Randy Newman - Great Nations of Europe lyrics

rate me

The Great Nations of Europe had gathered on the shore

they'd conquered what was behind them and now they wanted more

so they looked to the mighty ocean and took to the western sea

The great nations of europe in the 16th century

Hide your wives and daughters, hide the groceries too

The great nations of europe comin through

The Grand Canary Islands first land to which they came

they slaughtered all the canaries there which gave the land its name

there were natives there called guanches, guanches by the score

bullet's, disease the portugese, they weren't there any more

now they're gone, they're gone, they're really gone

you never seen anyone so gone

there's pictures in a museum, some lines written in a book

but you won't find a live one, no matter where you look

Hide your wives and daughters, hide the groceries too

The great nations of europe comin through

columbus sailed for india found salvidor instead

he shook hands with some indians and soon they all were dead

they got tb and typhoid and athletes foot, diptheria and the flu

'scuse me great nations comin through

balboa found the pacific and on the trail one day

he met some friendly indians whom he was told were gay

soooooooooooooo

he had them torn apart by dogs on religious grounds they say

the great nations of europe were quite holy in their way

now they're gone, they're gone, they're really gone

you never seen anyone so gone

some bones hidden in a canyon some paintings in a cave

they're no use tryin to save them, there's nothin left to save

hide your wives and daughters, hide your sons as well

with the great nations of europe you never can tell

where you and i are standing at the end of a century

europes have sprung up everywhere as even i can see

but there on the horizon is the possiblity

that some bug from out of africa might come for you and me

destroying everything in it's path from sea to shining sea

like the great nations of europe in the 16th century