Song Of The Nez Perce

Song Of The Nez Perce
Lenny Anderson

Cm Cm7 Cm Cm7

Chorus
CmSoar Like The Eagl E,  A#Dive Like The Hawk
A#Listen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
CmListen To The MountaiCm7ns TCmalkCm7.

Verse
CmIn The High Wallowa Valley, TA#he Nez Perce People LCmived
CmThey Took The Game, The Fish And Roots, The A#Things That Nature CmGives
And They MoD#ved WGmith The CmSeasons, FD#or A GmMilleniaCm Or More.
And They FoD#ught When They Had TA#o Fight,
For They Knew The Way OCmf War

CmThen The White Men Came, Lewis And Clark, And A#The MissionarieCms Too.
CmFollowed By Hungry Miners, AnA#d Scoundrels Selling BCmooze.
And The TroubD#les, GmThey Were CmBound To ComeD#, As GmThey HadCm Come Before.
But ThD#e Nez Perce Said They’d NA#ever Shed
The White Man’s Blood In CmWar.

CmSettlers Come From Over The Hill, For A#A Place To Call TheirCm Own
CmPassing The Poles Old Joseph Left To Mark The A#Borders Of His CmHomeland
And The TreaD#ty RiGmghts Of ThCme Nez Perce, D#The SGmimply DiCmd Ignore,
YD#oung Joseph Said, WA#e Want Peace Not War.

CmFor 10 Long Years, The Settlers Came, A#Despite The Nez Perce PCmleas,
CmThey Came And Went, And They Grazed ThA#eir Stock, Just Where And When They PlCmeased.
UnD#til AGm Young WarriorCm Was Shot Down, ThD#ey SaGmid He StCmole A Horse.
YoD#ung Joseph CalmeA#d His Men,
 Saying "We Don’t Want WCmar”

CmThough They Never Signed That Treaty, A#That Robbed Them Of Their LCmands.
CmThe Army Come And It Ordered Them, TheA#ir Camps There To DiCmsband
AnD#d WitGmh SpringCms Rising Rivers, TD#hey HGmad 30 DaCmys, No More
BuD#t Jospeh Said They Would A#Comply, ‘Cause They Did Not WanCmt War.

Chorus
CmSoar Like The Eagl E,  DA#ive Like The Hawk
A#Listen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
CListen To The Mountains Cm7TalkCm.  Cm7​

Verse
CmYoung Warriors Rode, In The Night, AngA#ry With The White Man’s CmGreed.
CmIn The Salmon River Settlements, They A#Left Some Whites To BleedCm.
And ND#ow ThGmere Was NoCm Turning Back, D#They’Gmd PassedCm Through A One Way Door.
AnD#d With The Army In PursuiA#t, The Nez Perce Geared For WCmar.

CmAt White Bird And Clear Water, They TuA#rned Back The Calvary ChaCmrge.
CmAnd Other Bands Joined The  Fight, TheA# Rebeliion Did EnlCmarge
And In ArmD#ed ReGmtreat ThCmrough Lolo Pass, To TheD# BittGmer Root CmVallely Floor
FoD#r Their Women And Their CA#hildren, The Nez Perce Fought This CmWar.

CmIn The Early Dawn At Big Hole, SoldierA#s Surprised Them In Their SlCmeep.
CmThey Fought Back In Desperation, But Now TA#hey Had More Cause To WeCmep.
For MD#any BGmraves Were CmLost That Day, And TheD# Nez PerceGm Hearts WeCmre Sore.
FoD#r They Won The Fight, But RA#esumed Their Flight,  ‘Cause The Could Not Win ThiCms War

CmSo On They Fled To Yellowstone, The CoA#untry Of The CrCmow.
CmA People Who Had Once Been Friends NowA# Scouted For Their FCmoes
Then NoD#rth AGmcross MoCmntana, TowardD# CanaGmda’s PeaCmceful Shore
FoD#r Only In That Northern LA#and, Could They Escape This WCmar

CmThey Were One Days Ride From Safety, IA#n The Great Queen Mother’s LCmand.
CmAt Lonely Bear’s Paw Mountain, They MaA#de Their Final StCmand.
They Were CauD#ght IGmn ClosinCmg Jaw,  OfD# ArmiGmes Of A CmHundred Score
AnD#d Joseph Said, Holding HiA#gh His Head.
We Will Fight Not MoCmre,  Forever.

Chorus
CmSoar Like The Eagl E,  A#Dive Like The Hawk
A#Listen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
CListen To The Mountains Cm7TalkCm.  Cm7​

Verse
CmNow Promises Were Made That Day, A HunA#dred Years ACmgo
CmThat The Nez Perce Could Return Again To TA#heir Lands In ICmdaho
But StiD#ll They LaGmnguish ECmxiles, AndD# Still Their GmHearts ACmre Sore.
ViD#ctims Of Our A#Forefathers   Genocidal CmWar

Chorus
CmSoar Like The Eagl E,  A#Dive Like The Hawk
A#Listen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
CListen To The Mountains TalkCm   Cm7    Cm   Cm7    Cm​
SCmoar Like The Eagl E,  A#Dive Like The Hawk
A#Listen To The Drums Of The Nez Perce People
CListen To The Mountains TaCmlk.Cm7​

Cm Cm7 Cm Cm7