The general rode for sixteen days   The horses were thirsty and tired   On the trail of a renegade chief   One he'd come to admire   The soldiers hid behind the hills   That surrounded the village   And he rode down to warn the chief   They'd come to conquer and pillage      Lay down your arms   Lay down your spear   The chief's eyes were sad   But showed no sign of fear      (chorus)   It is a good day to die   Oh my children dry your eyes   It is a good day to die      He spoke of the days before the white man came   With his guns and whisky   He told of a time a long time ago   Before what you call history   The general couldn't believe his words   Nor the look on his face   But he knew these people would rather die   Then have to live in this disgrace      What law have I broken   What wrong have I done   That makes you want to bury me   Upon this trail of blood      (chorus)      We cared for the land and the land cared for us   And that's the way it's always been   Never asked for more never asked too much   And now you tell me this is the end      I laid down my weapon   Laid down my bow   Now you want to drive me out   With no place left to go      (chorus)      And he turned to his people and said dry your eyes   We've been blessed and we are thankful   Raise your voices to the sky   It is a good day to die