Big Foot lyrics

[Intro spoken by Johnny Cash]

But the land was already claimed by a people

When the cowboy came and when the soldiers came

The story of the American Indian is in a lot of ways

A story of tragedy, like that day at Wounded Knee, South Dakota

Big Foot was an Indian chief

Of the Minneconjou band

A band of Minneconjou Sioux

From South Dakota land

Big Foot said to Custer

"Stay away from Crazy Horse"

But Custer crossed into Sioux land

And he never came back across

Then Big Foot led his people

To a place called Wounded Knee

And they found themselves surrounded

By the 7th Cavalry

Big chief Big Foot

Rise up from your bed

Minneconjou babies cry

For their mothers lying dead

Big Foot was down with a fever

When he reached Wounded Knee

And his people all were prisoners

Of the 7th Cavalry

Two hundred women and children

And another hundred men

Raised up a white flag of peace

But peace did not begin

An accidental gunshot

And Big Foot was first to die

And over the noise of the rifles

You could hear the babies cry

Big chief Big Foot

It's good that you can't see

Revenge is being wrought

By Custer's 7th Cavalry

Then smoke hung over the canyon

On that cold December day

All was death and dying

Around where Big Foot lay

Farther on up the canyon

Some had tried to run and hide

But death showed no favourites

Women, men and children died

One side called it a massacre

The other a victory

But the white flag is still waving

Today at wounded Knee

Big chief Big Foot

Your Minneconjou band

Is more than remembered here

In South Dakota land