A Mohican Indian from northern Wisconsin, Bill Miller has long been one of … Read Full Bio ↴A Mohican Indian from northern Wisconsin, Bill Miller has long been one of the most admired figures in the Native American music arena and beyond. As an award-winning recording artist, performer, songwriter, activist, and painter, he's been a voice for the voiceless, a link between two great and clashing civilizations.

My People
Bill Miller Lyrics

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My people were here long before the others cast their sails to the wind
Before the tears of innocence like a hard rain would desend
My people spread like eagle wings across the mountains and the plains
Now the feathers have been broken but the eagle still remains

My people heard the thundering as the iron horse crossed the land
Its echoes drowning out the cries of those who could not understand
My people watched the buffalo dying in the sun

While those tracks of steal lead to the sea, their will be done

Now their blood flows through these rivers and then into our veins
And their hearts are beating louder then all the years of shame
And their blood flows through these rivers just like an endless rain
And their hearts are beating louder then all the years of shame

My people have fought for this land, here and across the sea
Their shadows cast on sacred ground for all enturnity
My people's pride still can soar and dance across this land
You can see it in the eys of every woman, child, and man

Because the blood flows through these rivers and then into our veins
And their hearts are beating louder then all the years of shame
And their blood flows through these rivers just like an endless rain
And their hearts are beating louder then all the years of shame

My people are the Navoho, my people are the Cherokee

My people are Arapoho, my people are Menominee
My people are, my people are...

Overall Meaning

In Bill Miller's song My People, the lyrics speak to the deep history and culture of the indigenous people of America. The first verse sets the stage describing how his people were already present on the land before European settlers arrived. The second verse speaks of the devastating impact the construction of the railroad had on their way of life, specifically the decimation of the buffalo population. The chorus then repeats twice, emphasizing the endurance and resilience of his people through the years of violence and oppression, and how their pride and spirit remains even till this day.

Line by Line Meaning

My people were here long before the others cast their sails to the wind
The singer's people inhabited the land before European colonizers arrived.

Before the tears of innocence like a hard rain would descend
Native Americans suffered at the hands of European invaders, leading to great sorrow.

My people spread like eagle wings across the mountains and the plains
Native American tribes expanded their territories across America.

Now the feathers have been broken but the eagle still remains
Despite the struggles and injustices they've faced, the artist's people still exist and endure.

My people heard the thundering as the iron horse crossed the land
Native Americans witnessed the arrival of the railroad and its impact on their way of life.

Its echoes drowning out the cries of those who could not understand
The noise and chaos of modernization disregarded the Native American perspective and their loss.

My people watched the buffalo dying in the sun
The arrival of settlers and hunters led to the near extinction of buffalo - a staple animal for Native Americans.

While those tracks of steal lead to the sea, their will be done
As settlers moved west, they ignored the damage and devastation they caused to the land and its inhabitants.

Now their blood flows through these rivers and then into our veins
The artist's ancestors' blood is connected to the land and people that still exist today.

And their hearts are beating louder then all the years of shame
The artist acknowledges the resilience and pride of their people.

My people have fought for this land, here and across the sea
Native Americans have fought for their land and their sovereignty in wars and conflicts.

Their shadows cast on sacred ground for all enturnity
The legacy of Native Americans is present in the land they inhabited and protected for generations.

My people's pride still can soar and dance across this land
The singer honors Native Americans' pride and their unique way of life.

You can see it in the eyes of every woman, child, and man
The pride and spirit of Native Americans are still visible today in their descendants and in the land they've always called home.

My people are the Navoho, my people are the Cherokee
The singer acknowledges specific Native American tribes as part of their heritage.

My people are Arapoho, my people are Menominee
The artist acknowledges more specific Native American tribes as part of their heritage.

My people are, my people are...
The artist emphasizes the diversity and richness of Native American cultures and traditions.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILL MILLER, JOHN FLANAGAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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