Discover the story of the song > Cortez the Killer – Neil Young

The song tells the story of a man named Cortez who came with his armies to find a new world and a palace in the sun. He encountered Montezuma, a leader with secrets, and his people who were colorful and offered sacrifices for others to survive. The song questions what we have lost from that time and suggests that love and cooperation were once the norm, unlike the hate and killing that came with Cortez. The protagonist mentions a woman he loves but has lost along the way.