Give It Back to the Indians - Ella Fitzgerald

Old Peter Minuet had nothing to lose when he bought the isle of Manhatten

For twenty-six dollars and a bottle of booze and they threw in the Bronx and

Staten

Pete thought that he had the best of the bargin but the poor red man just

grinned

And he grunted «ugh!»

meaning okay in his jargon for he knew poor Pete was

skinned

We’ve tried to run the city, but the city ran away

And now Peter Minuet

We can’t continue it

Broadway’s turning into Coney

Champagne Charlie’s drinking gin

Old New York is new and phony

Give it back to the Indians!

Two cents more to smoke a Lucky

Dodging busses keep you thin

Now New York is simply ducky

Give it back to the Indians!

Take all the reds, on the boxes made for soap

Whites on Fifth Avenue

Blues down in Wall Street losing hope

Big bargain today, Chief take it away!

Come you busted city slickers

Better take it on the chin

Father Nick has lost his knickers

Give it back to the Indians!