Lyrics

THE BATTLE OF THE GREASY GRASS
© 2005 Stephen M. Baird, M.D.

Out west on the Greasy Grass, the people?s village grew -
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse and Gall?s Hunkpapa Sioux.
Seven thousand people strong, one summer long ago,
Living in ancestral ways where rapid waters flow.

Then Custer?s men came riding west with rifles and long knives
To drive them from their prairie homes and their accustomed lives;
To live on reservations so the whites could take the land;
To die on reservations, unless they took a stand.

Chorus:
The people cried and three great men gave answer to their call -
The Man of visions - Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse and Gall.

A Vision came to Sitting Bull, the white man?s troops would die.
Sitting Bull said he saw white troops falling from the sky.
Custer?s troops were close at hand - were they what his dream meant?
When they came, would his dream prove from hell or heaven sent?

Then Custer found the people?s tents and he refused to wait
For promised reinforcements, so he charged and met his fate.
Brave warriors of the people all hit him from every side.
The sun moved just one lodge pole and Custer?s men all died.

Instrumental solo: Garryowen phrase (Custer?s marching song)

Soon, on the northeast river bank a monument arose
To mark the place George Custer fell; a hero we suppose.
Five companies died with him, but to most they?re nameless now;
Men who would scar the country for gold or with the plow.

We don?t hear much of heroes - those who won the fight that day,
Warriors of the people passing time has borne away.
But when we pushed the people off of their ancestral land,
Out-gunned, out-manned, they fought us, and on that day made a stand.

Chorus:
With Sitting Bull, their leader, and with Crazy Horse and Gall
They fought for their own homeland and on that day, they stood tall.

Coda:
Ta-tanka Iyo-ta-ka, Ta-shun-ca U-it-co, Pizi.
(Sitting Bull) (Crazy horse) (Gall)