[Chorus]
C G
Oh, the wind blows cold
D Em
On the trail of the buffalo
C G
Oh, the wind blows cold
D Em
In the land of the Navajo
D Em
In the land of the Navajo
[Verse 1&2]
G C
A hundred miles from nowhere out on the desert sand
D G
One-eyed Jack, the trader, held some torquoise in his hand
G C
By his side sat Running Elk, his long-time Indian friend
D G
He vowed that he would stay by Jack until the bitter end
G C
Jack had gambled everything he owned to lead this wandering life
D G
He might have had a happy home and a tender loving wife
G C
But his hunger was for trading trapper's furs for torquoise stone
D G
Anything that the Indians had, Jack wanted for his own
[Chorus]
C G
Oh, the wind blows cold
D Em
On the trail of the buffalo
C G
Oh, the wind blows cold
D Em
In the land of the Navajo
D Em
In the land of the Navajo
[Verse 3&4]
G C
Said Jack to Running Elk, I'll gamble all my precious stones
D G
Before I leave my body here among these bleaching bones
G mmmm C
But now my time is drawing near and I'm filled with dark regret
D G
My spirit longs to journey as the sun begins to set
G C
For we raped and killed, we stole your land, we ruled with guns and knives
D G
Fed whiskey to your warriors while we stole away your wives
G C
Said Running Elk, what's done is done, you white men rule this land
D G
So lay the cards face up and play your last broken-hearted hand
(Chorus)
C G
Oh, the wind blows cold
D Em
On the trail of the buffalo
C G
Oh, the wind blows cold
D Em
In the land of the Navajo
D Em
In the land of the Navajo
[Solo]
G C D G G C D G
G C D G G C D G
C G D Em C G D Em D Em
[Verse 5&6]
G C
When you're dealing cards with death, the joker's wild, the ace is high
D G
Jack bid the Mississippi River, Running Elk raised him the sky
G C
Jack saw him with the sun and moon and upped him with the stars
D G
Running Elk bet the Rocky Mountains, Jupiter, and Mars
G C
The sun was sinking in the west when Jack drew the ace of spades
D G
Running Elk just rolled his eyes, he smiled and passed away
G C
Jack picked up his torquoise stones and cast them to the sky
D G
He stared into the setting sun and then made a mournful cry
(Chorus)
C G
Oh, the wind blows cold
D Em
On the trail of the buffalo
C G
Oh, the wind blows cold
D Em
In the land of the Navajo
D Em
In the land of the Navajo