I'm just tryin' to make a livin'
I'm an old man at thirty-nine
With two kids and an ex-wife
Who moved up to Riverside
I'm workin' down on the border
Drivin' back roads every night
Mountains east of El Cajon
North of the Tecate line.

Where the California summer sun
Will burn right through your soul
But in the winter you can freeze to death
In the California snow.

I catch the ones I'm able to
And watch the others slip away
I know some by their faces
And I even know some by name
I guess they think that we're all
Movie stars and millionaires
I guess that they still believe
That dreams come true up here.

But I guess the weather's warmer down in Mexico
And no one ever tells them 'bout the California snow.

Last winter I found a man and wife
Just about daybreak
Layin' in a frozen ditch
South of the interstate
I wrapped 'em both in blankets
But she'd already died
The next day we sent him back alone
Across the borderline.

I don't know where they came from
Or where they planned to go
But we carried her all night long
Through the California snow.

Sometimes when I'm alone out here
I get to thinkin' about my life
Maybe I should go to Riverside
And try to fix things with my wife
Or maybe just get in my truck
And drive as far as I can go
Away from all the ghosts that haunt
The California snow.

Where the California summer sun
Can burn right to your soul
And in the winter you can freeze to death
In the California snow.

Overall Meaning

The song "California Snow" by Tom Russell is a melancholy reflection on life as a border patrol agent in California. The singer is a 39-year-old man who is trying to make a living by working on the border and patrolling every night. He has two children and an ex-wife who moved to Riverside, leaving him alone to do this job. The singer knows the area like the back of his hand, with mountains and roads north of the Tecate line, but he's constantly under the searing sun of the California summer or the freezing winter of California's snow.

The singer has a tough job, and he watches people slip away or cross the border without getting caught. He knows some of them by their faces and even by their names. But the people who try to cross the border from Mexico think that California is the land of opportunities, where dreams come true for all. The singer knows that reality is different, and he's seen the struggles and death that can happen in this unforgiving territory. One winter, he finds a man and his wife in a frozen ditch, and he tries to save them by wrapping them in blankets. Sadly, the woman dies, and the man is sent back to Mexico, leaving the singer with the ghosts of the past and the present.

Overall, "California Snow" is a poignant tribute to the harsh realities of life on the border, and it's a reminder that things are not always what they seem in California. The song shows the insecurities and struggles of those who try to make a living on this land of extremes, where reality can be crueler than one might imagine.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm just tryin' to make a livin'
I am working hard to earn a living for myself and my family.

I'm an old man at thirty-nine
I am still relatively young but feel aged due to my life experiences.

With two kids and an ex-wife
I have the responsibility of taking care of my children and an ex-spouse who has moved away.

Who moved up to Riverside
My ex-partner has relocated to Riverside.

I'm workin' down on the border
I am currently employed on the border.

Drivin' back roads every night
I drive on less-traveled roads every night.

Mountains east of El Cajon
I am near the mountains east of El Cajon.

North of the Tecate line.
I am situated north of the Tecate border line.

Where the California summer sun
The weather in California during the summer season

Will burn right through your soul
Can be scorching hot and unbearable.

But in the winter you can freeze to death
Winters can be excessively cold, and it can result in hypothermia.

In the California snow.
During winter, California experiences snowfall.

I catch the ones I'm able to
I have been able to help some people.

And watch the others slip away
Some people haven't been fortunate, and there was little I could do to help them.

I know some by their faces
I recognize some people by their appearances.

And I even know some by name
I can identify some people by their names.

I guess they think that we're all
Some people have a misconception that all Californians are

Movie stars and millionaires
famous actors and wealthy people.

I guess that they still believe
Some individuals still believe

That dreams come true up here.
California is a place where you can fulfill your dreams.

But I guess the weather's warmer down in Mexico
Mexico has comparatively hotter weather.

And no one ever tells them 'bout the California snow.
The snow in California is not well-known among people who live in warmer regions.

Last winter I found a man and wife
During the previous winter, I came across a couple.

Just about daybreak
At the break of dawn.

Layin' in a frozen ditch
They were lying in a ditch, frozen due to the cold weather.

South of the interstate
The incident took place south of the interstate.

I wrapped 'em both in blankets
I covered them with blankets to provide some warmth.

But she'd already died
Unfortunately, the woman had already passed away.

The next day we sent him back alone
The next day, we sent the man back by himself.

Across the borderline.
He was sent across the border to his destination.

I don't know where they came from
I don't have any information regarding their origin.

Or where they planned to go
I am also not aware of their destination.

But we carried her all night long
We carried her body throughout the night.

Through the California snow.
Despite the harsh weather condition, we tried our best to carry her body.

Sometimes when I'm alone out here
When I am alone in this place.

I get to thinkin' about my life
I reflect on my past experiences, decisions, mistakes, and successes.

Maybe I should go to Riverside
Perhaps it would be a good idea to go to Riverside.

And try to fix things with my wife
Repairing my relationship with my ex-partner could be a possible course of action.

Or maybe just get in my truck
Alternatively, I could get into my vehicle.

And drive as far as I can go
I could drive as far as I desire, venturing into new places and experiences.

Away from all the ghosts that haunt
Going far away from things that serve as a constant reminder of my past.

The California snow.
The harsh, snowy weather conditions in California.

Where the California summer sun
The hot and scorching California summer sun.

Can burn right to your soul
The intense heat can have a significant impact on a person's mind and body.

And in the winter you can freeze to death
The cold during winter can be severe enough to cause fatal hypothermia.

In the California snow.
The harsh winter in California with snowfall and freezing weather conditions.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVE ALVIN, TOM RUSSELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@RobynHarris

14y↑8

This is such a lovely song. I wonder how long it will take for people who have been blessed with so much to shake off the fear that has frozen our hearts and share a little piece of our dream with our neighbors who have so little. Dreams can come true up here again if we will just left go of the greed and the hate.

@multicaruana

6y↑9

Although I saw Tom Russell over 30 years ago at some dive on Long Island and bought an LP, I lost touch with him, and have only recently rediscovered him. He is awesome to say the least, and his songs have added poignancy for me since my wife is Central American with quite a chicken coop and a brood of roosters! What a songwriter!

@stevemattie13065

14y↑10

Thank you so much for posting. Tom has to be one of America's greatest singer/songwriters and this is one of my favourites.

@marjcameron8185

6y↑6

Absolutely love what Michael's voice adds to this rendition. my 2nd favorite of Tom's right after Blue Wing!

@marjcameron8185

8y↑10

one of my favorite songwriters of my generation! he tells it like it is!

@joelmurphy8418

6y↑2

Can listen to this over and over again brilliant vocals from both

@pugetlexus

6y↑5

David Davies
the guitar picker:
a consumate pro.
lookin, listenin, connecting.
lovely hooks, lots of space.
In addition to his other talents, Tom knows who to work with.

@tomrussell3373

8y↑7

TOM I REALLY ENJOY YOUR MUSIC YOU SING IT FROM THE HEART SUCH A VERY RELAXING SOUND

@UKGraham

11y↑2

Met both a few times and so intense Tom is and goes so together with Andrew`s playing, beautiful.

@TheDefensefoundation

11y↑7

Truly the laureate of the desert.

@BrushApe66

13y↑6

He's singing about the toll that it takes on him...no more, no less.

@rwehou

10y↑22

Second guitar player is Michael Martin of San Antonio. He played with Tom for a couple of years between Andrew Hardin and Thad Beckman.

@conniebeck9479

7y↑4

Thanks for the info.

@Odeveldfoto

10y↑7

I like the sound of the second gitar!!!!!!!!!

@chrisgordon5719

6y↑2

You should hear Andrew Hardin do it with Tom.

@ranfranthompson

15y↑4

Another great one....

@RalphMaijala

13y↑9

Give Dave Alvin his credit he was co writer.

@badbadmanly903

7y↑5

Dave Alvin brought me here, and Tom Russell is pretty good himself.

@JOKRoadrunner

9y↑1

No doubt about it, Tom Russell should be opening up for Mr. Michael Martin!!

@MrMusicguyma

8y↑2

Martin's a good guitarist , but judging solely by this clip, only a fair harmony singer. He has a Martin, plays some nice lines, but his piezo pickup sounds crappy, IMHO. As for opening up for Michael, I believe Tom Russell is way beyond that.

@DANJOYCE48

11y↑6

He is singing about just a fraction of what Border Patrol Agents live through and put up with.

@BrushApe66

13y↑12

@ top glASS oosevenUS - This song isn't even about opening the borders to illegals, it's about being human in an inhumane world. Dang...at some point, we're all equal, right?

@airamericaman

10y↑12

RobynHarris, Your right.Sadly I think it will be a long time before people will left go of the greed and the hate. Look how many fought the Affordable Care Act. It's amazing that so many people with so much refuse to share with those who have so little.

@chrisgordon5719

6y↑2

Wait until they have worked all their lives, paid for expensive overpriced health insurance their whole working lives, then hit 65 Years old and are forced to get Medicare, then they get hardly any coverage, doctors that won't accept it, and you finally realize that they are just waiting for you to die. Once they've picked all the meat from your bones.

"Doc, I think she just broke her hip. What should I do? Just wait. We can fit you in in a month". "What if she dies?" Call the FD/EMT's. If she's really dead, they call the ME to declare her dead. Of, and I can't give you anything for the pain. The Governor just got a new law passed so that she can only get three days worth of pain meds. So she doesn't get addicted and accidently kill herself.

This song reminds me of that.

@edmonddantes3640

5y↑1

@@chrisgordon5719 Boom, well said.
Bravo Zulu.

@thespankdmonkey

4y↑1

So the guy survived while carrying the corpse of his wife? And than he was deported. That is what I pick up/ Love Tom Russell!

@theeddorian

You missed the point then. The song is not about the people trying to cross the border illegally. It is about the toll the job takes on the people enforcing it in the field. The narrator describes himself as an "old man of 39." His marriage has collapsed - typical of many people in law enforcement. He also talks about driving as far away as he can to get away from his ghosts in the California snow.

@thespankdmonkey

@@theeddorian Yes I get that but there is another larger side to it. Yet a very small portion of the story is what I commented on.. And yes I am very conservative. So don't curse me on that. Still a beautiful song done by a very talented artist!

@paganmaestro

11y↑2

It's a co-write.

@topglass007us

13y↑3

@jjbcwby . Yeah. Ever heard of Ellis Island. They have roll books where the immigrants came off the ships. They came and learned the language, pledged allegiance to our flag, paid taxes, didn't ask for welfare, and became U.S. citizens the legal way. Just because you can sneak under a fence or swim across the rio doesn't entitle them and they should be deported or apply for U.S. citizenship lawfully.

@chrisgordon5719

7y↑3

Too bad you never learned any American History at that private charter school you didn't get educated at.

@chrisgordon5719

6y↑2

you keep believing that BS. Ellis Island was there just as much to send them back as to let them in. The parents from the Old Country rarely learned the language, It was their children that learned it. I was in Costco in Florida recently. There were three generations of Latino's in a family. The grandparent didn't speak English. The mother spoke Spanish and English barely. The Grandaughter spoke both languages fluently, and would interpret between all of them.

You watch too much Bull Shit on Fox News.

Some Americans can't speak understandable English.

@badbadmanly903

That’s how my people came to the U.S. my grandfather enlisted and fought in the trenches in France in WW1 to expedite his citizenship. No man more loved the country than he, as he earned the right to proudly call himself an American. His three sons all fought in WW2, Army, Navy, Marine Co.

No saying that it has to be that difficult for everyone who comes here. Most of them want the opportunity to earn an honest days wage for an honest days work. We should welcome those people with open arms, and keep the shit heels, the criminals, the opportunists out. IMO

1 More Replies...

@loisquinn582

38w

What does russel mean by Tcata line? Something to do with heroin?

@keithmills778

37w↑1

Tecate line. Tecate is a border town, with a Tecate in California and also in Mexico. The song says the Border Patrol guy works in "the mountains east of El Cajon, north of the Tecate line." If you take a look at a map, that area is the Cleveland National Forest, a rugged area without a lot of towns. That's the area where the story takes place.

@samanthasweeney8309

11y↑1

Your post is full of fail. The "our ancestors learned the language" claim Republicans make is mostly false. The immigrants from Germany seldom did, although their children picked it up pretty quickly. Undocumented citizens cant get welfare, so that claim is crap. And the only way to become a U.S. citizen is "the legal way." HTH

@chrisgordon5719

Other than the multitude of Native American Languages, Spanish was the first common language spoken in the America's. If there hadn't been a big gale of wind in the 1500's and sank a bunch of Spanish boats, Spanish might have been the common language of the USA.

@lewislaroche3656

7y↑3

Who stopped the Spanish from coming North? Comanches. Why'd the French stop coming west from Louisiana? Comanches. Why were the West Coast and the East Coast settled long before the middle of the country? Comanches...