[Verse 1]
The great nations of Europe had gathered on the shore
They'd conquered what was behind them but now they wanted more
So they looked to the mighty ocean and took to the western sea
The great nations of Europe in the sixteenth century

[Chorus]
Hide your wives and daughters
Hide the groceries too
Great nations of Europe coming through

[Verse 2]
The Grand Canary Islands, first land to which they came
They conquered all the canaries there which gave the land its name
There were natives there called Guanches, Guanches by the score
But bullets, disease, the Portuguese, they weren't there anymore

[Pre-Chorus]
Now they're gone, they're gone, they're really gone
You never seen anyone so gone
They're a picture in a museum, some lines written in a book
But you won't find a live one no matter where you look

[Chorus]
Hide your wives and daughters
Hide the groceries too
Great nations of Europe coming through
[Verse 3]
Columbus sailed for India, found Salvador instead
He shook hands with some Indians there, soon they all were dead
They got TB and typhoid and athlete's foot, diphtheria and the flu
'Scuse me, great nations coming through

[Verse 4]
Balboa found the Pacific and on the trail one day
He met some friendly Indians whom the church told him were gay, so
He had them torn apart by dogs on religious grounds, they say
The great nations of Europe were quite holy in their way

[Pre-Chorus]
Now they're gone, they're gone, they're really gone
You never seen anyone so gone
Some bones hidden in a canyon, some paintings in a cave
There's no use tryin' to save them, there's nothin' left to save

[Chorus]
Hide your wives and daughters
Hide your sons as well
With the great nations of Europe, you never can tell

[Verse 5]
Where you and I are standing at the dawn of a century
Europes have sprung up everywhere as anyone can see
But there on the horizon is a possibility
Some bug from out of Africa might come for you and me
Destroying everything in its path from sea to shining sea
Like the great nations of Europe in the sixteenth century