Tom: Am
Am C G Am
[Verse 1]
Am C G Am
In the still of the desert, in the light of the moon,
Am C E
Armando walks all alone
Am C G Am
And the river ahead holds promise and dread
F E Am
And he's nine hundred miles from his home
[Verse 2]
Am C G Am
He pays the cyotes dodges la megra
Am C E
Walks for four hungry days
Am C G Am
When he finally hits Austin the boomtown is bustin
F E Am
But he takes what the contractor pays
[Chorus]
C Am
When love for family is stronger than fear
C Am
When the desperation sets in
C Am
A man will cross any line that is drawn
Dm E
And who's to say it's a sin
Am C G Am
And he crossed himself at the borderline
[Verse 3]
Am C G Am
He wired the dollars to Elena back home
Am C E
As he roamed with ten desperate men
Am C G Am
When the builders had enough, the INS cuffed him,
F E Am
And it's back to the border again
[Verse 4]
Am C G Am
A tearful reunion with family and friends,
Am C E
But soon the reality sets in
Am C G Am
There's no work to be found in the dry desert ground
F E Am
He must head to estados again
[Mandolin Break]
Am C G Am
F E Am
[Verse 5]
Am C G Am
From Guadalajara come a man with no name
Am C E
He said "You can have all that you need."
Am C G Am
"There's no contract to sign but the terms are your life,
F E Am
If you take my money and seed"
[Chorus]
C Am
When love for family is stronger than fear
C Am
when the desperation sets in
C Am
A man will cross any line that is drawn
Dm E
And who's to say it's a sin
Am C G Am
And he crossed himself at the borderline
[Verse 6]
Am C G Am
The payments were made, the seed it was sown,
Am C E
Armando watched the crop grow
Am C G Am
Even his brother in law in the army,
F E Am
Was in on the plan from the go
[Verse 7]
Am C G Am
7 months gone and the crops gathered in
Am C E
But the brother has a plan of his own
Am C G Am
He orders a raid, the army invades,
F E Am
And he takes what the village has grown
[Mandolin Break]
Am C G Am
F E Am
[Verse 8]
Am C G Am
In from the west came the man with no name
Am C E
He said "someone must pay with their life
Am C G Am
"We know your brothers, your father, your mother,
F E Am
Your children, your sister, your wife"
[Verse 9]
Am C G Am
"Now we can not touch your sister's young husband
Am C E
Tu Cunao is a military man
Am C G Am
But you can decide who lives and who dies"
F E Am
And he placed the gun in his hand
[Chorus]
C Am
When love for family is stronger than fear
C Am
when the desperation sets in
C Am
A man will cross any line that is drawn
Dm E
And who's to say it's a sin
Am C G Am
And he crossed himself at the borderline
[Verse 10]
Am C G Am
In the still of the desert, in the light of the moon
Am C E
Armando walks all alone
Am C G Am
And the river ahead holds promise and dread
F E Am
And he's nine hundred miles from his home
