Land Of The Navajo

Written by Peter Rowan

Key of G · Chords: I IV V vi

Chorus

   C              G
Oh the wind blows cold
   D                Em
On the trail of the buffalo
   C              G
Oh the wind blows cold
   D               Em    C
In the land of the Navajo
   D               Em    C
In the land of the Navajo

Verse 1

  G                  C
A hundred miles from nowhere out on the desert sand
    D                                               G
One Eyed Jack the trader hold some turquoise in his hand
   G                        C
By his side sat Running Elk his longtime Indian friend
   D                                          G
He vowed that he would stay by Jack until the bitter end

Verse 2

     G                                  C
Jack had gambled everything he owned to leave this wondering life
   D                                               G
He might have had a happy home and a tender loving wife
    G                                    C
But his hunger was for trading trapper’s furs for turquoise stones
         D                                        G
Anything that the Indians had Jack wanted for his own

Verse 3

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

Verse 4

We raped and killed we stole your land
We rule with guns and knives add whiskey to your waters
While we stole away your wives
     G                                   C
said Running Elk what’s done is done you white men rule this land
   D                                                       G
so lay the cards face up and play your last broken hearted hand

Verse 5

* Refrain

Verse 6

     G                                                  C
When your dealing cards with death the joker’s wild the ace is high
     D                                                    G
Jack bet the Mississippi River running Elk raised him the sky
     G                                 C
Jack saw him with the sun and room and upped him with the stars
        D                                       G
Running Elk bet the Rocky Mountains Jupiter and Mars

Verse 7

    G                                     C
The sun was sinking in the west when Jack draw the ace of spades
        D                                              G
Running Elk just rolled his eyes and smiled and passed away
     G                                  C
Jack picked up his turquoise stones and cast them to the sky
   D                                                 G
He stared into the setting sun and made the mournful cry

Verse 8

* Refrain