Stereotypes of Native Americans: Essays & Images: Popular American Music

Imagery & Stereotyping Explained

How some people try to distance themselves from these images

Early American songs with Native American subjects mostly promoted the Noble Savage stereotype, especially depicting the Indian as a part of America's pristine wilderness past (see part 1). Also held in mystique was the Euro-American notion of Indian-Indian romance. Many an Indian princess was wooed in the pristine wilderness of pre-colonial America by noble Chieftains in the early days of recorded music.

Silverheels (1905)	Reed Bird (The Indian Bride) (1907)	Red Wing (1907)	Rainbow (1909) version 1 \| version 2	Silver Bell (intermezzo) (1910)
Silver Bell (with lyrics) (1910)	Pawnee Dear (1913)	My Little Red Feather (1916)	Snowbird (1916)	Pretty Little Rainbow (1919)
Indian Moon (1919)	Hiawatha's Melody of Love (1920)	Wild Flower (1920)	Na-Jo (1921)	Indian Love Call (1925)
Waters of the Perkiomen (1925)	Winona (1927)	Redskin (1929)	Cherokee (1938)	Indian Love Call (1940)

Far less common were songs about Indian-White romance. Only the 1909 tune "Wise Old Indian" carries any hint of Indian male-White female romance. Not surprisingly, the rest of the songs depict situations with Indian princesses in relationships with White men.

Arrah Wanna (1906)

Napanee (1906)

Wise Old Indian (1909)

Rosie The Redskin (1938)

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