Song Of The Nez Perce

Song Of The Nez Perce
Lenny Anderson

Am Am7 Am Am7

Chorus
AmSoar Like The Eagl E,  GDive Like The Hawk
GListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
AmListen To The MountaiAm7ns TAmalkAm7.

Verse
AmIn The High Wallowa Valley, TGhe Nez Perce People AmLived
AmThey Took The Game, The Fish And Roots, The GThings That NatureAm Gives
And They MoCved EmWith TheAm Seasons, CFor EmA MillenAmia Or More.
And They FoCught When They Had GTo Fight,
For They Knew The Way OAmf War

AmThen The White Men Came, Lewis And Clark, And GThe MissionariAmes Too.
AmFollowed By Hungry Miners, AnGd Scoundrels Selling AmBooze.
And The TroubCles,Em They WereAm Bound To ComCe, AEms They HAmad Come Before.
But ThCe Nez Perce Said They’d GNever Shed
The White Man’s Blood In AmWar.

AmSettlers Come From Over The Hill, For GA Place To Call TheiAmr Own
AmPassing The Poles Old Joseph Left To Mark The GBorders Of HisAm Homeland
And The TreaCty REmights Of TAmhe Nez Perce,C TheEm Simply AmDid Ignore,
YCoung Joseph Said, GWe Want Peace Not War.

AmFor 10 Long Years, The Settlers Came, GDespite The Nez Perce AmPleas,
AmThey Came And Went, And They Grazed ThGeir Stock, Just Where And When They PAmleased.
UnCtil EmA Young WarrioAmr Was Shot Down, TChey EmSaid He AmStole A Horse.
YoCung Joseph CalmGed His Men,
 Saying "We Don’t Want WAmar”

AmThough They Never Signed That Treaty, GThat Robbed Them Of Their AmLands.
AmThe Army Come And It Ordered Them, TheGir Camps There To DAmisband
AnCd WiEmth SprinAmgs Rising Rivers, CTheyEm Had 30 AmDays, No More
BuCt Jospeh Said They WouldG Comply, ‘Cause They Did Not WAmant War.

Chorus
AmSoar Like The Eagl E,  DGive Like The Hawk
GListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
AListen To The Mountains Am7TalkAm.  Am7​

Verse
AmYoung Warriors Rode, In The Night, AngGry With The White Man’sAm Greed.
AmIn The Salmon River Settlements, They GLeft Some Whites To BleeAmd.
And NCow TEmhere Was NAmo Turning Back,C TheEmy’d PassAmed Through A One Way Door.
AnCd With The Army In PursuGit, The Nez Perce Geared ForAm War.

AmAt White Bird And Clear Water, They TuGrned Back The Calvary ChAmarge.
AmAnd Other Bands Joined The  Fight, TheG Rebeliion Did EnAmlarge
And In ArmCed REmetreat TAmhrough Lolo Pass, To ThCe BiEmtter RooAmt Vallely Floor
FoCr Their Women And Their GChildren, The Nez Perce Fought ThiAms War.

AmIn The Early Dawn At Big Hole, SoldierGs Surprised Them In Their SAmleep.
AmThey Fought Back In Desperation, But Now TGhey Had More Cause To WAmeep.
For MCany EmBraves WereAm Lost That Day, And ThCe Nez PerEmce Hearts AmWere Sore.
FoCr They Won The Fight, But GResumed Their Flight,  ‘Cause The Could Not Win TAmhis War

AmSo On They Fled To Yellowstone, The CoGuntry Of The CAmrow.
AmA People Who Had Once Been Friends NowG Scouted For Their AmFoes
Then NoCrth EmAcross MAmontana, TowarCd CaEmnada’s PAmeaceful Shore
FoCr Only In That Northern GLand, Could They Escape ThisAm War

AmThey Were One Days Ride From Safety, IGn The Great Queen Mother’s AmLand.
AmAt Lonely Bear’s Paw Mountain, They MaGde Their Final SAmtand.
They Were CauCght EmIn ClosiAmng Jaw,  OCf ArEmmies Of AmA Hundred Score
AnCd Joseph Said, Holding HGigh His Head.
We Will Fight Not MoAmre,  Forever.

Chorus
AmSoar Like The Eagl E,  GDive Like The Hawk
GListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
AListen To The Mountains Am7TalkAm.  Am7​

Verse
AmNow Promises Were Made That Day, A HunGdred Years AmAgo
AmThat The Nez Perce Could Return Again To TGheir Lands In AmIdaho
But StiCll They LEmanguish AmExiles, AnCd Still TheiEmr HeartsAm Are Sore.
ViCctims Of OurG Forefathers   GenocidaAml War

Chorus
AmSoar Like The Eagl E,  GDive Like The Hawk
GListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
AListen To The Mountains TalkAm   Am7    Am   Am7    Am​
SAmoar Like The Eagl E,  GDive Like The Hawk
GListen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
AListen To The Mountains TaAmlk.Am7​

Am Am7 Am Am7