Cripple Crow

I think this song is about native americans in some way. The name "cripple crow" is a fairly stereotypical name, the references to corn and not having any guns, etc.. It seems to deal with the sadness of death, not knowing what to to do in the face of broken treaties and a dying people.

I would definatly say the native americans.

I think the name 'cripple crow' suggest a crow that can't fly. Something that could once do something great, but has since gotten that gift taken away from them.

So, in a sense, the native american people themselves are the cripple crow.

The song, then, is about how the settlers pushed them back over and over. Forcing them into smaller and smaller plots of land. MAking treaties and breaking them (all your gifts and all your peace is deceiving)

(were do we go once we start leaving) is like... what now? Devendra is asking what there is left to do now that their old way of life is essentially completely destroyed. I Agree that its about Peace... but i also thing its hinting at pacifism alone doesn't solve all problems because its openly admitting that it didn't really work.

emueyes is WROOOOOOONG!!!! :P sorry. i think this song is about actually i KNOW this song to be about pascifism (woo like Ghandi).....yes....i think it describes some idyllic peaceful commune utopia place.......but really this song could be about any defenceless group of people wether they are defensless by choice or from a lack of technology..."now that our bones lay buried before us" but i get the feeling that it is a positive song...

sounds like eternity

Aha, I lovr devendra. AHAH! Native Americans. XP I just love it.

Okay, so first off, in the last stanza, the lines should read

Crippled crow, say something for grieving Where do we go Once we start leaving? Well close that wound Or else keep on bleeding And change your tune It's got no meaning

I don't think he would say "close that womb." It doesn't really fit with the rest of the song, as there is no mention of childbirth in there.

Secondly, the song is definitely about pacifism, not the history of American Indians. If you listen to the rest of the album, there are all kinds of anti-war statements. I think he's talking more about the present than the past.

So he says "We've got no guns, no we don't have any weapons." The American Indians had guns and had weapons. Sure they were outgunned in the vast majority of the conflicts, but they fought. There were massacres, but there were also battles.

I think the Cripple Crow reference could be to any number of things. Whatever it is, my guess is that it's something specific, not a convoluted metaphor for American Indians.

I'm sticking with the native american interpretation, as I don't think it is convoluted nor do I think any plausible alternatives have been given. References to corn, gifts, deceiving peace, and genocide, all seem to have more to do with amerindians than with anything presently happening. Maybe there is allegory to something modern, but I don't see it and I certainly haven't read any better ideas on this page.

I imagined the Native American scene as well. Really the first four lines set that scene in my mind right away.

Also you left out the last line in the song. It's kind of important.

Well close that womb Or else keep on bleeding And change your tune It's got no meaning

I believe this song is about Native Americans. He even says in a few interviews ive read that he wrote alot of songs while he was reading "Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee" which is about the exploitation of our land and ect...

I'm fairly certain the lyric is "And our pain dissolves in believing that peace comes". The one up there doesn't make sense gramatically. I'm also fairly certain that it's about Native Americans.