was a trapper
I would give thousand pelts
To sleep with Pocahontas
And find out how she felt
In the mornin'
on the fields of green
In the homeland
we've never seen.
And maybe Marlon Brando
Will be there by the fire
We'll sit and talk of Hollywood
And the good things there for hire
And the Astrodome
and the first tepee
Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and me
Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and me
Pocahontas.
5. Anthrax - "Indians" Metal bands love the story of early American settlers wiping out the Natives. There's violence, evil, and the ability to summon the anger of the victims. It's the same reason they love religion. Anthrax interpreted this wrath in the track "Indians," a song whose moral is essentially, "we're being dicks to these guys." The band gets points for introducing its mid-song breakdown by yelling "War dance!"
We all see black and white
When it comes to someone else's fight
No one ever gets involved
Apathy can never solve
When it comes to someone else's fight
No one ever gets involved
Apathy can never solve
Forced out-brave and mighty
Stolen land-they can't fight it
Hold on-to pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
We're dissin' them
Stolen land-they can't fight it
Hold on-to pride and tradition
Even though they know how much their lives are really missin'
We're dissin' them
On reservations
A hopeless situation
Respect is something that you earn
Our Indian brothers' getting burned
Original American
Turned into second class citizen
A hopeless situation
Respect is something that you earn
Our Indian brothers' getting burned
Original American
Turned into second class citizen
Cry…
4. Manowar - "Spirit Horse Of The Cherokee" Manowar's variation in this theme, "Spirit Horse Of The Cherokee" is slightly more successful, if only because the band's version of Dungeons & Dragons metal fits well with Native American mysticism. Also, the song starts with a minute and a half of chants and flute, which is a minute and twenty seconds too long but respectable in its commitment.
The trail of tears began for all the Cherokee
The white men came to trade and borrow
But then they would not leave
Some of us were taken by boat, and died at sea
Those of us who lived were sold to slavery
The white men came to trade and borrow
But then they would not leave
Some of us were taken by boat, and died at sea
Those of us who lived were sold to slavery
We welcomed them as brothers, knowing nothing of their greed
Born hunters not the hunted, as the white man hunts for me
We are descendants of the animals we live among them free
Our trail of tears would end, one day at wounded knee
Born hunters not the hunted, as the white man hunts for me
We are descendants of the animals we live among them free
Our trail of tears would end, one day at wounded knee
Great spirit, thunder birds fly
We are wild and free
To fight and die by the open sky
Spirit horse ride for me
We are wild and free
To fight and die by the open sky
Spirit horse ride for me
When we do the ghost dance, the buffalo will return
Paint ourselves for war now blood and fire burn
Great spirit makes us strong, take us to the sky
The Cherokee are brave, we are not afraid to die
Paint ourselves for war now blood and fire burn
Great spirit makes us strong, take us to the sky
The Cherokee are brave, we are not afraid to die
Great spirit,…
3. The Stampeders - "Then Came The White Man" "Then Came The White Man" by The Stampeders is not only a fantastic slice of nearly-forgotten nearly-psychedelic pop, the chords and melody of its chorus are nearly identical to "Don't Fear The Reaper," which came out five years later.
No lyrics available
2. Iron Maiden - "Run To The Hills" I am not enough of a metal historian to know whether or not Iron Maiden invented what we now know as "the gallop," wherein a guitar plays a palm-muted "chug-chiga-chug" rhythm that simulates a horse trotting. I do know that in "Run To The Hills," Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson (speaking of "Don't Fear The Reaper"...) actually says the word "gallop" while the guitars are galloping, which is pretty awesome. The "galloping" Dickinson refers to is a horseback ass-hauling to get away from the pilgrims who are raping women, killing old people, and turning youngins into slaves. Apparently, they're also selling them whiskey. The lyrics aren't brilliant reflections on Native American plight, but it just so happens that "Run To The Hills" is one of Maiden's sweetest jams and probably the band's best vocal-heavy song.
White man came across the sea
He brought us pain and misery
He killed our tribes killed our creed
He took our game for his own need
He brought us pain and misery
He killed our tribes killed our creed
He took our game for his own need
We fought him hard we fought him well
Out on the plains we gave him hell
But many came too much for Cree
Oh will we ever be set free?
Out on the plains we gave him hell
But many came too much for Cree
Oh will we ever be set free?
Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children are cowards attack
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children are cowards attack
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Soldier blue in the barren wastes
Hunting and killing their game
Raping the women and wasting the men
The only good Indians are tame
Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old
Hunting and killing their game
Raping the women and wasting the men
The only good Indians are tame
Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old
Run to the hills, run for your lives
1. Paul Revere And The Raiders - "Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian)" "Indian Reservation" is the best song about manifest destiny because it comes off as anthemic rather than sympathetic. It's also the only one on this list that does not feature the phrase "white man" and have a potentially racist version on Indian war drums. The track speaks from the Cherokee perspective, which is a different breed of angry than the persona the aforementioned metal bands use. It's a quiet, calm angry that remains civil even when it bursts open on the chorus of "Cherokee nation / Cherokee tribe / So proud to live / So proud to die." There's no spite or revenge in these lyrics, but a sinister hope in the phrase "Cherokee nation will return," thereby making it also the only song that takes a step past "white man screwed Injuns." Seriously, this is a tricky topic, which is why I find songs that tackle it so fascinating. But there's a hidden mentality of "Sucks what our ancestors did to your people, but oh well" in some of these tracks. I can't imagine Scott Ian from Anthrax is losing sleep over the extinction of the buffalo. "Indian Reservation" is remarkable for its ability to be direct and inoffensive on a touchy issue while still being a fun song to sing along to. Yes, there's irony in this song being done by a band named after Paul Revere, but like so many before us when dealing with the subject of Native American cruelty, we'll just look the other way.
They took the whole Cherokee nation
Put us on this reservation
Took away our ways of life
The tomahawk and the bow and knife
Took away our native tongue
And taught their English to our young
And all the beads we made by hand
Are nowadays made in Japan
Put us on this reservation
Took away our ways of life
The tomahawk and the bow and knife
Took away our native tongue
And taught their English to our young
And all the beads we made by hand
Are nowadays made in Japan
Cherokee people
Cherokee tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
Cherokee tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
They took the whole Indian nation
Locked us on this reservation
Though I wear a shirt and tie
I'm still part redman deep inside
Locked us on this reservation
Though I wear a shirt and tie
I'm still part redman deep inside
Cherokee people
Cherokee tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
Cherokee tribe
So proud to live
So proud to die
But maybe someday when they learn
Cherokee nation will return, will return
Will return, will return, will return
Cherokee nation will return, will return
Will return, will return, will return
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