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Across the Wire Lyrics
alberto hits his brother on the back of the head
looks to the north as he starts to get up
his brother's still sleepy, grumbles "it's not light yet,"
"if you want a new life, what's a few minutes wait?"
darkness on the road and over the land
into the laws and out of the hands
from those with so much
and no show of heart
you'd think it'd be crazy
to ask for a small part
spotted an eagle in the middle of a lake
resting on cactus and feasting on snakes
but the waters recede as the dump closes in
revealing a whole lake of sleeping children
poison in the stream that flows to the sea
out on the waves that crash within reach
of those with so much
and so little to fear
you'd think it'd be crazy
to be so far away yet so near
some say a new day will shine here
over these catastrophes and horrors of misfortune
all across the wire
Alberto y Hermano on the coyote's trail
and dodging the border patrol
out in the wastelands wandering for days
the future looks bleak with
no sign of change
darkness in the eye and down
in the soul
all across the wire to those in control
holding so much
with no show of heart
you think it'd be crazy
to watch it all fall apart
watch it all fall apart
looks to the north as he starts to get up
his brother's still sleepy, grumbles "it's not light yet,"
"if you want a new life, what's a few minutes wait?"
into the laws and out of the hands
from those with so much
and no show of heart
you'd think it'd be crazy
to ask for a small part
resting on cactus and feasting on snakes
but the waters recede as the dump closes in
revealing a whole lake of sleeping children
out on the waves that crash within reach
of those with so much
and so little to fear
you'd think it'd be crazy
to be so far away yet so near
over these catastrophes and horrors of misfortune
all across the wire
and dodging the border patrol
out in the wastelands wandering for days
the future looks bleak with
no sign of change
in the soul
all across the wire to those in control
holding so much
with no show of heart
you think it'd be crazy
to watch it all fall apart
watch it all fall apart
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I love this song. I can't believe I'm the first to comment. It's fairly obviously about two brothers trying to sneak into the states. Most of the tunes on Feast of Wire seem to be about Arizona, the Southwest, and the border. I find it particularly interesting that in addition to being about the Southwest they are able to make the album sound like the Southwest.
coming to america
makes reference to luis alberto urrea's books "across the wire" and "by the lake of sleeping children". in today's climate of charged immigration debates, these are a must read. perhaps it will provide some much needed insight into our times and even a little insight into the brillant calexico crew.