Ballad Blog

Buffalo Soldier lyrics
By: Bob Marley

Buffalo soldier, dreadlock rasta
There was a buffalo soldier in the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival

I mean it when I analyze the stench
To me it makes a lot of sense
How the dreadlock rasta was the buffalo soldier
And he was taken from Africa, brought to America
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival

Said he was a buffalo soldier, dreadlock rasta
Buffalo soldier in the heart of America

If you know your history
Then you would know where you're coming from
Then you wouldn't have to ask me
Who the 'eck do I think I am

I'm just a buffalo soldier in the heart of America
Stolen from Africa, brought to America
Said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Said he was a buffalo soldier, win the war for America

Dreadie, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
(From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/bob-marley-lyrics/buffalo-soldier-lyrics.html)
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy
Buffalo soldier troddin' through the land, wo-ho-ooh
Said he wanna ran and then you wanna hand
Troddin' through the land, yea-hea, yea-ea

Said he was a buffalo soldier, win the war for America
Buffalo soldier, dreadlock rasta
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Driven from the mainland to the heart of the Caribbean

Singing, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy

Troddin' through San Juan in the arms of America
Troddin' through Jamaica, a buffalo soldier
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival
Buffalo soldier, dreadlock rasta

Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy
Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy

 

Reasons this song is a ballad:

     There are eight characteristics of ballads, Dramatization of a single incident, Little reflection on expression, Dialogue or questions and answers that further the story, a simple beat with uncomplicated rhyme, regular repeated refrain at the end of each stanza, Lyrical stanza after each narrative, suggests rather than stating, and finally the ballad is based on actual events. Bob Marley's song meets five of the eight characteristics. Likewise the ballad also falls under four topics, murderous acts and desire for revenge, tragic accidents and sudden disaster, heroic deeds and quests for honor, and jealous sweethearts with unrequited love. Buffalo soldier falls under the heroic deeds and quest for honor topic.

     Buffalo Soldier talks of heroic events and the quest for honor because the song is talking about African-American soldiers who had joined the army shortly after they were freed from slavery. Abraham Lincoln saw this heroism and wrote "The black soldiers in the Civil war had so heroically vindicated their manhood on the battlefield where, in assisting to save the life of the republic, they have demonstrated in blood their right to the ballot." 

some of the similar characteristics between this song and a ballad are:

Dramatization of a single incident- In this song Marley states that the buffalo soldier (an African American soldier now fighting for the U.S.) was stolen from Africa. While many African Americans were stolen from Africa and brought here in slavery it is more likely that any soldiers fighting in the military were decedents of those originally brought here. African men were not taken from Africa arrive in America and immediately enlisted in the military, it took years before African Americans were allowed to fight.

Simple beat and uncomplicated rhyme- this is a pretty self explanatory characteristic that can be heard when listening to the song.
Regularly repeated refrain- This song repeats the "was a buffalo soldier, dreadlock rasta
Buffalo soldier in the heart of America" lyrics multiple times.
Suggests rather than states- this song does not just come out and say that it is talking about the heroism of the African American in the U.S. army rather it clues you in and makes statements that would lead you to make that conclusion.
Based on actual events- this song talks about African American involvement the U.S. military shortly after their freedom in our country.