The West (Cash Johnny)

Then came West Virginia came Nevada and Nebraska Colorado and Dakota, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming And the West was opened up And for ther first time it seems That the nation was really conscious of itself as a nation Railroad tracks crossed the land as did telegraph wires Public opinion and great ideas were now reflected on a national basis And never in this land before us and never more hereafter Will a land know such a people as a man we call a cowboy His hat and his bandana his unique brand of lingo All his devil deeds of daring bold and skillful in the saddle Brave and daring in the rambling wild and eager in exploring Land that calls him with a challenge But the land was already claimed by a people When the cowboy came and when the soldiers came The story of the American Indian is in a lot of ways a story of tragedy Like that day at Wounded Knee South Dakota