Ne-Ha-Neé

Bob Nolan
Original copyright: August 8, 1942

Long ago, ‘twas here, I know,
Lived the fairest Indian maid.
Daughter of a chieftain brave,
Here beside the lake she stayed.
Far and near,
The waters clear,
Blessed her from their deep domain.
Blessed her with this lovely name…

Ne Ha Neé,
It must be she is heaven’s daughter
For her eyes and the skies
Form the lake’s clear water.
Sunlight plays, dancing rays
While the ripples bless her
On the shore evermore
Where the waves caress her.

Far along the shimmering shoal,
The shallow waters clear
Echo to her lovely voice
As she is drawing near.

See her smile, all the while,
For the sunbeams taught her
To be gay all the way.
Ne Ha Neé, Clear Water.

“It is related that Ne Ha Neé was written by Nolan in honor of the small daughter of Chief White Eagle of the Cherokee tribe. The colorful words tell of the comparison of the little girl, Ne Ha Neé (Clear Water) to the many beauties to be found in nature. It was never commercially released."
—Griffis, Ken, liner notes to JEMF 102

"Several letters have requested the history of my song, Ne Ha Neé. Well, we'll try to tell a little bit about it right now. From western Canada down to Mexico - with quite a few zigzags, of course - I spent most of my early life in the Indian country. Most of my schooling came in Arizona and there I began to study the history and traditions of Indian tribes; their legends and the tribal stories of our first Americans. And there, also, was born the melodic soul of Ne Ha Neé, Princess Clear Water, the Indian girl whose spirit still lives in the echoes of the lake. An Indian tribe in Arizona told me her legend - how the lake, jealous of the laughter in her voice, took her from the side of the Indian brave who loved her many moons ago. And now the ripples of the lake still sing her song and the echo of her magic voice is in each wave."
—Bob Nolan

The song was registered for copyright on August 8, 1942. Sheet music was published by American Music, Inc., in 1942.

The Sons of the Pioneers recorded the song for the 1940 Orthacoustic Radio transcriptions and again for the Dr. Pepper 10-2-4 Time radio program. The Orthacoustic recording was also used in the Teleways Radio Productions transcriptions. In 1946, a new recording was made with Roy Rogers for the Republic film Under Nevada Skies.

The song was registered for copyright on August 8, 1942. Sheet music was published by American Music, Inc., in 1942.

Ne-Ha-Neé (American Music, Inc.)

SONS OF THE PIONEERS TRANSCRIPTION RECORDINGS

Orthacoustic Symphonies of the Sage, transcription, No. (064352)

10-2-4 Ranch radio shows
- Show No. 155 (01) (January 13, 1943)
- Show No. 173 (01) (February 24, 1943)
- Show No. 196 (01) (April 19, 1943)

10-2-4 Time radio shows
- Show No. 387 (63934-02) (July 7, 1944)
- Show No. 483 (37693-01) (February 16, 1945)

Teleways Radio Productions transcriptions, No. 42, 108, 125, 151, 195, and 241

Lucky U Ranch radio shows (courtesy of Larry Hopper)
- Transcription disc TR-113/114 (November 23, 1951)
- Transcription disc TR-206/207 (January 22, 1952)
- Transcription disc TR-573/574 (November 21, 1952)

Smokey the Bear radio shows, episode No. 12 (1955), and episode No. 2 (1959)