The Church do a cover of this song on A Box of Birds, as do Built to Spill on the album Live, extending their version of the song to a play time of just over twenty minutes.
Cortez the Killer
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With his galleons and guns
Lookin' for the new world
And the palace in the sun
On the shore lay Montezuma
With his coca leaves and pearls
In his halls, he often wandered
And his subjects gathered 'round him
Like the leaves around a tree
In their clothes of many colors
For the angry gods to see
And the women all were beautiful
And the men stood straight and strong
They offered life in sacrifice
So that others could go on
Hate was just a legend
And war was never known
People worked together
And they lifted many stones
And they carried them to the flat lands
But they died along the way
And they built up with their bare hands
What we still can't do today
And I know she's livin' there
And she loves me to this day
I still can't remember when
Or how I lost my way
He came dancin' across the water
Cortez, Cortez
What a killer
The song "Cortez the Killer" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse tells the story of the Spanish conquistador, Hernán Cortés, who arrived in Mexico in 1519 with his army and eventually overthrew the Aztec empire led by Montezuma. The lyrics begin with Cortés arriving in the New World with his galleons and guns, searching for the palace in the sun. The song then shifts to describing Montezuma, who is lounging on the shore with his coca leaves and pearls, surrounded by vibrant and beautiful people. The indigenous people gather around Montezuma, offering sacrifices for others to live.
Young contrasts the peaceful and harmonious way of life in Mexico with the violence and domination of the Spanish conquistadors. Hate and war were mythological concepts in Montezuma's world, and people worked together to achieve their goals. They carried stones to build impressive monuments, although many died along the way. However, the lyrics suggest that even though the Aztec empire was destroyed, something of Montezuma's spirit and the civilization he led still remains. Young mentions a woman, who may represent the continuity of that culture, still living there and loving him.
Overall, "Cortez the Killer" contrasts the cultural heritage of the Aztecs with the brutal colonization of their homeland by Cortés and his army. The lyrics suggest that even though the Spanish may have succeeded in conquering the land, the spirit of the people and their culture persists.
Line by Line Meaning
He came dancin' across the water
Cortez sailed triumphantly into the New World
With his galleons and guns
Cortez came fully equipped to conquer and seize control
Lookin' for the new world
Cortez was on a mission to discover new territory
And the palace in the sun
Cortez was driven by a desire for wealth and power
On the shore lay Montezuma
Montezuma, the powerful Aztec leader, was present during the arrival of Cortez
With his coca leaves and pearls
Montezuma was adorned with lavish accessories and items of cultural significance
In his halls, he often wandered
Montezuma was a regal figure who moved throughout his palace
With the secrets of the world
Montezuma was privy to information and knowledge beyond the reach of others
And his subjects gathered 'round him
The people of the Aztec empire surrounded their leader
Like the leaves around a tree
The people were unified and numerous, like the leaves on a tree
In their clothes of many colors
The Aztecs wore brightly colored clothing indicative of their rich culture
For the angry gods to see
The Aztecs believed in appeasing and pleasing their gods through offerings and sacrifices
And the women all were beautiful
The Aztec women were known for their beauty
And the men stood straight and strong
The Aztec men were powerful and capable, with strong physiques
They offered life in sacrifice
The Aztecs were willing to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of their religious beliefs
So that others could go on
Their sacrifices were intended to benefit future generations
Hate was just a legend
The Aztecs did not know hatred or animosity
And war was never known
The Aztecs did not engage in warfare or aggression
People worked together
The Aztecs had a culture of collaboration and cooperation
And they lifted many stones
The Aztecs were capable of impressive feats of physical labor
But they died along the way
Many Aztecs died while working to construct buildings and monuments
And they built up with their bare hands
The Aztecs relied on manual labor to construct structures
What we still can't do today
Their accomplishments and methods continue to be impressive and difficult to replicate
And I know she's livin' there
The artist (Neil Young) believes that something precious and important remains in the land of the Aztecs
And she loves me to this day
This precious entity has enduring feelings for the singer
I still can't remember when
The singer is unsure of the exact circumstances surrounding his relationship to this entity
Or how I lost my way
The singer has a sense of having strayed or lost his path
Cortez, Cortez
The song's focus returns to the arrival of Cortez
What a killer
The impact of Cortez's entrance into the New World is still felt powerfully today
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Beth
on We Never Danced
i desperately want to know who painted aunt lisa's paintings in the movie