Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
Come pick the fruit of yellow, break the flower from the berry
Oh, welcome to California
They will take it from your wages, bracero
From a peso to a penny, bracero
In the shade of your sombrero, drop your sweat upon the soil
And the sun will bite your body, as the dust will draw you thirsty
Purple grapes will fill your belly, bracero
And forget your crooked collar, bracero
Besides we'd have to pay the double, bracero
When the weary night embraces, sleep in shacks that could be cages
Oh, welcome to California
Oh, welcome to California
Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
While your muscles beg for mercy, bracero
Oh, welcome to California
But if you feel you're fallin', if you find the pace is killing
There are others who are willing, bracero
Come labor for your mother, for your father and your brother
Oh, welcome to California
Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
Come bring your hungry bodies to the golden fields of plenty
For your sisters and your lover, bracero
And the local men are lazy, and they make too much of trouble
Come sing about tomorrow with a jingle of the dollar
Like the fruit your youth can spoil, bracero
Where the friendly farmer will take care of you
