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[Verse 1] |
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Wade into the river, through the rippling shadow waters |
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Steal across the thirsty border, bracero |
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Come bring your hungry body to the golden fields of plenty |
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From a peso to a penny, bracero |
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[Chorus] |
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Oh, welcome to California |
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Where the friendly farmers will take care of you |
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[Verse 2] |
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Come labor for your mother, for your father and your brother |
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For your sisters and your lover, bracero |
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Come pick the fruits of yellow, break the flowers from the berries |
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Purple grapes will fill your bellies, bracero |
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[Chorus] |
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Oh, welcome to California |
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Where the friendly farmers will take care of you |
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[Verse 3] |
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And the sun will bite your body, as the dust will dry you thirsty |
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While your muscles beg for mercy, bracero |
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In the shade of your sombrero, drop your sweat upon the soil |
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Like the fruit your youth can spoil, bracero |
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[Chorus] |
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Oh, welcome to California |
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Where the friendly farmers will take care of you |
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[Verse 4] |
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When the weary night embraces, sleep in shacks that could be cages |
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They will take it from your wages, bracero |
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Come sing about tomorrow with a jingle of the dollars |
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And forget your crooked collar, bracero |
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[Chorus] |
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Oh, welcome to California |
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Where the friendly farmers will take care of you |
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[Verse 5] |
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And the local men are lazy, and they make too much of trouble |
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Besides we'd have to pay them double, bracero |
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Ah, but if you feel you're falling, if you find the pace is killing |
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There are others who are willing, bracero |
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[Chorus] |
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Oh, welcome to California |
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Where the friendly farmers will take care of you |