Bracero lyrics

Phil Ochs

Wade into the river
Through the rippling shallow watter
Steal accross the thirsty border
Bracero

Come bring your hungry bodies
To the golden fields of plenty
From a peso to a penny
Bracero

Oh, welcome to California
Where the friendly farmers
Will take care of you

Come labor for your mother
For your father and your brother
For your sisters and your lover
Bracero

Come pick the fruits of yellow
Break the flowers from the berries
Purple grapes will fill your bellies
Bracero

Oh, Welcome to California
Where the friendly farmers
Will take care of you

And the sun will bite your body
As the dust will draw you thristy
While your muscles beg for mercy
Bracero

In the shade of your sombrero
Drop your sweat upon the soil
Like the fruit your youth can spoil
Bracero

Oh, welcome to California
Where the friendly farmers
Will take care of you

When the weary night embraces
Sleep in shacks that could be cages
They will take it from your wages
Bracero

Come sing about tomorrow
With a jingle of the dollars
And forget your crooked collar
Bracero

Oh, welcome to California
Where the friendly farmers
Will take care of you

And the local men are lazy
And they make too much of trouble
Besides we'd have to pay them double
Bracero

Ah, but if you feel you're fallin'
If you find the pace is killing
There are others who are willing
Bracero

Oh, welcome to California
Where the friendly farmers
Will take care of you