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Run to the Hills
Iron Maiden Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning

White man came across the sea
He brought us pain and misery
He killed our tribes, he killed our creed
He took our game for his own need

We fought him hard, we fought him well
Out on the plains we gave him hell
But many came, too much for Cree
Oh, will we ever be set free?

Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children are cowards, attack

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives

Soldier blue in the barren wastes
Hunting and killing's a game
Raping the women and wasting the men
The only good Indians are tame
Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives

Yeah
Ah, ah, ah, ah

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives

Overall Meaning

Iron Maiden's song "Run to the Hills" is a commentary on the brutal history of European colonization in America, particularly focusing on the violence and oppression inflicted upon Native American tribes. The lyrics describe how the arrival of white colonizers spelled destruction for the indigenous people who inhabited the land. The opening lines "White man came across the sea/He brought us pain and misery/He killed our tribes, he killed our creed/He took our game for his own need" plainly state the devastation wrought by the conquerors on the native population.


The Native Americans fought back against the colonizers, but the lyrics suggest that their valiant efforts were ultimately futile in the face of overwhelming numbers and technological superiority: "We fought him hard, we fought him well/Out on the plains we gave him hell/But many came, too much for Cree/Oh, will we ever be set free?" The image of the warriors on horseback "riding through dust clouds and barren wastes/Galloping hard on the plains/Chasing the redskins back to their holes/Fighting them at their own game" is vivid and conveys the idea of a struggle that is both desperate and doomed.


Unfortunately, the white colonizers proved not only to be conquerors but also cruel oppressors. As the lyrics state, they engaged in rape, murder, and enslavement: "Soldier blue in the barren wastes/Hunting and killing's a game/Raping the women and wasting the men/The only good Indians are tame/Selling them whiskey and taking their gold/Enslaving the young and destroying the old." The chorus "Run to the hills/Run for your lives" can thus be interpreted as a warning to the Native Americans to flee and preserve their lives and culture from the onslaught of the invaders.


Line by Line Meaning

White man came across the sea
The Europeans arrived on the American continent from across the ocean


He brought us pain and misery
Their arrival caused suffering and hardship


He killed our tribes, he killed our creed
The native people were slaughtered and their beliefs were destroyed


He took our game for his own need
The Europeans exploited the natural resources of the land for their own benefit


We fought him hard, we fought him well
The native people resisted the invaders with great determination


Out on the plains we gave him hell
The natives fiercely fought the invaders on the open fields


But many came, too much for Cree
Despite their resistance, the overwhelming number of Europeans proved too much for the Cree people


Oh, will we ever be set free?
The native people wonder if they will ever regain their freedom and independence


Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes
The Europeans traveled through arid and uninhabitable regions


Galloping hard on the plains
The Europeans rode their horses across the open fields


Chasing the redskins back to their holes
The invaders pursued the native people to their hiding places


Fighting them at their own game
The Europeans used the same tactics as the natives in battle


Murder for freedom the stab in the back
The Europeans killed the natives to establish their own freedom and dominance, which was a treacherous act


Women and children are cowards, attack
The Europeans showed no mercy, attacking even those who were defenseless


Run to the hills
The native people urge each other to flee and save their lives


Run for your lives
The threat posed by the invaders is imminent and real


Soldier blue in the barren wastes
The European soldiers killed and hunted in lifeless regions


Hunting and killing's a game
The Europeans enjoyed killing native people as if it was a form of entertainment


Raping the women and wasting the men
The European soldiers raped and pillaged without remorse or empathy


The only good Indians are tame
The Europeans believed that only those who subordinated and obeyed them were valuable


Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
The Europeans used alcohol and greed to manipulate and exploit the native people


Enslaving the young and destroying the old
The Europeans enslaved the young and killed the old, thereby destroying entire communities




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stephen Percy Harris

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Jean Pedro

LYRICS

[Intro]
White man came across the sea
He brought us pain and misery
He killed our tribes, killed our creed
He took our game for his own need
We fought him hard, we fought him well
Out on the plains we gave him hell
But many came too much for Cree
Oh will we ever be set free?

[Verse 1]
Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Women and children are cowards attack

[Chorus]
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives

[Verse 2]
Soldier blue in the barren wastes
Hunting and killing's a game
Raping the women and wasting the men
The only good Injuns are tame
Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old

[Chorus]
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives

[Guitar Solo]

[Chorus]
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives



Steve Gant

Run to the Hills
Iron Maiden
White man came across the sea
He brought us pain and misery
He killed our tribes, he killed our creed
He took our game for his own need

We fought him hard, we fought him well
Out on the plains, we gave him hell
But many came, too much for Cree
Oh, will we ever be set free?

Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game
Murder for freedom, a stab in the back
Women and children and cowards attack

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives

Soldier blue in the barren wastes
Hunting and killing's a game
Raping the women and wasting the men
The only good Indians are tame
Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives

Yeah

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills
Run for your lives

Run to the hills
Run for your lives
Run to the hills



All comments from YouTube:

Prince Groove

Iron Maiden narrates Native American History better than our own teachers. 🇺🇸

Alissa Reminiec

Blame the Andrew Jackson Administration & Jay Gould for that

Mugbeatles

People really be out here saying genocide is okay if the people were violent once…. Y’all say this to a native’s face and find out.

giulio franchino

🎉🎉5

105 More Replies...

Y LatMD

This has been my little girl’s favorite Maiden song since she was 4 years old. She’s now 11. This is how you raise your kids🙌🏽

Y LatMD

@Eve I knew about the murder, rape & enslavement of my ancestors by the time I was 4 years old. It's cultural for us to know this, so I wouldn't expect everyone to understand. She's 12 years old now. Makes straight A's and is as sweet as she can be. Her video games terrify me more than this song.

E.J. Chijimatsu

This is the way.

Eve

A song singing about killing, raping and enslaving...sure the song sounds awesome melody wise but im not sure i'd find it appropriate for a 4 year old to listen to, even if they don't understand any of it. Nor do i think in any way this will mess up a kid but idk..if i had a kid i wouldn't want them to listen to a song about those kind of topics so young. That's just my opinion though.

home fresh 19780402

Lol 🤣

J Taco

😬

79 More Replies...
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