Who Was I – The Susan Frenier Brown Song
Music and lyrics by Elisa Korenne
My father was French-Canadian and Dakota Yanktonais
My mother’s grandfather was the great Chief Red Wing
My husband was one of the men who built Minnesota
My son was a hero in the Sioux Uprising
Joe met me when he was married to wife number two
He nursed me back to health when I was shot
He moved in with me and had seven children
It took him fifteen years to tie the knot
They wrote about my husband, my father, my son
But then, then they were done
So, who was I? (Woman wife mother)
Who was I? (Indian white mixed)
Who was I?
Tell me something about my life
Tell me something mattered in my life
I lived in a world where there was Indian and white
Do you know if I was both or neither?
I lived in a world where families were mixed,
Where marriages sealed business interests
I lived in a time of confusion
When two cultures fought for a hold
As white pioneers built new lives
And the Indians tried to save their old
They wrote about wars, the treaties and guns
But then, then they were done
But, who was I? (Woman wife mother)
Who was I? (Indian white mixed)
Who was I?
Tell me something about my life
Tell me something mattered in my life
What was it like for me?
I can’t tell you because I’m long gone
You can learn that in the Uprising of 1862
I saved myself by claiming Indian blood
Learn my husband bought me a piano from New York
He had no chance to hear me play before he died
You can learn that I was a woman of note years ago
And that I lived till I was 85
They wrote about my husband, my father, my son
But then, then they were done
So, who was I? (Woman wife mother)
Who was I? (Indian white mixed)
Who was I?
Tell me something about my life
Tell me something mattered in my life
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