Ballad of Ira Hayes
Western Music
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Western Song: Ballad of Ira Hayes

The Ballad of Ira Hayes is a song written by folksinger and songwriter Peter La Farge. Its words tell the story of Ira Hayes, one of six sailors who became famous for raising the United States flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Members of the Western Writers of America voted it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.

About the Song

In the song, La Farge introduces the Pima Indians, a tribe that occupies an oasis in the Arizona desert. He then said that when the United States began settling the area in the late 19th century, “white men stole their water rights and stopped sparkling water,” putting poverty on the tribe.
The song introduces Hayes, who volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps and participates in raising the flag on Iwo Jima.

When Hayes returns home, he faces discomfort and resentment. Even attempts by Americans to honor Hayes are treated with disrespect in La Farge’s lyrics. Rejected even by his own people, Ira fell into alcoholism and died drunk in a ditch. La Farge again used the death of Hayes to note the current plight of the Pimas.

Popular Recordings

The song has been recorded several times. The most famous version is recorded by Johnny Cash that reached number three on the Billboard Country Singles chart in 1964. Some of the other notable versions are done by:

  • Patrick Sky
  • Hamilton Camp
  • Pete Seeger
  • Townes Van Zandt
  • Smiley Bates
  • Bob Dylan
  • Kinky Friedman
  • Hazel Dickens
  • Kris Kristofferson

Ballad of Ira Hayes In Albums

The song has also been released in the tracklist of the following albums:

  • Bitter Tears
  • Welcome to Hamilton Camp
  • Broadside Ballads
  • Songs of Life
  • Self Portrait 
  • Lasso from El Paso
  • From the Sweat of my Brow

Listen (Johnny Cash Version)

Ballad of Ira Hayes Lyrics

Ira Hayes
Ira Hayes
Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey drinking Indian
Or the marine that went to war

Gather 'round me people
There's a story I would tell
'Bout a brave young Indian
You should remember well
From the land of the Pima Indian
A proud and noble band
Who farmed the Phoenix Valley
In Arizona land
Down the ditches a thousand years
The waters grew Ira's peoples' crops
'Til the white man stole their water rights
And the sparkling water stopped
Now, Ira's folks were hungry
And their land grew crops of weeds
When war came, Ira volunteered
And forgot the white man's greed

Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey drinking Indian
Or the marine that went to war

There they battled up Iwo Jima hill
Two hundred and fifty men
But only twenty-seven lived
To walk back down again
And when the fight was over
And Old Glory raised
Among the men who held it high
Was the Indian, Ira Hayes

Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey drinking Indian
Or the marine that went to war

Ira Hayes returned a hero
Celebrated through the land
He was wined and speeched and honored
Everybody shook his hand
But he was just a Pima Indian
No water, no home, no chance
At home nobody cared what Ira'd done
And when did the Indians dance

Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey drinking Indian
Or the marine that went to war

Then Ira started drinking hard
Jail was often his home
They let him raise the flag and lower it
Like you'd throw a dog a bone
He died drunk early one morning
Alone in the land he fought to save
Two inches of water and a lonely ditch
Was a grave for Ira Hayes

Call him drunken Ira Hayes
He won't answer anymore
Not the whiskey drinking Indian
Or the marine that went to war

Yeah, call him drunken Ira Hayes
But his land is just as dry
And his ghost is lying thirsty
In the ditch where Ira died

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