Wade into the river, through the rippling shadow waters

Steal across the thirsty border, bracero

Come bring your hungry body 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 dry 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

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 falling, 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