great nations of europe

the great nations of europe

had gathered on the shore

they'd conquered what was behind them

and now they wanted more

so they looked to the mighty ocean

and took to the western sea

the great nations of europe in the sixteenth century

hide your wives and daughters

hide the groceries too

great nations of europe coming through

the grand canary islands

first land to which they came

they slaughtered all the canaries

which gave the land its name

there were natives there called guanches

guanches by the score

bullets

disease

the portugese

and they weren't there anymore

now they're gone

they're gone

they're really gone

you've never seen anyone so gone

they're a picture in a museum

some lines written in a book

but you won't find a live one no matter where you look

hide your wives and daughters

hide the groceries too

great nations of europe coming through

columbus sailed for india

found salvador instead

he shook hands with some indians and soon they all were dead

they got tb and typhoid and athlete's foot

diptheria and the flu

excuse me - great nations coming through

balboa found the pacific

and on the trail one day

he met some friendly indians

whom he was told were gay

so he had them torn apart by dogs on religious grounds they say

the great nations of europe were quite holy in their way

now they're gone

they're gone

they're really gone

you've never seen anyone so gone

some bones hidden in a canyon

some paintings in a cave

there's no use trying to save them

there's nothing left to save

hide your wives and daughters

hide your sons as well

with the great nations of europe you never can tell

from where you and i are standing

at the end of a century

europes have sprung up everyone as even i can see

but there on the horizon as a possiblity

some bug from out of africa might come for you and me

destroying everything in its path

from sea to shining sea

like the great nations of europe

in the sixteenth century