''Music for'' The Native Americans is a 1994 album by
Robbie Robertson
Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson, OC (born July 5, 1943), is a Canadian musician. He is best known for his work as lead guitarist and songwriter for the Band, and for his career as a solo recording artist. With the deaths of Richard Manuel i ...
, compiling music written by Robertson and other colleagues (billed as the ''Red Road Ensemble'') for the television documentary film ''
The Native Americans
''The Native Americans'' is a three-part American television documentary miniseries that premiered on TBS on October 10, 1994. The remaining two episodes aired on October 11 and 13, 1994. Directed by John Borden, Phil Lucas and George Burdeau, ...
''.
The album was Robertson's first foray into writing music specifically inspired by his
Mohawk Mohawk may refer to:
Related to Native Americans
* Mohawk people, an indigenous people of North America (Canada and New York)
*Mohawk language, the language spoken by the Mohawk people
* Mohawk hairstyle, from a hairstyle once thought to have been ...
heritage. Robertson brought in his son Sebastian Robertson to handle the drums on "Golden Feather", "Skinwalker", "It Is a Good Day to Die" and "Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood". His daughter Delphine Robertson sings backing vocals on "Coyote Dance".
Track listing
The album is compiled as a soundtrack, being credited to a variety of musicians. Songs listed below are credited to Robertson unless otherwise specified.
# "Coyote Dance" (Jim Wilson, Dave Pickell) – 4:07
#
Ulali
Ulali () is a Native American women's a cappella group. Founded in 1987, its current members include original members Pura Fé (Tuscarora/Taíno), Soni Moreno ( Mayan, Apache, Yaqui) and Jennifer Kreisberg (Tuscarora).
Ulali's sound encompasses ...
: "Mahk Jchi (Heartbeat Drum Song)" (
Pura Fé, Soni Moreno, Jennifer Kreisberg) – 4:17
# "Ghost Dance" (Robertson, Wilson) – 5:12
# "The Vanishing Breed" (Robertson,
) – 4:39
# "It Is a Good Day to Die" (Robertson) – 5:46
# "Golden Feather" (Robertson) – 5:22
#
Kashtin
Kashtin were a Canadian folk rock duo in the 1980s and 1990s, one of the most commercially successful and famous musical groups in First Nations history.
Career
The band was formed in 1984 by Claude McKenzie and Florent Vollant, two Innu music ...
: "
Akua Tuta
''Akua Tuta'' is the third album by Canadian folk rock duo Kashtin, released in 1994. ''Akua Tuta'' was the final album released by the band under the name Kashtin, although band members Claude McKenzie and Florent Vollant have each continued to r ...
" (
Florent Vollant,
Claude McKenzie) – 4:51
# "Words of Fire, Deeds of Blood" (Robertson) – 4:52
#
Walela Walela is a trio of singers, named for the Cherokee word for ''hummingbird.'' The group was founded in 1996 by sisters Rita Coolidge and Priscilla Coolidge, with Priscilla's daughter Laura Satterfield as the third member. Although the band name i ...
(credited as Coolidge): "Cherokee Morning Song" (arranged by Robertson &
Rita Coolidge
Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on ''Billboard'' magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts, and she won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and the ...
) – 2:58
# "Skinwalker" (Robertson,
Patrick Leonard
Patrick Ray Leonard (born March 14, 1956) is an American songwriter, keyboardist, film composer, and music producer, best known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna. His work with Madonna includes her albums '' True Blue'' (1986), ''Who's ...
) – 5:56
# Ulali and The Silvercloud Singers: "Ancestor Song" (Traditional, Fé, Moreno, Kreisberg) – 2:54
# "Twisted Hair" (Wilson, Dave Carson)
with Bonnie Jo Hunt
Bonnie, is a Scottish given name and is sometimes used as a descriptive reference, as in the Scottish folk song, My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean. It comes from the Scots language word "bonnie" (pretty, attractive), or the French bonne (good). That ...
– 3:23
Charts
References
1994 soundtrack albums
Capitol Records soundtracks
Robbie Robertson albums
Television soundtracks
Albums produced by Robbie Robertson
Native American music albums
{{1990s-album-stub