The Immigrant

(album: I'm Always On A Mountain When I Fall - 1978)

American ranching consists of a mansion
Where illegal immigrants do much of the labor by hand
They sneak 'em through customs till time comes to bust 'em
Then haul 'em back over the border to their own native land

With a ragged sombrero and not much dinero
They'll be back again when the ole Rio Grande's way down low
So border patroller don't stop the stroller
'Cause the illegal immigrant is helping America grow

Viva La Mexico, go where they let you go
And do what you can for the land
Take home dinero and buy new sombrero
And come back again when you can

What makes a gringo your smart aleck lingo
When he stole this land from the indian way back when
Don't he remember the big money lender
That put him a lien parked where his pencil had been

The almighty peso that gives him the say so
To dry up the river whenever there's crops to bring in
Such a good neighbor to take all his labor
Chase him back over the border till he's needed again

Viva La Mexico, go where they let you go
And do what you can for the land
Take home dinero and buy new sombrero
And come back again when you can

Viva La Mexico, go where they let you go
And do what you can for the land
Take home dinero and buy new sombrero
And come back again when you can