Omaha

Two and a half minutes of glorious noisy weirdness by the immortal Moby Grape. Pure 1967 psychedelic adrenaline, like the Jefferson Airplane anticipating the Ramones. The song was untitled until somebody asked Skip Spence what it was called; "Omaha" was the first thing that popped into his addled head. The lyrics are gibberish but who cares?

What? You don't know who Moby Grape were?! Shame on you. Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it, though in this case I wouldn't object.

The italics are where the whole band chimes in.

by Alexander "Skip" Spence

Listen, my friends
Listen, my friends
Listen, my friends
Listen, my friends

(Listen, my friends) You thought never but
(Listen, my friends) I'm yours forever
(Listen, my friends) Won't leave you ever

Now my friends
What's gone down behind
No more rain
From where we came

(Listen my love) Get under the covers, yeah
(Squeeze me real tight) All of your lovin'
(Into the light) Beneath and above ya
(So out of sight) Bein' in love!

Also, a popular poker game similar to Texas Hold-em. Players receive four cards face-down, of which they will use two.
As in Texas Hold-em, there are 5 community cards, shown as a round of three (the flop), a single card (the turn), and a final card (the river), in total referred to as the board. The variation from hold-em is that players must use exactly two cards from their hands and three cards from the board to make their hands. Omaha is typically a high-low game, and you are allowed to use a different pair for your high and low hand. Much confusion results from determining which players are "high" and which are "low" -- with the occasional "both ways" hand being very problematic.

The Omaha Native American Tribe originated because of a division within the Sioux Nation in the early 1500's. They had lived near present-day Cincinnati, Ohio. The Omaha moved south-west to the mouth of the Missouri River on the northern edge of present-day St. Louis, Missouri. The Omaha remained near St. Louis until the late 1700's, when they migrated north up the Missouri River and finally stopped near Pipestone, Minnesota. Their name "Omaha" means "those going against the wind or current," which may refer to this migration up the Missouri River. Then the Omaha began a migration back south to the Missouri River staking-out hunting grounds on the west side of the Missouri River, now known as Nebraska. Their territory extended from near Yankton, South Dakota, south to Rulo, Nebraska, and up to 150 miles west; an area of 35,600,000 acres.

Around 1750, the Omaha encountered the first Europeans, fur traders, near the mouth of the Platte River. Around 1800, the first of these fur traders married into the Omaha tribe. The Omaha thrived through the 1700's, as they were excellent hunters and good farmers. They always grew good gardens of corn, beans, squash and melons. They also hunted buffalo, which provided food, clothing, blankets, rope, moccasins, fuel, shelter, and utensils. By 1815, the Omaha became very worried about their food supply and protection from hostile tribes. By a treaty in 1854, the Omaha gave up much of their territory, except for the area of the present reservation. The headquarters of the Omaha Tribe is located in Macy, Nebraska.

O"ma*has" (?), n. pl.; sing. Omaha (). Ethnol.

A tribe of Indians who inhabited the south side of the Missouri River. They are now partly civilized and occupy a reservation in Nebraska.

 

© Webster 1913.