Legacy Lyrics

It was a professional game played at Massillon, Ohio and Rockne was on

The Massillon Tigers and I was on the Canton Bulldogs. And he played left

End and I was playing left halfback. Consequently, I had to go around his

End. And he slipped through and tackled me for a couple yard losses. And I said

"That a boy rock.' I said, 'you're doing fine but,' I said, 'look at the people

Come up here to see old Jim run. How about letting old Jim run?' And he said

'Well if you think you can get away with that,' he said, 'I'd like to see it.' So the next

Time I carried the ball around, I hit him in the side of the head with my knee

Spindled off for a 60-yard touchdown and on the point after touchdown, why

Here come Rock with a player under each arm, all wetted down with a sponge

And I walked up and patted him on the shoulder and said, 'that a boy, Rock

You let old Jim run, didn't you

His momma was a matriarch, Mother of eleven born

Poppa was a patriarch, worked on the farm he was big and strong

Momma's name was Charlotte Vieux, Potawatomi Menominee and Kickapoo

Poppa's name was Hiram Thorpe, a Sac and Fox and Irish dude

Excuse my muse I excused her French, mom didn't raise him to be warming bench

Descendants of the trail of death survival flowing in her skin

No wonder why he played to win, Hiram built his blaze within

Thunder Clan related them to Black Hawk a true chief of men

The first to join Tecumseh and the last to fight in his region when

Keokuk sat down and gave right in, Hiram made a point to relay this to Jim

Toughened Jim up when he played with him, taught him how to hunt and till the land

Hiram looked like Black Hawk's twin, a highly respected and fearless man

One of few in his tribe who could read & write said you need an education to beat the whites

Vowed that his kids would be smarter than him, beat his competition in sports and fights

Legend has it he'd frequent Keokuk Falls

Seven deadly saloons, bootlegging drunk and heeding calls

Witnessed a drunken gun fight the victim was sunken this night

The victor was brolic unruly thinking, no one could shoot me

And said, who can disprove me then heard, boy you behoove me

And saw, his fear inducing in form of Hiram removing

Himself from his seat to prove it, he put his finger in the deceased

Man's wound and licked it clear.. I'm sorry Hiram, I didn't know you was here