Music and Lyric Form
The music is in a minor key, with sustained minor chords ending each phrase in the primary melody, while the electronic organ holds the melody line through a slow musical turn (turning of related notes) which ends each phrase, and emphasizes the ominous minor chords. Underneath the slow, paced melody, is a rhythmic, low "drum beat" in double-time, constantly, relentlessly pushing to follow along, but the melody continues its slow, deliberate pace above the drum beat.
Below are partial lyrics from the Raiders' version:
-
- They took the whole Indian nation,
- Locked us on this reservation
- . . .
- Took away our native tongue,
- And taught their English to our young
- . . .
-
- Cherokee people! Cherokee tribe! -
- So proud to live, so proud to die
-
- . . .
- Though I wear a shirt and tie,
- I'm still part redman deep inside...
The lyrics vary somewhat among the recorded versions. Rainwater's version omits the "Cherokee people!" chorus but includes instead a series of "Hiya hiya ho!" chants. Fardon's version is similar to the Raiders' through the first verse and chorus, but differs in the second verse, which includes the lines "Altho' they changed our ways of old/They'll never change our heart and soul", also found in Rainwater's version. Rainwater includes some of the elements found in the other versions in a different order, and his first verse has words not found in the others, such as "They put our papoose in a crib/and took the buck skin from our rib".
At the end, where the Raiders sing "...Cherokee nation will return", Fardon says "Cherokee Indian...", while Rainwater omits the line and ends with "beads...nowadays made in Japan." In addition, Fardon sings the line: "no more tepees anymore", not used in the Raiders' version.
Read more about this topic: Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian)
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