Song Of The Nez Perce

Song Of The Nez Perce
Lenny Anderson

Gm Gm7 Gm Gm7

Chorus
GmSoar Like The Eagl E,  FDive Like The Hawk
FListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
GmListen To The MountaiGm7ns TGmalkGm7.

Verse
GmIn The High Wallowa Valley, TFhe Nez Perce People GmLived
GmThey Took The Game, The Fish And Roots, The FThings That NatureGm Gives
And They MoA#ved WDmith The GmSeasons, FA#or A DmMilleniaGm Or More.
And They FoA#ught When They Had TFo Fight,
For They Knew The Way OGmf War

GmThen The White Men Came, Lewis And Clark, And FThe MissionariGmes Too.
GmFollowed By Hungry Miners, AnFd Scoundrels Selling GmBooze.
And The TroubA#les, DmThey Were GmBound To ComeA#, As DmThey HadGm Come Before.
But ThA#e Nez Perce Said They’d NFever Shed
The White Man’s Blood In GmWar.

GmSettlers Come From Over The Hill, For FA Place To Call TheiGmr Own
GmPassing The Poles Old Joseph Left To Mark The FBorders Of HisGm Homeland
And The TreaA#ty RiDmghts Of ThGme Nez Perce, A#The SDmimply DiGmd Ignore,
YA#oung Joseph Said, WFe Want Peace Not War.

GmFor 10 Long Years, The Settlers Came, FDespite The Nez Perce GmPleas,
GmThey Came And Went, And They Grazed ThFeir Stock, Just Where And When They PGmleased.
UnA#til ADm Young WarriorGm Was Shot Down, ThA#ey SaDmid He StGmole A Horse.
YoA#ung Joseph CalmeFd His Men,
 Saying "We Don’t Want WGmar”

GmThough They Never Signed That Treaty, FThat Robbed Them Of Their GmLands.
GmThe Army Come And It Ordered Them, TheFir Camps There To DGmisband
AnA#d WitDmh SpringGms Rising Rivers, TA#hey HDmad 30 DaGmys, No More
BuA#t Jospeh Said They Would FComply, ‘Cause They Did Not WaGmnt War.

Chorus
GmSoar Like The Eagl E,  DFive Like The Hawk
FListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
GListen To The Mountains Gm7TalkGm.  Gm7​

Verse
GmYoung Warriors Rode, In The Night, AngFry With The White Man’sGm Greed.
GmIn The Salmon River Settlements, They FLeft Some Whites To BleeGmd.
And NA#ow ThDmere Was NoGm Turning Back, A#They’Dmd PassedGm Through A One Way Door.
AnA#d With The Army In PursuiFt, The Nez Perce Geared For GmWar.

GmAt White Bird And Clear Water, They TuFrned Back The Calvary ChGmarge.
GmAnd Other Bands Joined The  Fight, TheF Rebeliion Did EnGmlarge
And In ArmA#ed ReDmtreat ThGmrough Lolo Pass, To TheA# BittDmer Root GmVallely Floor
FoA#r Their Women And Their CFhildren, The Nez Perce Fought ThisGm War.

GmIn The Early Dawn At Big Hole, SoldierFs Surprised Them In Their SGmleep.
GmThey Fought Back In Desperation, But Now TFhey Had More Cause To WGmeep.
For MA#any BDmraves Were GmLost That Day, And TheA# Nez PerceDm Hearts WeGmre Sore.
FoA#r They Won The Fight, But RFesumed Their Flight,  ‘Cause The Could Not Win ThGmis War

GmSo On They Fled To Yellowstone, The CoFuntry Of The CGmrow.
GmA People Who Had Once Been Friends NowF Scouted For Their GmFoes
Then NoA#rth ADmcross MoGmntana, TowardA# CanaDmda’s PeaGmceful Shore
FoA#r Only In That Northern LFand, Could They Escape This GmWar

GmThey Were One Days Ride From Safety, IFn The Great Queen Mother’s GmLand.
GmAt Lonely Bear’s Paw Mountain, They MaFde Their Final SGmtand.
They Were CauA#ght IDmn ClosinGmg Jaw,  OfA# ArmiDmes Of A GmHundred Score
AnA#d Joseph Said, Holding HiFgh His Head.
We Will Fight Not MoGmre,  Forever.

Chorus
GmSoar Like The Eagl E,  FDive Like The Hawk
FListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
GListen To The Mountains Gm7TalkGm.  Gm7​

Verse
GmNow Promises Were Made That Day, A HunFdred Years GmAgo
GmThat The Nez Perce Could Return Again To TFheir Lands In GmIdaho
But StiA#ll They LaDmnguish EGmxiles, AndA# Still Their DmHearts AGmre Sore.
ViA#ctims Of Our FForefathers   GenocidalGm War

Chorus
GmSoar Like The Eagl E,  FDive Like The Hawk
FListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
GListen To The Mountains TalkGm   Gm7    Gm   Gm7    Gm​
SGmoar Like The Eagl E,  FDive Like The Hawk
FListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
GListen To The Mountains TaGmlk.Gm7​

Gm Gm7 Gm Gm7