Neil Young Releases Dakota Pipeline Protest Song “Indian Givers”
Neil Young is protesting the Dakota Pipeline crisis in Sacred Stone Camp, North Dakota with a new song, “Indian Givers”. Listen now!
In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of weeks, let me just get you caught up with what’s been going down in North Dakota.
An oil pipeline project (Dakota Access Pipeline) which many say could risk the only water source for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North Dakota, is being protested. Many tribes across the area, perhaps across the nation, have joined the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in a show of solidarity, as stories about purposeful sacred burial ground desecration have come out of the area. Many say the pipeline poses a threat not only to ancient holy grounds, but are an imminent risk to public health and safety should the pipeline leak or spill oil into the Missouri River, which it is planned to traverse.
Work was recently halted on the pipeline after the Army/US Justice/ Interior Departments announced that work would temporarily be stopped. The Army is currently reconsidering the decision to continue under the National Environmental Policy Act and other laws.
The protest, which started out with a handful of people, has now amassed thousands of supporters. Many have blamed the media for ignoring what’s happening in North Dakota, which has since gone viral.
On September 18th, Neil Young released a new song and accompanying music video protesting the Dakota Pipeline. Watch it here:
The song itself is a relatively simple melody, albeit striking. The drums are reminiscent of native drums. Neil’s voice is as we’ve always known it, and his lyrics, which have clearly only been written in the last few weeks, are poignant. The song calls out the sadness that he, and many others, must be feeling about the environmental destruction that’s happening in our wild and native lands.
One lyric in particular, “I wish somebody would share the news” calls out the media, specifically. For weeks, what was happening with NoDAPL was barely reported on and often ignored altogether.
The video for “Indian Givers” is a mixture of actual NoDAPL protest footage and of Neil himself driving in a car.
Read the full lyrics for “Indian Givers” here:
"There’s a battle raging on the sacred landOur brothers and sisters have to take a standAgainst us now for what we all been doingOn the sacred land there’s a battle brewingI wish somebody would share the newsNow it’s been about 500 yearsWe keep taking what we gave awayJust like what we call Indian giversIt makes you sick and gives you shiversI wish somebody would share the newsBig money going backwards and ripping the soilWhere graves are scattered and blood was boiledWhen all who look can see the truthBut they just move on and keep their grooveI wish somebody would share the newsSaw Happy locked to the big machineThey had to cut him loose and you know what that meansThat’s when Happy went to jailBehind big money justice always failsI wish somebody would share the newsBring back the days when good was goodLose these imposters in our neighborhoodAcross our farms and through our watersAll at the cost of our sons and daughtersOur brave songs and daughtersWe’re all here together fighting poison watersStanding against the evil wayThat’s what we have at the end of dayI wish somebody would share the news"
Of course, as kids we all learned what an Indian giver is. Someone who gives something away just to take it back again. I think we can all see, clearly, who the Indian giver is in this situation. And the use of the term in this instance is especially symbolic.
Dear Neil, great job. Keep on keepin’ on, man.
Next: Dolly Parton and Pentatonix Slay in “Jolene” Cover
So what do you think of “Indian Givers”? Let us know in the comments, or give us a shout on Twitter!