General Custer Songtext
von Tom Paxton

General Custer told me, "we′re going for a ride
Out along the Big Horn River, where the water is deep and wide.
Soon as I get my hair done, we will win the war;
Now go on out and tell the boys what they are fighting for."

He said, "Give somebody a medal.
Give somebody a three-day pass.
Tell him 'bout a light at the end of the tunnel,
And tell him to hold his sass.
And pass me my lookin′ glass."

Out in the buffalo moonlight, I thought I heard a bird.
One old Indian fighter went pale, said, "What was that I heard?"
Sixteen thousand nightingales stomping through the pass.
Tell that idiot matinee fool to get us out and fast.

He said, "Give somebody a medal.
Give somebody a three-day pass.
Tell him 'bout a light at the end of the tunnel,
And tell him to hold his sass.
And pass me my lookin' glass."


Dawn came up like taxes and what do you suppose I see?
Every Indian in history, a-tapping his toes at me.
Things was lookin′ shaky; some of them boys was large;
And what do you s′pose old Custer
Done? You know, he hollered, "Charge!"

He said, "Give somebody a medal.
Give somebody a three-day pass.
Tell him 'bout a light at the end of the tunnel,
And tell him to hold his sass.
And pass me my lookin′ glass."

Nobody told the Indians who old Custer was.
They commenced to stick to us like peaches stick to fuzz.
Nobody told the Indians they was supposed to run;
And just as they did old Custer in, what do you s'pose he done?

He said, "Give somebody a medal.
Give somebody a three-day pass.
Tell him ′bout a light at the end of the tunnel,
And tell him to hold his sass.
And pass me my lookin' glass."