His most famous work is Alice's Restaurant, a talking blues song that lasts eighteen minutes and twenty seconds (in its original recorded version; Guthrie has been known to spin the story out to forty-five minutes in concert). The song, a bitingly satirical protest against the Vietnam War draft, is based on a true incident. In the song, Guthrie was called up for a draft examination, and rejected as unfit for military service as a result of a criminal record consisting in its entirety of a single arrest, court appearance, fine and clean-up order for littering. In reality, Guthrie, though a carrier of the genetically inherited disease Huntington's chorea, was classified as fit (1A); however, his draft-lottery number did not come up.
Deportee/Plane Wreck at Los Gatos
Arlo Guthrie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The oranges are piled in their cresote dumps
They're flying you back to the Mexico border
To pay all your money to wade back again
My father's own father, he wanted that river
They took all the money he made in his life
My brothers and sisters come working the fruit trees
Good-bye to my Juan, good-bye Rosalita
Adios mis amigos, Jesus why Maris
You won't have a name when you ride the big air-plane
And all they will call you will be deportees.
Some of us are illega, and others not wanted
Our work contract's out and we have to move on
But it's six hundred miles to that Mexican border
They chase us like outlaws, like rustlers, like theives.
We died in your hills, we died in your deserts
We died in your valleys and died on your plains
We died 'neath your trees and we died in your bushes
Both sides of the river, we died just the same.
Good-bye to my Juan, good-bye Rosalita
Adios mis amigos, Jesus why Maris
You won't have a name when you ride the big air-plane
And all they will call you will be deportees.
A sky plane caught fire over Los Gatos canyon
Like a fireball of lightning, it shook all our hills
Who are all these friends, all scattered like dry leaves?
The radio says they are just deportees.
Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?
Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit?
To fall like dry leaves to rot on my topsoil
And be called by no name except deportees?
The song Deportees, written by Woody Guthrie in 1948, and later brought to life in Arlo Guthrie’s recording, portrays the hardworking migrant workers, who are considered “illegal” and not welcomed by the government, only to be forced back to their homeland, Mexico. The lyrics are a reflection of the injustices faced by these laborers, who come to the US to work on farms, in hopes of providing for their families, while enduring the cruel treatment of the system.
The opening stanza of the song, “The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting; The oranges are piled in their cresote dumps; They're flying you back to the Mexico border; To pay all your money to wade back again…” speaks directly to the hardship of these workers. After they have finished picking the crops, they are kicked out of the country, and in the process, lose everything they have worked for. The second verse, “My father's own father, he wanted that river; They took all the money he made in his life; My brothers and sisters come working the fruit trees; And they rode the truck till they took down and died…” tells the story of how even generations of migrant workers have been affected by the broken system. Their families have been taken advantage of and their hard work has been taken for granted.
The final verse, “A sky plane caught fire over Los Gatos canyon; Like a fireball of lightning, it shook all our hills; Who are all these friends, all scattered like dry leaves?; The radio says they are just deportees…” references the ironic incident where twenty-eight migrant workers died while being deported back to Mexico. The media at the time ignored the story, and the workers were referred to as “deportees” and not given any identity, as they were considered insignificant to the US government. This verse serves as the climax of the song with the powerful imagery of the “fireball of lightning,” emphasizing the tragic and shocking nature of these events.
Line by Line Meaning
The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting
The harvest is complete, but no one is there to collect the rotten fruit.
The oranges are piled in their cresote dumps
The oranges are wasted, left to pile up in dirt and debris.
They're flying you back to the Mexico border
The authorities are taking undocumented immigrants back to Mexico.
To pay all your money to wade back again
The immigrants must pay money to cross the border back into the United States.
My father's own father, he wanted that river
The artist's grandfather had hoped to find better opportunities in America.
They took all the money he made in his life
Immigrants often give all their earnings to support their families back home.
My brothers and sisters come working the fruit trees
The singer's siblings worked the orchards just like many other immigrants.
And they rode the truck till they took down and died
Immigrants worked long hours for little pay and faced dangerous work conditions that often led to death.
Good-bye to my Juan, good-bye Rosalita
A farewell to friends and fellow immigrants who have been deported.
Adios mis amigos, Jesus why Maris
Another farewell to dear friends who have been deported.
You won't have a name when you ride the big air-plane
Immigrants are stripped of their identity and humanity when they are deported.
And all they will call you will be deportees.
Deported immigrants are reduced to a label that strips them of their humanity and individuality.
Some of us are illegal, and others not wanted
Immigrants may not have proper documentation, or they are not needed anymore by their employers.
Our work contract's out and we have to move on
Immigrants are often disposable and not valued as long-term employees.
But it's six hundred miles to that Mexican border
The distance and dangers of the journey back home are extensive.
They chase us like outlaws, like rustlers, like thieves.
Immigrants are treated like criminals when they are just trying to make a living.
We died in your hills, we died in your deserts
Immigrants often face life-threatening conditions while working in treacherous environments.
We died in your valleys and died on your plains
Immigrants died while contributing to America's agricultural industry, but there is no recognition of their sacrifice.
We died 'neath your trees and we died in your bushes
Immigrants suffered and died while doing the hard work of harvesting America's crops.
Both sides of the river, we died just the same.
Immigrants face danger and discrimination on both sides of the border.
A sky plane caught fire over Los Gatos canyon
A plane carrying undocumented immigrants crashed, and many people died in the fire.
Like a fireball of lightning, it shook all our hills
The tragedy caused by the plane crash affected the entire community deeply.
Who are all these friends, all scattered like dry leaves?
The immigrants who died in the plane crash were just like family to their fellow migrant workers.
The radio says they are just deportees.
The media does not recognize the humanity of the immigrants who died; they are just labeled as deportees.
Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?
The singer questions the inhumane treatment of immigrants in the United States just to produce fruit.
Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit?
The singer continues to question the morals behind the treatment of immigrant labor in the agricultural industry.
To fall like dry leaves to rot on my topsoil
Immigrants work hard, contribute to the economy, but are treated as disposable and expendable.
And be called by no name except deportees?
Immigrants are stripped of their identity, and their sacrifices are unrecognized when they are labeled as deportees.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@neilnachum1
The crops are all in and the peaches are rott'ning,
The oranges piled in their creosote dumps;
They're flying 'em back to the Mexican border
To pay all their money to wade back again
Goodbye to my Juan, goodbye, Rosalita,
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria;
You won't have your names when you ride the big airplane,
All they will call you will be "deportees"
My father's own father, he waded that river,
They took all the money he made in his life;
My brothers and sisters come working the fruit trees,
And they rode the truck till they took down and died.
Some of us are illegal, and some are not wanted,
Our work contract's out and we have to move on;
Six hundred miles to that Mexican border,
They chase us like outlaws, like rustlers, like thieves.
We died in your hills, we died in your deserts,
We died in your valleys and died on your plains.
We died 'neath your trees and we died in your bushes,
Both sides of the river, we died just the same.
The sky plane caught fire over Los Gatos Canyon,
A fireball of lightning, and shook all our hills,
Who are all these friends, all scattered like dry leaves?
The radio says, "They are just deportees"
Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?
Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit?
To fall like dry leaves to rot on my topsoil
And be called by no name except "deportees"?
@johnnysalter7072
I recently became aware that a picture is worth a thousand words, to me anyway.
First: I knew Jerry Lee Lewis married a 13-year-old cousin, but never realized what it was until I saw a film of him being interviewed when they came back from England. While he was talking, she was standing beside him, and like a child she was looking all around. twirling her hair, chewing gum.
Second: I knew it was tough almost horrifying of those Latino refugees. But today I saw them riding on a freight train, and a man had a 2–4-year-old boy in his arms, and he changed cars, while the train was moving at traveling speed, with the baby in his arms. I have done that a few times as a youngster and it was frightening as it was extremely dangerous. I can't get it out of my mind!
Then I remembered Trump dehumanizing them: "they are not human", worse than animals, they are murders, rapist, predators," "invaders, aliens, killer," "criminal" and "animal, "This is an invasion." But this was not the worst, the worst is that so many Americans, especially Fundamentalist Christians.
For what it is worth I’ve been around quiet few Mexicans and find them to be extremely hard working, family loving, decent folks.
I made Woodie Guthrie poem/song, Deportee so real. Guthrie was inspired to write the song by what he considered the racist mistreatment of the passengers before and after the accident.
Deportee
(aka. "Plane Wreck at Los Gatos")
Words by Woody Guthrie, Music by Martin Hoffman
The crops are all in and the peaches are rott'ning,
The oranges piled in their creosote dumps;
They're flying 'em back to the Mexican border
To pay all their money to wade back again
Goodbye to my Juan, goodbye, Rosalita,
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria;
You won't have your names when you ride the big airplane,
All they will call you will be "deportees"
My father's own father, he waded that river,
They took all the money he made in his life;
My brothers and sisters come working the fruit trees,
And they rode the truck till they took down and died.
Some of us are illegal, and some are not wanted,
Our work contract's out and we have to move on;
Six hundred miles to that Mexican border,
They chase us like outlaws, like rustlers, like thieves.
We died in your hills, we died in your deserts,
We died in your valleys and died on your plains.
We died 'neath your trees and we died in your bushes,
Both sides of the river, we died just the same.
The sky plane caught fire over Los Gatos Canyon,
A fireball of lightning, and shook all our hills,
Who are all these friends, all scattered like dry leaves?
The radio says, "They are just deportees"
Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?
Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit?
To fall like dry leaves to rot on my topsoil
And be called by no name except "deportees"?
It’s actually traumatized me. It appears to me that WASP really are the most vicious animal know it is difficult problem, but by God they are human.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2eO65BqxBE
Arlo Guthrie, "Deportee"
@jeanlafitte8325
Deportee
(aka. "Plane Wreck at Los Gatos")
Words by Woody Guthrie, Music by Martin Hoffman
The crops are all in and the peaches are rott'ning,
The oranges piled in their creosote dumps;
They're flying 'em back to the Mexican border
To pay all their money to wade back again
Goodbye to my Juan, goodbye, Rosalita,
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria;
You won't have your names when you ride the big airplane,
All they will call you will be "deportees"
My father's own father, he waded that river,
They took all the money he made in his life;
My brothers and sisters come working the fruit trees,
And they rode the truck till they took down and died.
Some of us are illegal, and some are not wanted,
Our work contract's out and we have to move on;
Six hundred miles to that Mexican border,
They chase us like outlaws, like rustlers, like thieves.
We died in your hills, we died in your deserts,
We died in your valleys and died on your plains.
We died 'neath your trees and we died in your bushes,
Both sides of the river, we died just the same.
The sky plane caught fire over Los Gatos Canyon,
A fireball of lightning, and shook all our hills,
Who are all these friends, all scattered like dry leaves?
The radio says, "They are just deportees"
Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?
Is this the best way we can grow our good fruit?
To fall like dry leaves to rot on my topsoil
And be called by no name except "deportees"?
@ToddWinters
I live in an agricultural community. Have all my life. I have known many "illegals," some became good friends. As a high school teacher I taught dozens over the decades and Hispanics are my neighbors right now. I can tell you from personal experience that the vast majority a these people are kind, hard working, quite folks who just want what we all do. An opportunity to create a safe and stable future for themselves and their kids. This song is accurate. I have seen the pain and desperation in dreamer's eyes.
@prayunceasingly2029
The cartel is in California now
@jerrygranaman5128
This song should be posted all over social media, it should become a movement and if it changes the mind set of just one person it’s more than worth your few seconds of time spent posting it.
@johnnysalter7072
I have been.
@jhonyermo
Adore this tune. In my opinion, Woody's greatest. And he had so many.
@patriciaknowlea5290
Despite being written so long ago it is still very relevant today. How sad a statement is that. Great song from a great songwriter, Woody would be so sad that so little has changed.
@johnnysalter7072
That is how the Republicans treat them now. "They are not human, they are animals, invaders, murders, rapist Don Trump.
@timjoad
If you love this song, you really need to hear "the rest of this story. A few years ago, while researching his book "Manana Means Heaven", author Tim Z. Hernandez came across a newspaper article about this story. He decided to research this story, and FOUND the names of all of the 28 who died nameless.
Incidentally, most were not illegals; they were part of the "bracero" program, and essentially, guest workers of their era.
On Labor Day, 2013, a monument was unveiled containing the names of the 28 who perished in that crash. After 65 years, or the time it takes between when a child is born and they collect their first retirement check (ideally, at least), the 28 were finally buried with a name.
Check out the version of "Deportees" by Lance Canales and the Flood; it contains the names. It's an amazing story!
@Imissthepostoffice
And yes, these people were INDEED a part of a U.S. government program !
... will read more on the "bracero" program when more time ... Thank you.
@pedonbio
+Timothy Justice --The bracero program issued each worker a card. Some years they had an expiration date printed on them, sometimes not. In 2008 I got to know a guy who was still in the U.S. on his bracero card.