Buddy Red Bow is a Native American musical legend whose memory often evokes… Read Full Bio ↴Buddy Red Bow is a Native American musical legend whose memory often evokes emotional responses from fans of this genre. He was not the first to take a solidly Anglo form of musical expression -- the folk protest song and country & western music -- and use it to express the concerns of the Indian nations. Surely he had learned from previous masters such as Peter La Farge, Floyd Westerman, and Buffy Saint-Marie, yet Red Bow was somehow a voice of a new generation, a reality confirmed by actions as well as songs. He is remembered not only as a musician, but as a Lakota activist in on the Red Power movement early on, one of the first to become involved in the Ghost Dance movement, and so on. His songs seem to have taken root in the hearts of his fans in a special way, although it goes hand in hand with a feeling that in the end he somehow did not live up to his potential.
He recorded three albums, beginning in 1984 with a self-titled debut that had a such a strong country flavor that forever after he was most often referred to as a country artist. This may not have been such a problem as country & western has always been one of the most popular Anglo musics among aboriginal people, in Australia as well as the United States. (Down under, Hank Williams is the most-selected artists on aboriginal jukeboxes.) Red Bow's second recorded work, Journey to the Spirit World, remains a favorite of many listeners. It features songs and stories that he remembered learning from his elders and incorporates singing in both English and the Lakota language. His final work was the beautiful, eloquent Black Hills Dreamer, which featured two of his most famous songs, "Run, Indian, Run" and "Indian Love Song." A posthumous collection of favorites from each of these records, Indian Reservation has also been released. Several of his songs were also featured on the soundtrack to Hard Rider, which was not the opposite of Easy Rider, but a documentary on rodeo riders in Alberta and Saskatchewan. He was among the first group of artists to be inducted in the NAMA (Native American Music Awards) Hall of Fame, alongside Jimi Hendrix, who apparently had Cherokee as well as purple haze in his blood.
He has had a few small film parts, such as a walk-on in Thunderheart, but will mostly be remembered in the world of cinema for Pow Wow Highway, in which there is a character named Buddy Red Bow that is partially, if not totally, based on the famous singer. At first considered one of the best films about Native Americans, the film seems to have been the victim of a late critical backlash, in which one writer claimed the depiction of Red Bow made him "cringe." ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide
He recorded three albums, beginning in 1984 with a self-titled debut that had a such a strong country flavor that forever after he was most often referred to as a country artist. This may not have been such a problem as country & western has always been one of the most popular Anglo musics among aboriginal people, in Australia as well as the United States. (Down under, Hank Williams is the most-selected artists on aboriginal jukeboxes.) Red Bow's second recorded work, Journey to the Spirit World, remains a favorite of many listeners. It features songs and stories that he remembered learning from his elders and incorporates singing in both English and the Lakota language. His final work was the beautiful, eloquent Black Hills Dreamer, which featured two of his most famous songs, "Run, Indian, Run" and "Indian Love Song." A posthumous collection of favorites from each of these records, Indian Reservation has also been released. Several of his songs were also featured on the soundtrack to Hard Rider, which was not the opposite of Easy Rider, but a documentary on rodeo riders in Alberta and Saskatchewan. He was among the first group of artists to be inducted in the NAMA (Native American Music Awards) Hall of Fame, alongside Jimi Hendrix, who apparently had Cherokee as well as purple haze in his blood.
He has had a few small film parts, such as a walk-on in Thunderheart, but will mostly be remembered in the world of cinema for Pow Wow Highway, in which there is a character named Buddy Red Bow that is partially, if not totally, based on the famous singer. At first considered one of the best films about Native Americans, the film seems to have been the victim of a late critical backlash, in which one writer claimed the depiction of Red Bow made him "cringe." ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide
Journey to the Spirit World
Buddy Red Bow Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Journey to the Spirit World' by these artists:
Darkseed This day forms more and more my wish to enter…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Buddy Red Bow:
Indian Reservation They took the whole Cherokee Nations Put us on a Reservation…
Just Can't Take Anymore I was singin′, in a barroom, in Wyoming Another one night…
Run Indian Run An old Indian Medicine Man was standing by a hillside And…
Run, Indian, Run An old Indian Medicine Man was standing by a hillside And…
Where Pine trees seem to say "Where's Ben Black Elk Today?" Didn't…
Where's Ben Black Elk Today Pine trees seem to say "Where's Ben Black Elk Today?" Didn't…
Where's Ben Black Elk Today? Pine trees seem to say "Where's Ben Black Elk Today?" Didn't…
Wheres Ben Black Elk Today Pine trees seem to say "Where's Ben Black Elk Today?" Didn't…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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@andrewgrant2518
Yes, I Understand,
How Us Indians, First Nations People's everywhere, are In the Mercies of the White Man, who are against Natives.
And even These Days of the 20Hundreds, are much worse for All Indian People's across this Turtle Islands and Indian Country.
As there are so many Races who are here Today. And many,
Have no Understanding of First Nations People's, and what we did for this Country to Survive on.
So yes Friends Brothers Sisters and Relatives.
I Pray that each of you will try to understand,
And keep teaching our Younger Generation and their families too.
So that we can keep this Country and World alive.
Until the end of time.
When The Great Spirit,
Our Creator,
Calls us all home...
Wopida.
Live, n Love Your
History,
And Culture.
We are The Red Man,
And we will all die,
Being Red, and Ready.
@happymeltedcity
Get yourself ready, get your body ready.
Purify your mind while you can.
Go to the sweat lodge, pray with the peace pipe.
For the end is round the bend.
For the days are coming and the nights are running,
and soon you'll be leaving this land.
And they'll wrap you in a buffalo robe and sing you this song.
And they'll lay you on a bed of sage high above the ground.
For the journey to the spirit world is a long one my friend. But, when you die that doesn't mean that this is the end. Yes, the journey to the spirit world is a long one my friend.
And they'll lay the horse that you once rode so proud through the crowds.
And the ones you love and leave behind you'll see in another time.
So, get yourself ready, get your body ready.
Purify your mind while you can.
Go to the sweat lodge, pray with the peace pipe.
For the end is round the bend.
For the days are coming and the nights are running,
and soon you'll be leaving this land.
And they'll wrap you in a buffalo robe and sing you this song.
And they'll lay you on a bed of sage high above the ground.
For the journey to the spirit world is a long one my friend. But, when you die that doesn't mean that this is the end.
Yes, the journey to the spirit world is a long one my friend.
For the days are coming and the nights are running,
and soon you'll be leaving this land.
And they'll wrap you in a buffalo robe and sing you this song.
And they'll lay you on a bed of sage high above the ground.
For the journey to the spirit world is a long one my friend. But, when you die that doesn't mean that this is the end. Yes, the journey to the spirit world is a long one my friend.
@CheeferSutherland
Couldn’t find the lyrics anywhere to save my life, so I tried to write them out as I listened. Hope it’s all correct! RIP Buddy Red Bow, thank you for your beautiful music.
“Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, naaaa.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, naaaa.
Get yourself ready,
Get your body ready,
Purify your mind while you can.
Go to the sweat lodge,
Pray with the peace pipe,
The end is around the bend.
For the days are coming,
And the nights are running,
And soon you’ll be leaving this land.
And we’ll wrap you in a buffalo robe,
And sing your death song.
Lay you on a bed of sage,
High above the ground.
For the journey to the spirit world,
Is a long one, my friend.
But when you die, that doesn’t mean,
That this is the end.
Yes the journey to the spirit world,
Is a long one, my friend.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, naaaa.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, naaaa.
And we’ll lead the horse, that you once rode so proud, through the crowd.
And the ones you love, and leave behind, you’ll see in another time.
So get yourself ready,
Get your body ready,
Purify your mind while you can.
Go to the sweat lodge,
Pray with the peace pipe,
The end is around the bend.
For the days are coming,
And the nights are running,
And soon you’ll be leaving this land.
And we’ll wrap you in a buffalo robe,
And sing your death song.
Lay you on a bed of sage,
High above the ground.
For the journey to the spirit world,
Is a long one, my friend.
But when you die, that doesn’t mean,
That this is the end.
Yes the journey to, the spirit world,
Is a long one, my friend.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, naaaa.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, naaaa.
For the days are coming,
And the nights are running,
And soon you’ll be leaving this land.
And we’ll wrap you in a buffalo robe,
And sing your death song.
Lay you on a bed of sage,
High above the ground.
For the journey to the spirit world,
Is a long one, my friend.
But when you die, that doesn’t mean,
That this is the end.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, naaaa.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, na.
Na, na, na, na, na, naaaa.”
@joethalakota
Buddy Red Bow is buried on the hill top east of Red Shirt Table, along where the badlands meet the plains, on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD. His headstone is a metal guitar to remind us of his songs that helped my generation keep onto our dying grandparents and the stories of our greater grandparents and the little ones who never had a chance at a full life and died at the hands of the foul US government. Tears are real on this side of our story.
@debrabell5859
))))
@hg077
@Sedistix yes we do, you have no place to speak on our trauma unless you’ve grown up and or lived on a reservation
@danielbirdhead1239
Mitakuye Oyasin
@andrewgrant2518
Yes, I Understand,
How Us Indians, First Nations People's everywhere, are In the Mercies of the White Man, who are against Natives.
And even These Days of the 20Hundreds, are much worse for All Indian People's across this Turtle Islands and Indian Country.
As there are so many Races who are here Today. And many,
Have no Understanding of First Nations People's, and what we did for this Country to Survive on.
So yes Friends Brothers Sisters and Relatives.
I Pray that each of you will try to understand,
And keep teaching our Younger Generation and their families too.
So that we can keep this Country and World alive.
Until the end of time.
When The Great Spirit,
Our Creator,
Calls us all home...
Wopida.
Live, n Love Your
History,
And Culture.
We are The Red Man,
And we will all die,
Being Red, and Ready.
@alexandra.6482
Always love Buddy Red Bow
@Mike-jx2gm
Lot of people mention what this song reminds them of, I will join. I have no native american descent but when I was 29 I was on my own spirit quest. Drove myself from NY to SD to go hiking in the Badlands. One day driving I heard this beautiful song on the radio, have never forgotten it. Always reminds me of the a amazing Badlands, South Dakota. Peace.
@tulayamalavenapi4028
Music reaches beyond bodily identification.
🤗
@peteswiftbird6799
in 1980 i was with don ghost bear coming back from rapid city in a jan snow storm . we stopped in at everette and marv helpers in red shirt village red shirt so dak. buddy red bow was playing there that weekend so we huddled up with relatives and danced and sang all weekend with buddy the and the boys . I got to see a living lakota legend live . A story i cheerish and tell my relatives .
@yuyasakaki1217
I remember listening this with my mother, grandmother, and uncle I’m so glad I found this on YouTube. They’ve all made their journeys and I know that they’re all happy in the spirit world.