Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)

"Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)"
Single by Don Fardon
B-side"Dreamin' Room"
ReleasedAugust 1968
GenreBlues[1]
Length3:23
Label
Songwriter(s)John D. Loudermilk
Producer(s)Miki Dallon

"Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" is a song written by John D. Loudermilk.[2] It was first recorded by Marvin Rainwater in 1959 and released on MGM as "The Pale Faced Indian", but that release went unnoticed. The first hit version was a 1968 recording by Don Fardon – a former member of the Sorrows – that reached number 20 on the Hot 100 in 1968[3] and number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in 1970.[4]

In 1971, the Raiders recorded "Indian Reservation" for Columbia Records, and it topped the Hot 100 on July 24.[5] On June 30, 1971, the RIAA gold certified the record for selling over a million copies.[6] The record was later certified platinum for selling an additional million copies.[6] The song was the group's only Hot 100 number-one hit and their only Hot 100 top 20 song.

  1. ^ Breihan, Tom (February 1, 2019). "The Number Ones: Paul Revere & The Raiders' "Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian)"". Stereogum. Retrieved June 16, 2023. Fardon's version is a tense blues simmer...
  2. ^ Jancik, Wayne The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders 1998. ISBN 0-8230-7622-9 page 247
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel, Top Pop Singles 1955–2002 Record Research Inc. 1997 pages 238, 589 ISBN 0-89820-155-1
  4. ^ "OfficialCharts.com". Official Charts Company. January 30, 1971. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  5. ^ Bronson, Fred, The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Billboard Publications, Inc. 1985. ISBN 0-8230-7522-2
  6. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (1997). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1996. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research Inc. p. 509. ISBN 0-89820-122-5.