Pocahontas And The Big White Chief

[Ray Brookes]

A sad old love song from a long ago experience.

We moved in that Summer. Two up two down
So close to the beach we'd hear the waves pound
Two misfits discovered in the lost and found
We were idiosyncratically tight
We shared the bathtub, the beer and some leaf
Sat smoking to oblivion on the wave-swept reef
I called her my Pocahontas she called me her Big White Chief
We borrowed the days but owned the nights

Everything was right and nothing could be wrong
Until one day the little baby came along
Suddenly the bond between us not quite as strong
As I strummed my melancholy Fender
Gave all I had; took all I could take
Her snapping words at my every mistake
Spiteful in spades; spitting like a snake
Trying so hard to comprehend her
Four rooms now with a different tenor

Came home one day the rooms were bare
Just my guitar leaning sadly against the stairs
In our bedroom her scent still in the air
In the bathroom just a sliver of soap
Cleaned out the account; away she ran
All our stuff carried off in a U-Haul van
Got drunk that night woke up in the can
Lookin' around for a makeshift rope

Last I heard she was working a bar
Makeup applied with a paintball gun and wishing on a star
Her and junior living in a car
Stinking of damp clothes and petroleum
Her meth face creased like old linoleum.
Looking back. It beggars belief
I sit alone on that wave-swept reef
I miss my Pocahontas; does she miss her Chief?
Cigarette flicked away my fingers frozen
I stare out stonily in a Mount Rushmore moment
I wonder where she is and how she's coping
I still sleep with the front door open

A time it was but oh so brief
For Pocahontas and the Big White Chief

[hardlock]

Beautiful song and story. Love the guitar, wish I could pick like that.

[Frank53]

Great song, Ray. You can clearly visualize the entire story, as if watching a movie. Full of emotion, yet detached by the passage of time. Love the rhyme scheme, and the smooth variations in verse length to clearly tell the story. Beautifully played as well. Nice work.

[Ferryman]

What a lovely and very sad song. Fabulous songwriting, great performance and lovely playing. A compelling listen.

[Greeny]

This is stellar songwriting. I love the lyric, the story, and the masterful way you deliver it. Absolutely fantastic guitar work with some beautiful harmonica accents.

Makes me think of Harry Chapin - W.O.L.D territory, and like a proper 70's classic.

'In the bathroom just a sliver of soap' love that line especially. Wish I'd written it.

Brilliant work.

[Flash Harry]

Great song.

 - and a great delivery and recording and the production is superb.

[StephenM]

sometimes I dream about my first wife of 20 years...ended in divorce... marriage wasn't even good but I don't think we just turn love off... I have a much better situation now...much better and yet still I have those dreams sometimes...
Love hurts, as the old Nazareth tune says.... I would say this was quite special Ray!

[Hook]

Heartbreaking...but wonderfully produced...but heartbreaking.
Rock on!

[AndyR]

Oh superb.

Playing and production is fab. Love those guitars and that harp.

And a gorgeous song. When I first saw the block of lyrics, as the song started, I feared it might go on a bit. But no, it flashed by, told its story completely and concisely.

Wonderful.

[Mike_S]

This is superior songwriting and playing. Your guitar is lovely and the tones are beautiful and warm. Really like your easy vocal style too, fantastic. Sounds CD/radio ready to me too.

Mike