Johnny Cash
"As Long As The Grass Shall Grow" lyrics

As Long As The Grass Shall Grow

As long
As the moon
Shall rise
As long
As the rivers
Flow

As long
As the sun
Will shine
As long
As the grass
Shall grow

The Senecas are an Indian tribe
Of the Iroquios nation
Down on the New York Pennsylvania Line
You'll find their reservation
After the US revolution
Cornplanter was a chief
He told the tribe
These men they could trust
That was his true belief

He went down to Independence Hall
And there was a treaty signed
That promised peace with the USA
And Indian rights combined
George Washington gave his signature
The Government gave its hand
They said that now and forever more
That this was Indian land

As long
As the moon
Shall rise
As long
As the rivers
Flow

As long
As the sun
Will shine
As long
As the grass
Shall grow

On the Seneca reservation
There is much sadness now
Washington's treaty has been broken
And there is no hope nohow
Across the Allegheny River
They're throwing up a dam
It will flood the Indian country
A proud day for Uncle Sam

It has broke the ancient treaty
With a politician's grin
It will drown the Indians graveyards
Cornplanter, can you swim?

The earth is mother to the Senecas
They're trampling sacred ground
Change the mint green earth to black mud flats
As honor hobbles down

As long
As the moon
Shall rise
As long
As the rivers
Flow

As long
As the sun
Will shine
As long
As the grass
Shall grow

The Iroquios Indians used to rule
From Canada way south
But no one fears the Indians now
And smiles the liar's mouth
The Senecas hired an expert
To figure another site
But the great good army engineers
Said that he had no right

Although he showed them another plan
And showed them another way
They laughed in his face and said no deal
Kinuza dam is here to stay
Congress turned the Indians down
Brushed off the Indians plea
So the Senecas have renamed the dam
They call it Lake Perfidy

As long
As the moon
Shall rise
As long
As the rivers
Flow

As long
As the sun
Will shine
As long
As the grass
Shall grow

Washington, Addams and Kennedy
Now hear their pledges ring
The treaties are safe we'll keep our word
But what is that gurgling
It's the back water from Perfidy Lake
It's rising all the time
Over the homes and over the fields
And over the promises fine

No boats will sail on Lake Perfidy
In winter it will fill
In summer it will be a swamp
And all the fish will kill
But the Government of the USA
Has corrected George's vow
The father of our country must be wrong
What's an Indian anyhow?

As long
As the moon
Shall rise
Look up
As long
As the rivers
Flow
Are you thirsty?

As long
As the sun
Will shine
My brother, are you warm?
As long
As the grass
Shall grow