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He came dancing across the water
With his galleons and guns
Looking for the new world
In that palace in the sun.
On the shore lay Montezuma
With his coca leaves and pearls
In his halls he often wondered
With the secrets of the worlds.
And his subjects
gathered 'round him
Like the leaves around a tree
In their clothes of many colors
For the angry gods to see.
And the women all were beautiful
And the men stood
straight and strong
They offered life in sacrifice
So that others could go on.
Hate was just a legend
And war was never known
The people worked together
And they lifted many stones.
They carried them
to the flatlands
And they died along the way
But they built up
with their bare hands
What we still can't do today.
And I know she's living there
And she loves me to this day
I still can't remember when
Or how I lost my way.
He came dancing across the water
Cortez, Cortez
What a killer.
With his galleons and guns
Looking for the new world
In that palace in the sun.
On the shore lay Montezuma
With his coca leaves and pearls
In his halls he often wondered
With the secrets of the worlds.
And his subjects
gathered 'round him
Like the leaves around a tree
In their clothes of many colors
For the angry gods to see.
And the women all were beautiful
And the men stood
straight and strong
They offered life in sacrifice
So that others could go on.
Hate was just a legend
And war was never known
The people worked together
And they lifted many stones.
They carried them
to the flatlands
And they died along the way
But they built up
with their bare hands
What we still can't do today.
And I know she's living there
And she loves me to this day
I still can't remember when
Or how I lost my way.
He came dancing across the water
Cortez, Cortez
What a killer.
Lyrics submitted by H-bomb
Track duration: 07:32
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Montezuma showered the Spaniards with gifts and generously offered them complete access to the city, including his own palace. He had many women as his mistresses, the daughters of chieftains, and two legitimate wives. Some say the last leader of the Aztec’s gave gold calendars to Cortez. Some say Cortez melted them to lumps of metal for the Spanish queen.
Moctezuma became a prisoner in his own house until he was killed. When he was stoned by his own people, and later stabbed to death, “Cortés and his captains and soldiers wept.”
As far as Neil's song goes it's very well done, but it can't be read as history.
He came dancing across the water
With his galleons and guns
Looking for the new world
In that palace in the sun.
On the shore lay Montezuma
With his coca leaves and pearls
In his halls he often wondered
With the secrets of the worlds.
And his subjects
gathered 'round him
Like the leaves around a tree
In their clothes of many colors
For the angry gods to see.
And the women all were beautiful
And the men stood
straight and strong
They offered life in sacrifice
So that others could go on. - Many cultures had human sacrifice to appease the "Gods"
Hate was just a legend
And war was never known - Just his romantic notion
The people worked together
And they lifted many stones.
They carried them
to the flatlands
And they died along the way
But they built up
with their bare hands
What we still can't do today. - They still dont really know how a basic people built the pyramids
And I know she's living there - Cocaine
And she loves me to this day - Cocaine will always love him
I still can't remember when
Or how I lost my way. - He doesnt know how and when it took a hold of him.
He came dancing across the water
Cortez, Cortez
What a killer.
As I said this is just my idea of what the song is about....Neil Young, Neil Young...What a singer....
"because of the facility for retreating," .. "When your army has crossed the border, you should burn your boats and bridges, in order to make it clear to everybody that you have no hankering after home."
But for real, this song is a tribute (historically inaccurate) of the colonization of Central America
However I do love that verse
And I know she's living there
And she loves me to this day
I still can't remember when
Or how I lost my way.
Sounds like neil broke some chicks heart, but i think some1
(I'm kidding it absolutely rules.)