Pocahontas
LIVING ROOM - Neil Young Lyrics

Neil Young's song "Pocahontas" is a reflection on the history of Native Americans and the impact of colonization on their lives. The lyrics vividly describe the clash between the indigenous people and the white settlers, touching upon various themes such as violence, displacement, and cultural loss.

The first verse begins with a mention of the Aurora Borealis, symbolizing the natural beauty and spirituality of the Native American culture. The "icy sky at night" refers to the cold reality of the situation. The use of the phrase "paddles cut the water in a long and hurried flight" suggests the Native Americans' desperate attempt to flee from the encroaching white settlers, leaving their ancestral lands behind. The line "from the white man to the fields of green / and the homeland we've never seen" expresses the deep longing for a homeland that was stolen from them.

In the second verse, Young brings attention to the violent and tragic consequences of colonization. The Native Americans were subjected to massacres and their way of life was destroyed. The line "they might have left some babies cryin' on the ground" highlights the loss of innocent lives and the emotional devastation caused by these atrocities. However, the phrase "the fire sticks and the wagons come / and the night falls on the setting sun" suggests the relentless advance of the settlers, representing the darkness that settles upon the land with their arrival.

The third verse portrays the destruction of the natural environment and the disruption of Native American traditions. The buffalo, an essential symbol of the Plains Indians' way of life, was systematically killed by the settlers. The line "taxis run across my feet / and my eyes have turned to blanks" implies that the singer, possibly a Native American, has become detached and numb in the face of this destruction. The mention of the "little box at the top of the stairs" with an "Indian rug and a pipe to share" implies a cramped and confined existence, emphasizing the loss of freedom and the shrinking of their culture.

In the final verse, the singer expresses a deep yearning to connect with the past and with Pocahontas, who has become an iconic figure representing the indigenous people's struggle. The line "I wish I was a trapper" implies a desire to return to a time when nature and Native Americans coexisted peacefully. The singer longs to "sleep with Pocahontas" as a metaphor for understanding her experiences and feeling a connection to their ancestral homeland, represented by the "fields of green."

Overall, "Pocahontas" speaks to the themes of loss, displacement, violence, and the desire for reconnection. Through vivid and poignant imagery, Neil Young portrays the devastating impact of colonization on the Native American people and their longing for a land and way of life that was taken from them.