The song "Loneliest Rider" by Grand Funk Railroad tells the story of a young Native American boy who lived a long time ago. The boy brings joy to his family when he was born, but as he grows up, he becomes paranoid and miserable due to the white man taking over his country. The song highlights the boy's ignorance of the impending hardships that he and his people will face. The chorus emphasizes the tragic events that the boy is unaware of. His mother will eventually cry, his tribe will perish, his father will be gone, and he will be left all alone, symbolizing the devastating impact of colonization on Native American communities. The lyrics also comment on the distortion of history and the suppression of the truth. The schoolbooks and history books portray a one-sided narrative, hiding the reality of the Native Americans' displacement and suffering. The song questions who had the land before the arrival of the white settlers and emphasizes the Native American's connection to the land and their ability to sustain life from it. In the end, the boy's tee-pee, representing his traditional way of life, is replaced by a town, symbolizing the loss of his culture and the transformation of Native American lands by colonization. Overall, "Loneliest Rider" sheds light on the dark history of the mistreatment and marginalization of Native Americans and serves as a reminder of the tragic consequences that result from the suppression of truth and the ignorance of past injustices.
