DT update; Now that the Buffalo's Gone

18 Jan 99 - 07:49 AM (#54669)
Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: NOW THAT THE BUFFALO'S GONE
From: Felipa

There are some question marks in the transcription on the DT. The song is published in "Rise up Singing", so I answer the questions from that publication, being under the impression that it is the Mudcatter's bible (even though it doesn't give musical notation). See the bracketed comments.

NOW THAT THE BUFFALO'S GONE
(Buffy Sainte Marie)
C G
Can you remember the times
C
That you have held your head high?
F C
And told all your friends of your Indian friends [should be "of your Indian blood"]
G C
Proud good lady and proud good man,
F C
Your great great grandfather from Indian blood sprang
D D7 G G7
And you feel in your heart for these ones

Oh it's written in books and in song (plurals differ)
That we've been mistreated and wronged (?)[RUS agrees]
Well over and over I hear the same words
From you, good lady, and you, good man
Well listen to me if you care where we stand
And you feel you're a part of these ones

When a war between nations is lost
The loser, we know, pays the cost
But even when Germany fell to your hands [The DT could well be right; RUS says 'felt your hand']
Consider, dear lady, consider, dear man, [RUS says 'good lady, good man' - no big difference]
You left them their pride and you left them their land
And what have you done to these ones? ['FOR these ones']

Has a change come about Uncle Sam
Or are you still taking our lands?
The treaty forever George Washington signed ['A treaty...'}
He did, dear lady, he did, dear man,
And the treaty's been broken by ? ? ? ['by Kinzua Dam']
And what will you do to these ones?

Oh it's all in the past you might say ['might' = 'can'; again no big deal]
But it's still going on here today
The government now wants ??? land ['the Iroquois land]
That of the ?? and the Cheyenne ['the Seneca and the Cheyenne']
It's here and it's now you must help us dear men, ['dear man' - rhymes with Cheyenne!]
Now that the buffalo's gone.

copyright 1965 Gypsy Boy Music, Inc. RUS obtained permission both from the author and the publisher. The song is on several of Buffy St Marie's albums - "It's My Way", "Best of...", "Native N American Child", "I'm Gonna Be a Country Girl". Published in 'Sing Out' 19:3, "Great Folk Songs of the 60s", 2Children's Songs for a Friendly Planet", "Here's to the Women".

Can any Mudcatter fill us in with more detail on the Kinzua Dam dispute?

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18 Jan 99 - 02:51 PM (#54700)
Subject: RE: DT update; Now that the Buffalo's Gone
From: Gene

Johnny Cash recorded
As Long As The Grass Shall Grow
Peter La Farge's tale of
the plight of the Seneca Indians
and the story of Kinzua Dam


* CLICK HERE *

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19 Jan 99 - 02:15 PM (#54759)
Subject: RE: DT update; Now that the Buffalo's Gone
From: Joe Offer

Rise Up Singing the "Mudcatteer's Bible? Whoa!!! Them's fightin' words for a lot of folks around here, Felipa. Still and all, some of us think it is a pretty goood publication. I do believe the lyrics in the database are a bit flawed, so it's a good thing you posted the correct lyrics.
A Yahoo Search brings up a number of sites with information about the Kinzua Dam near the Cornplanter Indian Reservation in northern Pannsylvania.
-Joe Offer-

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29 Sep 09 - 03:30 AM (#2733843)
Subject: Lyr Add: NOW THAT THE BUFFALO'S GONE (Sainte-Marie
From: macaddict01

Now That The Buffalo's Gone
© Buffy Sainte-Marie

Can you remember the times
That you have held your head high
and told all your friends of your Indian claim
Proud good lady and proud good man
Some great great grandfather from Indian blood came
and you feel in your heart for these ones

Oh it's written in books and in song
that we've been mistreated and wronged
Well over and over I hear those same words
from you good lady and you good man
Well listen to me if you care where we stand
and you feel you're a part of these ones

When a war between nations is lost
the loser we know pays the cost
but even when Germany fell to your hands
consider dear lady, consider dear man
you left them their pride and you left them their land
and what have you done to these ones

Has a change come about my dear man
or are you still taking our lands
A treaty forever your senators sign
They do dear lady, they do dear man
and the treaties are broken again and again
and what will you do for these ones

Oh it's all in the past you can say
but it's still going on here today
The governments now want the Navaho land
that of the Inuit and the Cheyenne
It's here and it's now you can help us dear man
Now that the buffalo's gone.

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