Run To The Hills
The Iron Maidens Lyrics


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Run to the hills
Alright let's spare me those hands in the air everybody c'mon, yeah

White man came across the sea
He brought us pain and misery
He killed our tribes, he killed our creed
He took our game for his own need
We fought him hard, we fought him well
Out on the plains, you sing it
But many came, too much for Cree
Oh will we ever be set free

Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes
Galloping hard on the plains
Chasing the redskins back to their holes
Fighting them at their own game

Murder for freedom the stab in the back
Woman and children and cowards attack

Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives

Soldier blue in the barren wastes
Hunting and killing their game
Raping the woman and wasting the man
The only good Indians are tame

Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
Enslaving the young and destroying the old

Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives

Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives





Run to the hills, run for your lives
Run to the hills, run for your lives

Overall Meaning

The Iron Maidens' "Run to the Hills" is a commentary on European colonization of North America from the perspective of the Native American population. The song depicts a brutal and unjust conflict that was marked by violence, exploitation, and destruction of traditional ways of life. The opening lines set the scene for this conflict, describing the arrival of the white man and the devastation he brought with him. The lyrics speak of the killing of tribes, the theft of resources, and the forced assimilation of Native Americans into European culture.


The song portrays the resilience of the Native American people, who fought back against the invaders. However, the odds were stacked against them, and they were eventually overcome by the sheer numbers and military might of the European settlers. The lyrics capture the brutality of the conflict, with women and children falling victim to indiscriminate violence and exploitation.


Ultimately, the song is a powerful critique of imperialism and colonialism, and a reminder of the need to be vigilant against the exploitation and oppression of marginalized populations. By addressing the complex history of European colonization and the resistance of Native American communities, the lyrics of "Run to the Hills" serve as a powerful indictment of the systemic injustices that continue to exist in our world today.


Line by Line Meaning

Run to the hills
Let's get out of here and run for our lives


White man came across the sea
The arrival of European colonizers brought pain, suffering, and oppression to the native people


He brought us pain and misery
The colonizers subjected the native people to physical torment and emotional distress


He killed our tribes, he killed our creed
The colonizers destroyed the indigenous way of life and suppressed their beliefs


He took our game for his own need
The colonizers exploited the natural resources and land belonging to the native people


We fought him hard, we fought him well
The native people resisted the colonizers with bravery and determination


Out on the plains, you sing it
The battle was fought on the open territory of the native people


But many came, too much for Cree
The native people were outnumbered and overwhelmed by the colonizers


Oh will we ever be set free
Will the native people ever be able to reclaim their land and way of life?


Riding through dust clouds and barren wastes
The struggle for survival was fought in harsh conditions and barren environments


Galloping hard on the plains
The battle was fought on horseback and with great speed


Chasing the redskins back to their holes
The colonizers forced the native people to retreat to their homes and hideouts


Fighting them at their own game
The native people fought back against the colonizers in their own way and on their own terms


Murder for freedom the stab in the back
The colonizers committed violence and murder in the name of freedom, but it was a betrayal of the native people


Woman and children and cowards attack
The colonizers showed cowardice by attacking unarmed women and children


Soldier blue in the barren wastes
The uniformed colonizers patrolled the empty and desolate land of the native people


Hunting and killing their game
The colonizers hunted the animals that the native people used for their livelihoods


Raping the woman and wasting the man
The colonizers violently assaulted and exploited the bodies of the native women


The only good Indians are tame
The colonizers believed that the only acceptable native people were those who were fully assimilated and obedient to their rule


Selling them whiskey and taking their gold
The colonizers used trickery and deceit to take advantage of the native people's resources and wealth


Enslaving the young and destroying the old
The colonizers forced the native people into servitude and actively worked to eradicate the wisdom and traditions of the elders


Run to the hills, run for your lives
The only way to survive the violence and oppression of the colonizers is to flee and escape




Writer(s): Stephen Percy Harris Copyright: Imagem London Ltd.

Contributed by Aiden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Shinjuku Red

WOW!!!
That is hands down the best Iron Maiden cover I have ever heard.
The whole band are fantastic, the lead solo was note perfect and the singer has a one in a million voice that is pretty close to Bruce's.
Incredible stuff.

Milton Deal

I'm Native American from the Navajo Tribe I got to tell you the truth there's alot of Iron Maiden fans across America and Canada who relate to this song and are Native Americans . This female band is awesome! 👍

jjfromthebigland

Canadian Inuit here. You're absolutely right, brother 👍🤘

Killers Eddie

Try being Cherokee.

Bell Bird

Magnificent cover! The drumming, guitar work and the singer are all spot on. Up the Irons (Maidens).

soniclore

Amazing tribute. They are probably one of the best sounding tribute bands I've heard.

Scott Russell

THE best 4 me!

don kiss

Unbelievable. What a great sound and a great band. Can anyone else even Maria Brinks " with all respect " come as close to the sound and feeling of one of the greatest rock bands ever. WELL DONE LADYS

Eric Cox

You don’t normally here singing like that, Run To The Hills is hard to sing and she nailed it...wow..

Scott Russell

Wickedly brilliant she sings!!!! Nailed the F out of it!

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