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The Ballad of Ira Hayes Lyrics by Hazel Dickens

By the Sweat of My Brow

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[Verse 1]
Gather 'round me people
A story, I will tell
About a brave young Indian
You should remember well
From the land of the Pima Indians
A proud and noble band
Who farmed the Phoenix Valley
In Arizona land
[Verse 2]
Down the ditches of a thousand years
The waters grew their crops
Till the white man stole their water rights
And the sparkling water stopped
Then, Ira's folks grew hungry
Their land grew crops of weeds
When the war came, he volunteered
Forgot the white man's greed
[Chorus]
Oh, call him drunken Ira Hayes
He can't hear you anymore
Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
[Verse 3]
They battled up Iwo Jima hill
A hundred and fifty men
But only twenty seven lived
To walk back down again
When the fight was all over
Old Glory was raised
Among the men who held it high
Was an Indian, Ira Hayes
[Verse 4]
Ira Hayes returned a hero
Celebrated through the land
He was wined, speeched, and honored
Everybody shook his hand
He was just a Pima Indian
No water, crop, no chance
At home, they forgot what he had done
And when do the Indians dance?
[Chorus]
Oh, call him drunken Ira Hayes
He can't hear you anymore
Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
[Verse 5]
Then Ira started drinkin' hard
Jail, often his home
They let him raise and lower the flag
Like you'd throw a dog a bone
He got drunk alone one morning
In a land he'd fought to save
Two inches of water in a lonely ditch
Was the grave of Ira Hayes
[Bridge]
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
But his land is just as dry
And his ghost is lying thirsty
In the ditch where Ira died
[Chorus]
Oh, call him drunken Ira Hayes
He can't hear you anymore
Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian
Or the Marine who went to war
Oh, call him drunken Ira Hayes
But his land is just as dry
And his ghost is lying thirsty
In the ditch where Ira died
Credits
Hazel Dickens

Hazel Dickens

About “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” by Hazel Dickens

Read the complete lyrics to "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" by Hazel Dickens from the album "By the Sweat of My Brow". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under American Folk, Folk, Country.

"The Ballad of Ira Hayes" is performed by Hazel Dickens. from the album "By the Sweat of My Brow" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Ballad of Ira Hayes", explore more songs by Hazel Dickens using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"The Ballad of Ira Hayes" is credited to Hazel Dickens. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Ballad of Ira Hayes" appears on "By the Sweat of My Brow".

Visit the Hazel Dickens artist page at /artist/hazel-dickens for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.