When Tenskwatawa Sings

Michael Longcor

When Tenskwatawa Sings

Words and music by Michael Longcor
Copyright ©1991 by Firebird Arts & Music/BMI.
Used by permission.

The French whites came to the Shawnee tribes seeking furs to take in trade,
Then the British gave guns, and bought the scalps of Americans we'd raid.
Now Harrison comes by the riverside run, crying "justice" he will bring,
While Tecumseh speaks, and the People rise, when we hear Teskwatawa sing.

The American whites, they tear the land, and they slash and burn the trees.
The Prophet says that they fought their king to live apart and free.
And now these same Americans want to rule us as their kings,
But Tecumseh speaks, and the People rise, when we hear Tenskwatawa sing!

Harrison's thousand men all boast their manhood never fails,
That they load their guns with buckshot, that they'll hunt us down like quail.
They march to burn the prophet's town, they come to do this thing.
But Tecumseh speaks, and the People rise, when we hear Tenskwatawa sing!

Bridge
The whites have always put their trust in powder and in guns,
But a tomahawk holds a hundred deaths, while a musket holds but one.
Tonight the Tippecanoe runs red! Tonight it's death we bring!
For Tecumseh speaks, and the People rise, when we hear Tenskwatawa sing!

Harrison's strength is soldiers holding muskets in their hands,
but our strength comes from the People, from the Spirit and the Land!
Now strength meets strength, and blood spills blood, from Fall to bloody Spring,
For Tecumseh speaks, and the People rise, when we hear Tenskwatawa sing!

For Tecumseh speaks, and the People rise, when we hear Tenskwatawa sing!
We will fight and kill! We can never die! While we hear Tenskwatawa sing!