Borderline Lyrics - Wishbones - Slaid Cleaves

In the still of the desert... 

In the light of the moon... 

Armando walks all alone 

The river ahead holds promise and dread 

And he's 900 miles from his home 

He pays the Coyotes, dodges La Migra, walks for 4 hungry days 

When he finally hits Austin the boom town is bustin' 

But he takes what the contractor pays 

When love for family is stronger than fear 

When the desperation sets in 

A man will cross any line that is drawn, 

And who is to say it's a sin? 

And he crossed himself at the borderline 

He wired the dollars to Elana back home 

As he roomed with 10 desperate men 

When the builders had enough, the INS cuffed him 

And it's back to the border again... 

A tearful reunion with family and friends 

But soon the reality sets in... 

There's no work to be found in the dry desert ground 

He must head for Estados again... 

From Guadalajara came a man with no name 

He said "You can have all that you need! 

There's no contract to sign, but the terms are your life 

If you take my money and seed!" 

When love for family is stronger than fear 

When the desperation sets in 

A man will cross any line that is drawn, 

And who is to say it's a sin? 

And he crossed himself at the borderline 

Payments were made 

The seed, it was sown 

Armando watched the crop grow 

Even his brother-in-law in the army was in on the plan from the go 

7 months gone and the crop's gathered in 

But the brother has a plan of his own 

He orders a raid 

The army invades 

And he takes what the village has grown 

In from the west came the man with no name 

He said "Someone must pay with their life! 

We know your brothers, your father, your mother, your children, your sister, your wife!" 

"Now we cannot touch your sister's young husband, 

Tu Cunao is a military man! 

But you can decide who lives and who dies," 

And he placed the gun in his hand 

When love for family is stronger than fear 

When the desperation sets in 

A man will cross any line that is drawn, 

And who is to say it's a sin? 

And he crossed himself at the borderline 

In the still of the desert... 

In the light of the moon... 

Armando walks all alone... 

The river ahead holds promise and dread... 

And he's 900 miles from his home...