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