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Thread: Grisman - Land of the Navajo

  1. #1
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    Hello, Anyone know where I can find the words and tab for this song. I think that is the name of it. #It's on the Old and in the way album. Thanks for any help. #2 strings
    That's just the scales, The fish comes later !

  2. #2
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    here's the words, can't find tab on this. you might do a search on Tab for Peter Rowan. good luck...

    Land of the Navajo

    Peter Rowan

    Oh, the wind blows cold, on the trail of the buffalo
    Oh, the wind blows cold, in the land of the Navajo
    In the land of the Navajo

    A hundred miles from nowhere out on the desert sand
    One-eyed Jack, the trader, held some turquoise in his hand
    He bought his sights from Running Elk, his long-time Indian friend
    He vowed that he would stay by Jack until the bitter end

    Jack had gambled everything he owned to lead this wandering life
    He might've had a happy home and a tender loving wife
    But his hunger was for trading trapper's furs for turquoise stone
    Anything that the Indians had, Jack wanted for his own

    Chorus

    Said Jack to Running Elk, I'll gamble all my precious stones
    Before I leave my body here among these bleaching bones
    But now my time is drawing near and I'm filled with dark regrets
    My spirit longs to journey as the sun begins to set

    For we raped and killed, we stole your land
    We ruled with guns and knives
    Fed whiskey to your warriors while we stole away your wives
    Said Running Elk, what's done is done, you white men rule this land
    So lay the cards face up and play your last broken-hearted hand

    Chorus

    When you're dealing cards with death, the jokers wild, the aces high
    Jack bid the Mississippi River, Running Elk raised him the sky
    Jack saw him with the sun and moon and upped him with the stars
    Running Elk bet the Rocky Mountains, Jupiter, and Mars

    The sun was sinking in the west when Jack drew the ace of spades
    Running Elk just rolled his eyes, his smiling passed away
    Jack picked up his turquoise stones and cast them to the sky
    He stared into the setting sun and then made the mournful cry
    "having to do what the little voices in my mandolin tell me to do..."

  3. #3
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    Thumbs up

    Thank you very much Ranger. Thats what I needed. I can figure the music out now. 2 strings
    That's just the scales, The fish comes later !

  4. #4
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    Interesting - I heard this song for the first time the day you posted this - off a live OAITW recording from Bluegrassbox.
    Alan

  5. #5
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    You'd do good to pick up a DVD copy of "Gather at the River"...it's got LOTS of great BG tunes on it (most of which have been searched for by members here on the Cafe) and the final song is Peter Rowan doing the Land of the Navajo song.

    -JP

  6. #6
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    I've got several recorded versions of that song but my favorite is on the Muleskinner video, what a great concert.

  7. #7
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    RUKIND.COM has chords for the song... and almost any song that Jerry or the Dead had any ties to. Great site.

    If you work out an interesting break or melody line I'd be interested to see what you come up with...
    A bit of advice given to a young native upon initiation:
    As you go the way of life, you will come across a great chasm. Jump! It's not as far as you think.

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