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Ballad Of Ira Hayes Lyrics by Kinky Friedman

Lasso From El Paso

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(Peter LaFarge)
Gather round me people and a story I will tell
‘Bout a brave young Indian lad, you should remember well
From a tribe of Pima Indians, a proud and peaceful band
Who farmed the Phoenix Valley out in Arizona land
Down their ditches for a thousand years the sparkling water rushed
Till the white man stole the water rights and the running water hushed
Ira's folks was hungry, their fields grew thick with weeds
But when war came Ira volunteered and forgot the white man's greed
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not that whiskey drinking Indian or Marine who went to war
Well, they battled up Iwo Jima Hill, two hundred and fifty men
But only twenty-seven lived to walk back down again
And after the fight was over and Old Glory proudly raised
Among the men who held her high was an Indian, Ira Hayes
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not that whiskey drinking Indian or Marine who went to war
Well, Ira Hayes returned a hero, celebrated throughout the land
He was wined and speeched and honored, everybody shook his hand
But he's just a Pima Indian, no food, no friend, no chance
And nobody cared what Ira did and when do the Indians dance
Well, Ira took to drinking hard, jail often was his home
They used to let him raise the flag there and lower it just like you'd throw a dog a bone
And Ira died drunk early one morning all alone in the land he'd fought to save
Two inches of water in a lonely ditch was the grave for Ira Hayes
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not that whiskey drinking Indian or Marine who went to war
Yeah, call him drunken Ira Hayes, but his land is till as dry
And his ghost, well, that's lying thirsty in the ditch where Ira died
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore
Not that whiskey drinking Indian or Marine who went to war
Credits
Kinky Friedman

Kinky Friedman

About “Ballad Of Ira Hayes” by Kinky Friedman

Read the complete lyrics to "Ballad Of Ira Hayes" by Kinky Friedman from the album "Lasso From El Paso". 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 Pop.

"Ballad Of Ira Hayes" is performed by Kinky Friedman. from the album "Lasso From El Paso" 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 "Ballad Of Ira Hayes", explore more songs by Kinky Friedman 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

"Ballad Of Ira Hayes" is credited to Kinky Friedman. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Ballad Of Ira Hayes" appears on "Lasso From El Paso".

Visit the Kinky Friedman artist page at /artist/kinky-friedman for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.