The Ballad of Ira Hayes

Hazel Dickens

CALL HIM DRUNKEN IRA HAYES,

HE WON`T ANSWER ANY MORE;

NOT THE WHISKEY DRINKIN` INDIAN,

NOT THE MARINE WHO WENT TO WAR.

[verse 1]:

GATHER `ROUND ME PEOPLE,

THERE`S A STORY I WOULD TELL

ABOUT A BRAVE YOUNG INDIAN

YOU SHOULD REMEMBER WELL;

FROM THE LAND OF THE PIMA INDIANS -

A PROUD AND NOBLE BAND,

WHO FARMED THE PHOENIX VALLEY -

IN ARIZONA LAND.

[verse 2]:

DOWN THEIR DITCHES FOR A THOUSAND YEARS -

THE WATERS GREW IRA`S PEOPLE`S CROPS,

TILL THE WHITE MAN STOLE THEIR WATER RIGHTS -

AND THEIR SPARKLIN` WATER STOPPED.

NOW IRA`S FOLKS GREW HUNGRY -

AND THEIR LAND GREW CROPS OF WEEDS.

WHEN WAR CAME IRA VOLUNTEERED -

AND FORGOT THE WHITE MAN`S GREED.

[Chorus]:

CALL HIM DRUNKEN IRA HAYES,

HE WON`T ANSWER ANY MORE;

NOT THE WHISKEY DRINKIN` INDIAN,

NOT THE MARINE WHO WENT TO WAR.

[verse 3]:

WELL, THEY BATTLE UP IWO JIMA HILL -

TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MEN,

BUT ONLY TWENTY SEVEN LIVED

TO WALK BACK DOWN AGAIN;

WHEN THE FIGHT WAS OVER -

AND OLD GLORY RAISED,

AMONG THE MEN WHO HELD IT HIGH

WAS INDIAN IRA HAYES.

[Chorus]:

CALL HIM DRUNKEN IRA HAYES,

HE WON`T ANSWER ANY MORE;

NOT THE WHISKEY DRINKIN` INDIAN,

NOT THE MARINE WHO WENT TO WAR.

[verse 4]:

IRA HAYES RETURNED A HERO,

CELEBRATED THROUGH THE LAND,

HE WAS WINED AND SPEECHED AND HONORED,

EVERYBODY SHOOK HIS HAND;

BUT HE WAS JUST A PIMA INDIAN,

NO WATER, NO HOME, NO CHANCE;

AT HOME NOBODY CARED WHAT IRA HAD DONE -

AND WHEN DO THE INDIANS DANCE?

[Chorus]:

CALL HIM DRUNKEN IRA HAYES,

HE WON`T ANSWER ANY MORE;

NOT THE WHISKEY DRINKIN` INDIAN,

NOT THE MARINE WHO WENT TO WAR.

[verse 5]:

THEN IRA STARTED DRINKIN` HARD,

JAIL WAS OFTEN HIS HOME;

THEY LET HIM RAISE THE FLAG AND LOWER IT,

AS YOU WOULD THROW A DOG A BONE;

HE DIED DRUNK EARLY ONE MORNING,

ALONE IN THE LAND HE`D FOUGHT TO SAVE;

TWO INCHES OF WATER IN A LONELY DITCH -

WAS THE GRAVE FOR IRA HAYES.

[Chorus]:

CALL HIM DRUNKEN IRA HAYES,

HE WON`T ANSWER ANY MORE;

NOT THE WHISKEY DRINKIN` INDIAN,

NOT THE MARINE WHO WENT TO WAR.

[verse 6]:

YEAH! CALL HIM DRUNKEN IRA HAYES,

BUT HIS LAND IS JUST AS DRY,

AND THE GHOST IS LYING THIRSTY

IN THE DITCH WHERE IRA DIED.