They took the whole Cherokee Nation And put us on this reservation Took away our ways of life The Tomahawk and the Bowie knife Took away our native tongue And taught their English to our young And all the beats we made by hand Are nowadays made in Japan Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe So proud you live, so proud you die They took the whole Indian Nation And locked us on this reservation Though I wear a shirt and tie I'm a strip-clark red man deep inside Cherokee people, Cherokee tribe So proud you live, so proud you die But maybe someday when they've learned Cherokee Nation will return Will return, will return, will return, will return Will return, will return, will return, will return