Lyrics: Drums

From the Indian reservation to the governmental 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
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

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
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

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
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

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
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