Popcorn Songs

I doubt this is historically accurate, but then, it wasn't meant to be. It was based on impressions I got from flipping through an American Indian History book in the library. It was one of the songs I wrote while in BBH, but it didn't really fit the personality of the band.


There are the soldiers
Intolerant of their foes
Correcting our opinions
On what we think we know

They teach the children
Cowboys and Indians
Learn to shoot a guy, boy
And wear our uniform

They are accepting donations
To the general's war fund
For protection of children
From the native pagans

There is the federal marshall
Telling Indians have slaughtered
Fathers, wives, sons and daughters
As they tried to run

And he swears he saw Cochise

There are Apache
Strong on hunting bows
It's only where they point them
That the general can't condone

But when the reserves of land fell
To muskets of men
Crying eminent domain
He raised his spear to battle
Turned his hatchet to scalping
Painted lines upon his face

But there are no pictures of Cochise
Only generals' right-hands
Only sepia white men
Put to black and white

There are uniformed soldiers
With their feet upon barrels
Bearing wounds made with arrows
Who stole from the fight

To claim they killed Cochise

There are the bodies
Strewn about cacti
Wondering whether they'll die
With prickers in their sides

Then are the generals
Dividing what they've won
Deciding what the people
Should know about what's been done

So there are no pictures of Cochise
Only general's right-hands
Only sepia white men
Put to black and white

There are uniformed soldiers
With their feet upon barrels
Bearing wounds made with arrows
Who stole from the fight

To claim they killed Cochise

Labels: songs