My father married a pure Cherokee My mother's people were ashamed of me The Indians said that I was white by law The white man always called me "Indian squaw" [Refrain] Half-breed, that's all I ever heard Half-breed, how I learned to hate the word Half-breed, she's no good, they warned Both sides were against me since the day I was born We never settled, went from town to town When you're not welcome you don't hang around The other children always laughed at me "Give her a feather, she's a Cherokee" [Refrain] We weren't accepted and I felt ashamed Nineteen I left them, tell me who's to blame My life since then has been from man to man But I can't run away from what I am [Refrain twice]