"Indian Reservation" ("The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian") is a song written by John D. Loudermilk. It was first recorded in in 1959 by Marvin Rainwater, and released as "The Pale Faced Indian". Rainwater's MGM-release stayed unnoticed. The first hit version was a cover of 1968 by Don Fardon, a former member of The Sorrows and it went to #20 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #3 on the UK Singles Chart [1]. In 1971 Paul Revere & the Raiders released it on the Columbia Records label and it became #1 on the U.S. chart [2]. The RIAA gold certification followed on 30 June 1971, for selling over a million copies. The song was later further covered by the Orlando Riva Sound. A 1994 Country / Western song by Tim McGraw, Indian Outlaw, opens with part of the main "Cherokee People" chorus from Indian Reservation. The live version also uses the full chorus near the end of the song.
Contents |
Historical context
The song refers to the forcible removal and relocation of Cherokee people from southeastern states of the United States to territories west of the Mississippi River. This removal in the 1830s has been popularly referred to as the "Trail of Tears." It followed the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This action was part of a larger United States policy of Indian Removal.
Music and lyric form
The song lyrics are under copyright from 1971; however, some excerpts can be explained in technical analysis, under the 1961 fair-use citation of the US Copyright Act (title 17, U. S. Code). [1] The music is in a minor key, with sustained minor chords ending each phrase in the primary melody, while the electronic organ holds the melody line through a slow musical turn (turning of related notes) which ends each phrase, and emphasizes the ominous minor chords. Underneath the slow, paced melody, is a rhythmic, low "drum beat" in double-time, constantly, relentlessly pushing to follow along, but the melody continues its slow, deliberate pace above the drum beat. Below are partial lyrics [2] from Indian Reservation, noting the singer's role in the performance (below, omitted words are shown as "..."):
-
- Mark Lindsay: They took the whole Cherokee nation,
- Put us on this reservation
- . . .
- Took away our native tongue,
- And taught ... English to our young [2]
- . . .
- [ CHORUS ]
- Cherokee people! Cherokee tribe! - [sung as shouting]
- So proud to live, so proud to die [2]
- . . .
- Mark Lindsay: Though I wear a shirt and tie,
- I'm still part redman deep inside...
- [ ...remainder omitted due to copyright... ]
The melodic line then repeats with different verses. The overall effect is very dramatic, while seeming ominous and sad throughout the entire song.[3]
| Preceded by "It's Too Late / I Feel the Earth Move" by Carole King |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single by The Raiders July 24, 1971 |
Succeeded by "You've Got a Friend" by James Taylor |
Notes
- ^ "U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use" (legal notes), cites US Copyright Act (title 17, U. S. Code), Section 107, U.S. Copyright Office, webpage: CRgov-f1102. The 1961 Report of the Register of Copyrights on the General Revision of the U.S. Copyright Law cites examples for fair-use excerpts: "quotation of excerpts in a review or criticism for purposes of illustration or comment; quotation of short passages in a scholarly or technical work, for illustration or clarification of the author's observations."
- ^ a b c "Paul Revere Indian Reservation Lyrics" (complete), Lyrics Hornet, webpage: http://www.lyricshornet.com/134861/Paul-Revere-Indian-Reservation-Lyrics PRevere-IndReserv].
- ^ "The Open Mind of John D. Loudermilk" (review), Tom Useted, April 2007, webpage: PMatters-loudermilk: describes song as "effectively ominous" (2nd paragraph).
