Drums

From the Indian reservation

To the governmental middle school

Well they're goin' to educate me

To the white men's Golden Rule

And I'm learning very quickly

For I've learned to be ashamed

And I come when they call Billy

Though I've got an Indian name

And there are drums beyond the mountain

Indian drums that you can't hear

There are drums beyond the mountain

And they're getting mighty near

And when they think that they'd changed me

Cut my hair to meet their needs

Will they think I'm white or Indian

Quarter blood or just half breed

Let me tell you Mr. teacher

When you say you'll make me right

In five hundred years of fighting

Not one Indian turned white

And there are drums beyond the mountain

Indian drums that you can't hear

There are drums beyond the mountain

And they're getting mighty near

Well you thought that I knew nothing

When you brought me here to school

Just another empty Indian just America's first fool

But now I can tell you stories

That are burnt and dried and old

But in the shadow of their telling

Walks the thunder proud and bold

And there are drums beyond the mountain

Indian drums that you can't hear

There are drums beyond the mountain

And they're getting mighty near

Long Pine and Sequoia

Handsome Lake and Sitting Bull

There's Magnus Colorado

With his sleeves so red and full

Crazy Horse the legend

Those who bit off Custer's soul

They are dead yet they are living

With the great Geronimo

And there are drums beyond the mountain

Indian drums that you can't hear

There are drums beyond the mountain

And they're getting mighty near

Well you may teach me this land's hist'ry

But we taught it to you first

We broke your hearts and bent your journeys

Broken treaties left us cursed

Even now you have to cheat us

Even though you this us tame

In our losing we found proudness

In your winning you found shame

And there are drums beyond the mountain

Indian drums that you can't hear

There are drums beyond the mountain

And they're getting mighty near