Pale Cherokee

they judge me
steal my breath and hand me misery
hand me a knife
and tell me just take your life
call me stupid. call me white
calling me that just ain't right
call me Cherokee
please stop calling me white, just let me be happy
my heart is like a drum
I'm not like you fools think,I ain't dumb
my blood is red
why can't you get that through your hateful head
I ain't Indian I'm Cherokee
my blood is red, not white
so stop calling me white cuz calling me that just ain't right
I'm a girl, I'm an American Cherokee, Irish, Ukrainian, German Girl
Yeah I am pale but I'm no pearl
drums beat in my blood
and with pain my veins do flood
I want to smash your face
for calling me white, cuz that isn't my race
my race isn't who i am but watch me i'm taking my stand
Call me Cherokee that's my one and only demand
I don't hate you
but i hate the word white it is true
it isn't a color it is a curse
though others will say that i can be called worse
they don't get it
they dont understand it
white people slaughtered mine
they broke our treaties, raped our women and got us drunk on firewater and cheap wine
don't call me white
cuz it isnt right
i might not look like the "indians" in your history books
but i'm Cherokee, not part of the Chi-ans or the Chinooks
i am pale
but thats no reason for you to yale
and call me a liar
cuz inside of me burns a Cherokee fire
brand me Cherokee
Cuz calling me nothing else will make me happy