Ballad Of Ira Hayes

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Artist: Johnny Cash
Song: (The)Ballad of Ira Hayes
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A D
Ira Hayes, Ira Hayes.
A D
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore;
E A
not the whiskey drinkin' Indian, nor the marine that went to war.
A D
Gather 'round me, people. There's a story I would tell
E A
'bout a brave young Indian you should remember well,
D
from the land of the Pima Indians, a proud and nobel band,
E A
who farmed the Phoenix Valley in Arizona land.
A D
Down their ditches a thousand years, the waters grew Ira's people's crops
E A
till the white man stole their water rights and the sparklin' water stopped.
D
Now, Ira's folks were hungry and their land grew crops of weeds.
E A
When the war came, Ira volunteered and forgot the white man's greed.
A D
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore;
E A
not the whiskey drinkin' Indian, nor the marine that went to war.
A D
There they battled up Iwo Jima Hill; 250 men,
E A
but only 27 lived to walk back down again.
D
And when the fight was over, and Old Glory raised,
E A
among the men who held it high was the Indian, Ira Hayes.
A D
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore;
E A
not the whiskey drinkin' Indian, nor the marine that went to war.
A D
Ira Hayes returned a hero, celebrated through the land.
E A
He was wined and speeched and honored, ev'rybody shook his hand.
D
But he was just a Pima Indian; no water, no home, no chance.
E
At home nobody cared what Ira had done.
A
And when do the Indians dance?
A D
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore;
E A
not the whiskey drinkin' Indian, nor the marine that went to war.
A D
Then Ira started drinkin' hard; jail was often his home.
E A
They let him raise the flag and lower it like you'd throw a dog a bone.
D
He died drunk early one morning, alone in the land he fought to save.
E A
Two inches of water in a lonely ditch was a grave for Ira Hayes.
A D
Call him drunken Ira Hayes, he won't answer anymore;
E A
not the whiskey drinkin' Indian, nor the marine that went to war.
A D
Yeah, call him drunken Ira Hayes, but his land is just as dry,
E A
and his ghost is lyin' thirsty in the ditch were Ira died.

Ballad Of Ira Hayes chords and lyrics

Free chords for Ballad Of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash. Scroll the interactive sheet above or read the chord names inline below.

Artist: Johnny Cash
Song: (The)Ballad of Ira Hayes
**Please Rate And Comment**

Ballad Of Ira Hayes Chords by Johnny Cash

Learn how to play Ballad Of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Ballad Of Ira Hayes chords”, “Ballad Of Ira Hayes guitar chords”, or “Johnny Cash Ballad Of Ira Hayes chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Ballad Of Ira Hayes chords and for experienced players who want accurate Ballad Of Ira Hayes lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, D, E.

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The chords for "Ballad Of Ira Hayes" show the original chord names (including A, D, E). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.