Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: show-tunes
Song Meaning of “Native Isolation” by Robert Preston
‘Native Isolation’ by Robert Preston is a song about the plight of the Indigenous communities of North America. The profound and often devastating impact of colonialism and displacement can be heard in Preston’s lyrics. The song conveys a strong sense of grief, loneliness, and alienation which many Native Americans faced after being forced into cultural assimilation.
The lyrics, “[Isolation] was calling my name, underneath a starlit sky” illustrates the loneliness felt by the isolated Native American population, far away from their traditional homelands and surrounded by a visually striking, but unfamiliar night sky. The repetition of the word ‘isolation’ highlights the intensity of this feeling of displacement.
The chorus’ strong melody captures the emotional resonance of the lyrics as Preston sings, “Living in native isolation, that’s a way of life, that was born in me”. The chorus speaks of the strength and resilience of the Indigenous people in the face of oppression and colonization, while also acknowledging the loneliness that may never fully go away.
‘Native Isolation’ is a powerful song that speaks to the sometimes haunting history of Indigenous people in North America and offers a hint of hope that despite that history, the culture of those people will continue to survive.