Period 8 Question 7

Primary Source

“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 thirsty
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”

- Phil Ochs, Musician, “Bracero,” 1966, Universal Music Publishing Group, lyrics