Land of the Navajo

(Peter Rowan)

Chorus:

Oh, the wind blows cold

On the trail of the buffalo

Oh, the wind blows cold

In the land of the Navajo

In the land of the Navajo

 

A hundred miles from nowhere out on the desert sand

One-eyed Jack the trader held some turquoise in his hand

And by his side sat Running Elk, his longtime Indian friend

He vowed he would stay by Jack 'til the bitter end

Jack had gambled everything he owned to lead this wandering life

He might have had a happy home or a tender loving wife

But his hunger was for tradin' trappers furs for turquoise stones

Anything the Indians had, Jack wanted for his own

 

Repeat Chorus

 

Said Jack to Running Elk, "I'd gamble all my precious stones

Before I'd leave my body here among these bleached bones

For now my time is drawing near and I'm filled with dark regret

My spirit longs to journey as the sun begins to set

 

We've raped and killed and stole your land, we ruled with guns and knives

Fed whiskey to your warriors while we stole away your wives"

Said Running Elk, "What's done is done, you white man rule this land

Won't you play your cards face up and lay your broken hearted hand."

 

Repeat Chorus

 

When you're dealin' cards of death, the joker's wild, the ace is high

Jack bet the Mississippi River, Running Elk raised him the sky

Jack saw him with the sun and moon and upped him with the stars

Running Elk bet the Rocky Mountains, Jupiter and Mars.

 

The sun was sinking in the west when Jack drew the ace of spades

Running Elk just rolled his eyes, smiled and passed away

Jack picked up his turquoise stones and cast them to the sky

Stared into the setting sun and made a mournful cry.

 

Repeat Chorus

 

 

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