Buffalo Soldier Lyrics

Said he, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!
Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!


[Verse 5]
Buffalo Soldier troddin' through the land, wo-ho-ooh!
Said he want to ran and then you want a hand
Troddin' through the land, yea-hea, yea-ea

Said he was a Buffalo Soldier in the war for America
Buffalo Soldier, dreadlocked Rasta
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Driven from the mainland to the heart of the Caribbean

Said he, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!
Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy!


[Verse 6]
Trodding through San Juan
In the arms of America
Trodding through Jamaica, a Buffalo Soldier
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock rasta

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About

Genius Annotation

“Buffalo soldiers” was the nickname Native Americans reportedly gave to the black soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments during the so-called Indian Wars. The term eventually applied to all regiments in the U.S. Army segregating African Americans (until Harry Truman’s 1948 executive order).

Since they were renowned for courage and discipline—and, contrary to many other regiments, suffered relatively little drunkenness or desertion—Marley uses the buffalo soldiers' fight for survival during the Indian Wars as a symbol of black resistance and identity. At the same time, he touches upon the cruel irony of deploying one subjected people to remove another.

Written by Bob Marley and Noel G. “King Sporty” William in 1980, “Buffalo Soldier” released posthumously as a single from Confrontation, the first album released after Marley’s untimely death in 1981.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Translations
Genius Answer
Marley uses words like "trodin'," which dialect is this?
Genius Answer

Marley uses the African American English (AAE), letting the reader know that his is a voice of experience. Being a Rastafarian himself, he can easily fit into the shoes of these Buffalo Soldiers.

Is this the first ever song that can be classified as 'Reggae'?
Genius Answer

Although not the first ever ‘Reggae’ song, “Buffalo Soldier” contributed a lot in bringing Reggae into international notice.

The first ever popular Reggae song was actually “Do The Reggay,” a 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals.

What is the (literary) tone of the song?
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