Johnny Preston - Running Bear

Johnny Preston (born John Preston Courville, August 18, 1939, Port Arthur, Texas) is an American pop music singer.
Of Cajun ancestry, Preston sang in high school choral contests throughout the state of Texas. He formed a rock and roll band called 'The Shades', before recording his U.S. No. 1 hit single "Running Bear. The teenage tragedy song was written by J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, who had died the previous year in the same plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens. It was a transatlantic chart-topper, reaching #1 in the United Kingdom in March 1960. The sales of the gramophone record exceeded one million copies, earning Preston his first gold disc.

Lyrics:
On the bank of the river
Stood Running Bear
Young Indian brave
On the other side of the river
Stood his lovely Indian maid
Little White Dove was her name
Such a lovely sight to see
But their tribes fought with each other
So their love could never be

Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love big as the sky
Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love that couldn't die

He couldn't swim the raging river
'Cause the river was too wide
He couldn't reach the Little White Dove
Waiting on the other side
In the moonlight he could see her
Throwing kisses 'cross the waves
Her little heart was beating faster
Waiting there for her brave

Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love big as the sky
Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love that couldn't die

Running Bear dove in the water
Little White Dove did the same
And they swam out to each other
Through the swirling stream they came
As their hands touched and their lips met
The raging river pulled them down
Now they'll always be together
In that happy hunting ground

Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love big as the sky
Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love that couldn't die

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Johnny
• John
• Preston
• Courville
• Running
• Bear
• Traditional
• Popular
• Music
• Singer
• Indian
• Love

[aliciaisnumberone69]

im half native. this is no offensive to me ps my native name is white dove : )

[jeffhaun2158]

@chickenrich86

May I ask how this post is offensive to native people ? Sorry your words not mine,

I would have used Native Americans.

ANYWAY.

All I heard in this song was how two young people handled their love for each other. They did not care what either family thought, They decided to live or die together

Jeff

[Anadnerb]

@chickenrich86 can be updated no doubt, good point!

[1942ann]

Great song and great paintings. We should had good music yesteryear.

[CharlesCairo1]

An awsom story and song, loved it as a teen, still love it as a senior;>)

[chickenrich86]

this song is a slight offense to native people but its good

[WOLFMANoct1963]

as if i needed the lyrics to this song!! haha

[StupidVideos10]

@CharlianneGibb

I loved this song when I was 10. I still love it, it's an awesome song isn't it?

[barrygioportmorien1]

Very well done here's to you Johnny, a fantastic singer, passed on March 2011, RIP Johnny.

[CharlianneGibb]

I LOVE THIS, im 12:/?