Seduction
Jorio Lyrics

I am a shotgun rider
I am a skilled hustler who travels quickly to stay ahead of the game

For the San Jacinto line
I move swiftly through a specific region, exploiting the opportunities that arise

The desert is my brother
I am comfortable in harsh conditions, and see beauty and potential in the barren and neglected

My skin is cracked and dry
The harshness of my environment has toughened me, and I am not easily broken

I was ridin' on a folk coach
I was taken in by the allure of something untrustworthy

And everything was fine
At first, everything appeared to be going exactly as planned

'Till we took a shorter road
We took a dangerous shortcut to try and save time

To save some time
We made an impulsive decision without considering the long-term consequences

The bandits only fired once
Our recklessness attracted danger, but we narrowly avoided the worst of it

They shot me in the chest
Our dangerous journey had serious consequences, leaving me wounded

They may have wounded me but
I am not defeated, and my strength and willpower remain unbroken

They'll never get the best
I will prevail despite adversity

'Cause I'll ride again
I am resilient, and will continue to take risks to achieve success

I am a river gambler
I am a skilled player who takes risks on the waterways

I make a livin' dealin' cards
I profit from my ability to read people and manipulate the odds in my favor

My clothes are smooth and honest
I project an image of respectability and trustworthiness

My heart is cold and hard
But beneath the surface, I am ruthless and unfeeling

I was shufflin' for some delta boys
I found myself in a situation where I could easily manipulate and profit from others

On a boat for New Orleans
I took advantage of transient situations to make a quick profit

I was the greatest shark they'd ever seen
I was highly skilled and confident in my abilities to take advantage of others

But the captain bumped a sandbar
A mistake on someone else's part threatened to expose my duplicity

And an ace fell from my sleeve
My gamble was exposed, and I was caught cheating

They threw me overboard
I faced the consequences of my actions, and was cast out by those I had deceived

As I swore I didn't cheat
I refused to take responsibility for my dishonesty and continued to deny my wrongdoing

But I could swim
I am resourceful and can find a way out of difficult situations

And I'll ride again
I am undeterred by setbacks, and will continue to take risks to achieve success

We are heroes of the homeland, American remains
We are Americans who take pride in our country, and recognize its strengths and weaknesses

We live in many faces and answer many names
We come from diverse backgrounds, and have different experiences and perspectives

We will not be forgotten, we won't be left behind
We will not allow ourselves to become marginalized or erased from history

Our memories live on in mortal minds
We leave a lasting impact on those we touch, even after we are gone

And poets pens
Our stories and experiences are immortalized in literature and art, and continue to be shared and celebrated

We'll ride again
We are resilient, and will continue to contribute to American society and culture

I am a mid-west farmer
I am an independent, hard-working farmer who makes a living off the land

I make a livin' off the land
My income is directly tied to the quality of the crops I grow and harvest

I ride a John Deere tractor
I use modern technology to maximize my efficiency and productivity

I'm a liberated man
I am self-sufficient, and pride myself on my ability to provide for myself and my family

But the rain it hasn't fallen
I face the unpredictable and uncontrollable natural elements that can impact the success of my harvest

Since the middle of July
This drought has been going on for an extended period of time, placing my livelihood at risk

And if it don't come soon my crops will die
Without adequate rainfall, my crops will wither and die, leading to financial ruin

The bank man says he likes me
The financial institutions I rely on for loans and support may be friendly, but ultimately prioritize their own interests over mine

But there's nothin' he can do
My situation is out of my control, and may be out of the control of those who could help me

He tells me that he's comin'
There may be a glimmer of hope, but it is not guaranteed and may be too late

But the clouds are comin' too
Even with the promise of rain, there is always a possibility that the elements will not cooperate

He ain't my friend
I cannot fully trust anyone else to protect my interests and livelihood

And I'll ride again
I am resilient, and will continue to take risks and adapt to changing circumstances to survive

I am an American Indian
I am a member of an indigenous group that has lived in the Americas for thousands of years

My tribe is Cherokee
I come from a specific and proud cultural heritage

My forefathers loved this land
My ancestors had a deep connection to and love for the natural environment they called home

They left it here for me
They passed on their legacy and traditions to future generations

But the white man came with boats
The arrival of European colonizers and settlers changed the course of indigenous history

And trains and dirty factories
The industrialization and exploitation of natural resources further dispossessed and marginalized native peoples

An' poisoned my existence with his deeds
The impact of colonizers has resulted in generational trauma and environmental degradation that continue to affect the health and well-being of native communities

Nature is our mother
The natural environment is sacred and essential to the survival and identity of indigenous peoples

We are suckling at her breast
We have a symbiotic relationship with nature, depending on its bounty for our sustenance and survival

And he who tries to beat her down
Those who seek to exploit and destroy nature are ultimately doomed to fail

Will lose her to the rest
The consequences of environmental destruction will ultimately impact all of society, even those who do not directly benefit from it

They'll never win
Indigenous peoples will continue to assert their rights and cultural identity, and will not allow themselves to be erased or assimilated

I'll ride again
I am resilient, and will continue to assert my identity and defend my cultural heritage, against all odds