"Savages" is a group song and the seventh song of Disney's 1995 animated feature film, Pocahontas, performed by both the Indians and settlers as they prepare for war.
Plot[]
After John Smith is arrested thinking he killed Kocoum who tried to separate Pocahontas from falling in love with John Smith (actually Thomas who shot him), Thomas worriedly runs to the English settlers' camp, shouting at them that the Native Americans have captured him for killing Kocoum. Ratcliffe overhears Thomas' cries as he and the settlers plan to rescue Smith just as Ratcliffe tells them that Powhatan's tribe couldn't be trusted, judging that they would only fight back upon contact. Explaining about what they did to Smith, Ratcliffe and the settlers prepare for war against Powhatan's tribe in order to save Smith from them. Meanwhile, Chief Powhatan overhears the settlers preparing to fight back just as Kekata helps the tribe members prepare for war. As Powhatan's tribe prepares for war against the settlers, the rage from both groups emits large storm clouds from raging fire, in which the clouds violently clash into each other for war to symbolize prejudice at the end of the first part of the song.
The song is sung again when Pocahontas tries to stop her father from killing John Smith at sunrise in which she successfully does so as the song ends with Pocahontas' tribe and the settlers at peace (with the exception of Ratcliffe who refuses to rejoice).
Lyrics[]
Governor Ratcliffe:
What can you expect from filthy little heathens?
Here's what you get when races are diverse! (Soundtrack version: "Their whole disgusting race is like a curse!")
Their skin's are hellish red, they're only good when dead
They're vermin, as I said, and worse!
English Settlers:
They're savages! Savages!
Governor Ratcliffe:
Barely even human!
English Settlers:
Savages! Savages!
Governor Ratcliffe:
Drive them from our shore!
They're not like you and me, which means they must be evil we must sound the drums of war!
English Settlers:
They're savages! Savages!
Dirty shrieking devils! (Soundtrack version: "Dirty redskin devils!")
Governor Ratcliffe and English Settlers:
Now we sound the drums of war!
Chief Powhatan:
This is what we feared, the paleface is a demon
The only thing they feel at all is greed...
Kekata:
Beneath that milky hide, there's emptiness inside...
Native American Indians:
I wonder if they even bleed...
They're savages! Savages!
Powhatan and Native American Indians:
Barely even human!
Native American Indians:
Savages! Savages!
Powhatan:
Killers at the core...
Kekata
They're different from us, which means they can't be trusted.
Powhatan:
We must sound the drums of war!
Native American Indians:
They're savages! Savages!
First we deal with this one, then we sound the drums of war!
English Settlers:
Savages! Savages!
Ben:
Let's go get a few, men! (Soundtrack version: "Let's go kill a few, men!")
Native American Indians:
Savages! Savages!
Governor Ratcliffe:
Now it's up to you, men!
All:
Savages! Savages! Barely even human! Now we sound the drums of war!
Ratcliffe:
This will be the day... (Let's go, men!)
Powhatan:
This will be the morning... (Bring out the prisoner!)
Native American Indians:
We will see them dying in the dust...
Pocahontas:
I don't know what I can do still, I know I've got to try
Ratcliffe and English Settlers:
Now we make them pay...
Pocahontas:
Eagle, help my feet to fly...
Native American Indians:
Now without a warning!
Pocahontas:
Mountain, help my heart be great...
Native American Indians:
Now we leave them blood and bone and rust
Pocahontas:
Spirits of the Earth and Sky...
English Settlers and Native American Indians:
It's them or us?
Pocahontas:
Please don't let it be too late...
English Settlers and Native American Indians:
They're just a bunch of filthy, stinking savages! Savages!
Native American Indians:
Demons!
English Settlers:
Devils!
Ratcliffe:
Kill them!
Native American Indians:
Savages!
English Settlers:
Savages!
Ratcliffe and English Settlers:
What are we waiting for?
Ratcliffe, English Settlers, and Native American Indians:
Destroy their evil race until there's not a trace left!
Pocahontas:
How loud are the drums of the war?
Ratcliffe, English Settlers, and Native American Indians:
We will sound the drums of war! Savages! Savages!
Now we sound the drums of war! Savages! Savages!
Native American Indians:
Now we sound the drums...
English Settlers:
Now we see what comes
Of trying to be chums
Of course it means the drums...
Pocahontas:
Is this the death of all I love carried in the drumming of...
English Settlers and Native American Indians:
Of...war!
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This song is a musical representation of the impact of fear: both the colonists and the Powhatan fear each other to the point where they are willing to got to war due to their fear of being attacked by the other side. The song shows how people will resort to violence when they are overcome by their fear.
- Savages is very similar to "The Mob Song" in Beauty and the Beast. The main villain exploits his men's fear of the unknown to get them on a pretended heroic fight, when actually they only want to satisfy themselves and their vices (Governor Ratcliffe's greed and Gaston's jealousy). In fact, both Pocahontas and the original animated Beauty and the Beast star David Ogden Stiers and were scored by Alan Menken.
- In the film, Ratcliffe says the line: "Here's what you get when races are diverse!" However, in the soundtrack, he says "Their whole disgusting race is like a curse."
- Similarly, in the film, the settlers and Ratcliffe say "Dirty, shrieking devils." The soundtrack uses "Dirty redskin devils", possibly to be more racially sensitive, ironic for a song about racism sung by an explicit white supremist.
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