Ten Little Indians

Album: Pandemonium Shadow Show (1967)
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  • Ten little Indians standing in a line
    One stood looking at another man's wife
    Then there were nine

    Nine little Indians
    Their hearts were full of hate
    One took another's goods
    Then there were eight

    Eight little Indians
    They just got down from Heaven
    One told a lie about another's best friend
    Then there were seven

    Seven little Indians
    All trying to get their kicks
    One thought he'd found another way
    To get to Heaven, then there were six

    Six little Indians
    All trying to stay alive
    One took another's life
    Then there were five

    Five little Indians
    All trying to find the door
    One pulled his mother down
    Then there were four

    Four little Indians
    All thinking that they gotta be free
    One little Indian forgot to say his prayers
    Then there were three

    Three little Indians
    Deciding what they're gonna have to do
    One took the name of God in vain
    Then there were two

    Two little Indians
    Thinking that they oughta have some fun
    One took a liking to a picture of himself
    Then there was one

    One little Indian
    Out looking for the sun
    At six o'clock, the moon came out
    Then there was none

    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 3

  • Duke from Fresno, CaRegarding Colts comment--the song is not about the Ten Commandments BUT it is used to help remember the Books of the Bible... go to youtube and put in 10 Little Indians Bible and it helps you memorize the books....nothing about the commandments. Please if you think it is please show me the link or where you arrived at that conclusion.
  • Adam from West Palm Beach, FlLittle Games is a really good album, but man, what an ill-advised song choice for a Yardbirds track, though.
  • Joshua from Twin Cities, MnThe lyrics also parallel the nursery rhyme that was the basis for the Agatha Christie murder mystery also titled Ten Little Indians. Spoilers follow! In that story, ten strangers are invited to an island retreat only to be killed, one by one, in a manner similar to each verse of the nursery rhyme. (The last victim actually hangs herself, when she realizes she would be the logical prime suspect in the others' deaths.) The real killer turns out to be one of the earlier apparent victims, a vigilante who faked his own death to fool his remaining victims, then took his own life once he had succeeded in killing the others.
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