Blackfoot Lyrics

There was a time when the peoples here were at peace

So let me describe it to you if it were all in cerise

Now prepare for the present to fade and cease

And just for a brief history lesson

Living in their own heaven

Blackfoot was there with 'em

He was only an ordinary man

With a family in the southeast

The least he could do was wake

Support the kids and tribe, never took a break

He lived there in a community with his comrades

Been there for generations before the settling nomads

When they came they called him Indian

In Tsalagi, he said he was called Aniyunwiya

That meant he was a leader

One in the Cherokee nation when

Everybody was claiming, everyone was taking

But worst of all, said it was given by god

And that morning his people told they were outlawed

Blackfoot thought it was odd

Right there being rounded up

May 28, 1830- All feeling drub

Indian Removal Act passed- surely wasn't fair

Jackson celebrating in his chair

And Blackfoot could foresee the events to come

And as he presumed the president said

The evil savages in our holy land

Would be pushed away

It wasn't long before they came for them

Telling them, to move all out west

Being forced to pack up light

The people couldn't even bring animals

Even to help with the load

Telling them to start heading down the road

And as confusion filled the tribe

They all asked where they'd be going

Blackfoot didn't wanna lie

He said the US thinks that we're the bad guy

So we have to live in a place called a reservation

Away from the land where we laid our nation

Don't stare at the militias

They might start getting suspicious

If you're gonna run away

'Cause they'll shoot and put you on display

They had no choice but to leave their home

Though it didn't make sense they complied

He said someday we'll go back home

Someday, someday

So now they're in a crowd with no space around 'em

But they could only keep marching on

From horseback the soldiers rode

Blackfoot had to carry a large load

He was just very mad and

Wanted to run away at the first chance he had but

He didn't want to lose his family

So he kept pushing on

Sadly it wasn't long before tragedy

His son got sick, his daughter passed

Illegal immigrants

In their own damn land what for

Time passed and they finally arrived in strife

He wondered how they'd rebuild their life

Had to stay on the reservation

But without hesitation

Some men went out of their for hopes of something

But it was certain when they didn't return

That they'd been shot and killed by an American

Feeling unfulfilled

Nations of tribes rebuilt destroyed

By colonial invaders feeling annoyed

Or the power of natural force

They'd been moved to tornadoes' course

Generations later, told they could go back home

Just had to change their life

Reeducated, taught to speak English

Work secularly and worship their god

With Blackfoot's family feeling alone

His son went back and saw his home

These people had tore it away

And built a city a steel where it used to lay

Wanted to fit in without losing his heritage

But they all called him a heretic

He said someday I will be okay

Someday

"Now the names have been changed but the story's true"

My father's family was a branch of of the Sioux

The people's there were my ancestors peers

And they called it the Trail of Tears