Grisman - Land of the Navajo

[2 strings]

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

[Ranger]

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

[2 strings]

Thank you very much Ranger. Thats what I needed. I can figure the music out now. 2 strings

[levin4now]

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

[jimini_pickit]

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

[TonyP.]

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

[Dioptase]

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...