Lyrics

SINALOA COWBOYS

Album version


Well Miguel came from a small town in northern Mexico
He came north with his brother Louis to California three years ago
They crossed at the river levee when Louis was just sixteen
And found work together in the fields of the San Joaquin

They left their homes and family, their father said, "My sons one thing you will learn
For everything the north gives, it exacts a price in return"
They worked side by side in the orchards from morning till the day was through
Doing the work the hueros wouldn't do

Word was out some men in from Sinaloa were looking for some hands
Well deep in Fresno County there was a deserted chicken ranch
And there in a small tin shack on the edge of a ravine
Miguel and Louis stood cooking methamphetamine

You could spend a year in the orchards or make half as much in one ten-hour shift
Working for the men from Sinaloa, ah, but if you slipped
The hydriodic acid could burn right through your skin
They'd leave you spitting up blood in the desert if you breathed those fumes in

It was early one winter evening as Miguel stood watch outside
When the shack exploded, lighting up the valley night
Miguel carried Louis's body over his shoulder down a swale to the creek side
And there in the tall grass Louis Rosales died

Miguel lifted Louis's body into his truck and then he drove
To where the morning sunlight fell on a eucalyptus grove
There in the dirt he dug up ten thousand dollars, all that they'd saved
Kissed his brother's lips and placed him in his grave

Info

SINALOA COWBOYS is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 1995 album The Ghost Of Tom Joad. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version of SINALOA COWBOYS as released in 1995.


Writing and Recording

In the liner notes of The Ghost Of Tom Joad album, Bruce Springsteen cites several sources, including Mark Arax and Tom Gordon's "California's Illicit Farm Belt Export" article from the 13 Mar 1995 issue of the Los Angeles Times. The front-page story, which uses the term "Sinaloa Cowboys", was the inspiration for Springsteen's song.

For his 1999 book Point Blank, Christopher Sandford interviewd Mark Arax. "Not long later," Arax said, "I got a call. It was [Springsteen's assistant] Terry Magovern saying, in effect, 'Bruce liked it. He wants me to ask you some questions.' I gave him a few colloquial phrases and local colour. Apparently Springsteen wanted some, quote, evocative images, such as what type of trees grow in the valley. Eucalyptus, I told him. Later, I got a second call. This one was for 'cheat notes', mainly Spanish-language terms. Eventually, I worked up a memo called 'Images From the Meth Fields' and sent it on.

SINALOA COWBOYS was recorded sometime between March and August 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording (Springsteen's home studio) in Beverly Hills, CA. On this track, Springsteen handles guitar, keyboards, and vocals. The track, as well as the rest of the album, was produced by Bruce Springsteen and Chuck Plotkin and recorded and mixed by Toby Scott at Thrill Hill Recording.

The Ghost Of Tom Joad

Following the Jan-Feb 1995 studio reunion with the E Street Band and the release of Greatest Hits, Bruce Springsteen writing activity increased significantly. Between March and September 1995, Springsteen wrote and recorded about two-albums worth of new songs. From the scattered comments made by Springsteen and other session participants, it would seem that over an album's worth of solo material and over an album's worth of band material were recorded during these sessions. The Ghost Of Tom Joad album consist of 7 solo tracks and 5 band tracks. The songs Springsteen recorded solo may have spanned the entire session period and the band sessions appear to have been split into two or three phases during the spring and summer of 1995.

In his 1998 book Songs, Springsteen wrote: "I knew that The Ghost of Tom Joad wouldn't attract my largest audience. But I was sure the songs on it added up to a reaffirmation of the best of what I do. The record was something new, but it was also a reference point to the things I tried to stand for and be about as a songwriter.

The Ghost Of Tom Joad was released on Columbia Records on 21 Nov 1995. It was produced by Bruce Springsteen and Chuck Plotkin. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1997.

Bruce Springsteen -- The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Bruce Springsteen -- The Ghost Of Tom Joad

The Ghost Of Tom Joad features 12 new Springsteen compositions and clocks at 50:16.

Other Official Releases

The album version of SINALOA COWBOYS appears on one more official release.

Bruce Springsteen -- Columbia Records Radio Hour Part 1 & 2
Bruce Springsteen -- Columbia Records Radio Hour Part 1 & 2

MC - Columbia (CAT 7698) - USA, 1995

Promotion-only cassette tape.

Other versions of SINALOA COWBOYS were also officially released.

Bruce Springsteen -- Columbia Records Radio Hour Part 1 & 2
The live 08 Dec 1995 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the Columbia Records Radio Hour Part 1 & 2 radio show in 1995.
Bruce Springsteen -- King's Hall, Belfast March 19, 1996
The live 19 Mar 1996 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the King's Hall, Belfast March 19, 1996 official live download in 2017.
Bruce Springsteen -- Freehold, NJ 1996 Saint Rose Of Lima School Gym
The live 08 Nov 1996 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the Freehold, NJ 1996 Saint Rose Of Lima School Gym official live download in 2018.
Bruce Springsteen -- Asbury Park 11/24/96
The live 24 Nov 1996 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the Asbury Park 11/24/96 official live download in 2019.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -- Nice, France 1997
The live 18 May 1997 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the Nice, France 1997 official live download in 2021.

Live History: on-tour

In preparation for The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour, SINALOA COWBOYS was performed during the tour's public warm-up rehearsal show that took place on 21 Nov 1995 at State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ. The song was played solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica.

List of The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour rehearsals performances

  1. 21 Nov 1995 at State Theatre, New Brunswick, NJ (public rehearsal)

SINALOA COWBOYS was performed 128 times during The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour (128 dates, November 1995 to May 1997); that is every single one of the tour's regular dates. On this tour, the song was played solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica. The live 08 Dec 1995 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the Columbia Records Radio Hour Part 1 & 2 radio show in 1995. The live 19 Mar 1996 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the King's Hall, Belfast March 19, 1996 official live download in 2017. The live 08 Nov 1996 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the Freehold, NJ 1996 Saint Rose Of Lima School Gym official live download in 2018. The live 24 Nov 1996 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the Asbury Park 11/24/96 official live download in 2019. The live 18 May 1997 version of SINALOA COWBOYS was released on the Nice, France 1997 official live download in 2021.

List of The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour performances

  1. 22 Nov 1995 at Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ
  2. 26 Nov 1995 at Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
  3. 27 Nov 1995 at Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
  4. 29 Nov 1995 at Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA
  5. 30 Nov 1995 at Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA
  6. 03 Dec 1995 at Rosemont Theatre, Theatre, IL
  7. 05 Dec 1995 at DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC
  8. 06 Dec 1995 at DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC
  9. 08 Dec 1995 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
  10. 09 Dec 1995 at Tower Theater, Upper Darby, PA
  11. 12 Dec 1995 at Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY
  12. 13 Dec 1995 at Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY
  13. 15 Dec 1995 at Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA
  14. 16 Dec 1995 at Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA
  15. 17 Dec 1995 at Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY
  16. 07 Jan 1996 at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Montreal, Canada
  17. 08 Jan 1996 at Massey Hall, Toronto, Canada
  18. 10 Jan 1996 at Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI
  19. 11 Jan 1996 at Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI
  20. 12 Jan 1996 at Stambaugh Auditorium, Youngstown, OH
  21. 16 Jan 1996 at Cleveland Music Hall, Cleveland, OH
  22. 17 Jan 1996 at Cleveland Music Hall, Cleveland, OH
  23. 18 Jan 1996 at Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO
  24. 22 Jan 1996 at Saenger Performing Arts Center, New Orleans, LA
  25. 23 Jan 1996 at Jesse H. Jones Hall For The Performing Arts, Houston, TX
  26. 25 Jan 1996 at Austin Music Hall, Austin, TX
  27. 26 Jan 1996 at Bronco Bowl, Dallas, TX
  28. 28 Jan 1996 at Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
  29. 12 Feb 1996 at Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany
  30. 14 Feb 1996 at Kulturpalst, Dresden, Germany
  31. 15 Feb 1996 at Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle, Munich, Germany
  32. 17 Feb 1996 at Congress Centrum Hamburg Halle 1, Hamburg, Germany
  33. 18 Feb 1996 at Phillipshalle, Dusseldorf, Germany
  34. 21 Feb 1996 at Le Zénith De Paris, Paris, France
  35. 22 Feb 1996 at Le Zénith De Paris, Paris, France
  36. 25 Feb 1996 at De Doelen, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
  37. 26 Feb 1996 at Koninklijk Theater Carré, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  38. 28 Feb 1996 at Apollo Theatre, Manchester, England
  39. 29 Feb 1996 at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, England
  40. 02 Mar 1996 at Newcastle City Hall, Newcastle, England
  41. 03 Mar 1996 at Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland
  42. 13 Mar 1996 at Cirkus, Stockholm, Sweden
  43. 14 Mar 1996 at Oslo Spektrum, Oslo, Norway
  44. 16 Mar 1996 at Falkoner Salen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  45. 19 Mar 1996 at King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
  46. 20 Mar 1996 at Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
  47. 10 Apr 1996 at Auditorium Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy
  48. 11 Apr 1996 at Teatro Smeraldo, Milan, Italy
  49. 13 Apr 1996 at Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa, Italy
  50. 16 Apr 1996 at Royal Albert Hall, London, England
  51. 17 Apr 1996 at Royal Albert Hall, London, England
  52. 19 Apr 1996 at ICC Berlin Saal 1, Berlin, Germany
  53. 20 Apr 1996 at Koningin Elisabethzaal, Antwerp, Belgium
  54. 22 Apr 1996 at Royal Albert Hall, London, England
  55. 24 Apr 1996 at Brixton Academy, London, England
  56. 25 Apr 1996 at Brixton Academy, London, England
  57. 27 Apr 1996 at Royal Albert Hall, London, England
  58. 30 Apr 1996 at Salle Erasme, Strasbourg, France
  59. 01 May 1996 at Palais Des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium
  60. 02 May 1996 at Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland
  61. 06 May 1996 at Teatro Tivoli, Barcelona, Spain
  62. 07 May 1996 at Teatro Tivoli, Barcelona, Spain
  63. 08 May 1996 at Palacio De Congresos Y Exposiciones, Madrid, Spain
  64. 16 Sep 1996 at Benedum Center, Pittsburgh, PA
  65. 18 Sep 1996 at Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT
  66. 19 Sep 1996 at Providence Performing Arts Center, Providence, RI
  67. 24 Sep 1996 at James W. Miller Auditorium, Kalamazoo, MI
  68. 25 Sep 1996 at E. J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, Akron, OH
  69. 26 Sep 1996 at Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI
  70. 01 Oct 1996 at Braden Auditorium, Normal, IL
  71. 02 Oct 1996 at Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI
  72. 03 Oct 1996 at Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN
  73. 15 Oct 1996 at Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
  74. 16 Oct 1996 at Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
  75. 17 Oct 1996 at Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
  76. 19 Oct 1996 at Kiva Auditorium, Albuquerque, NM
  77. 21 Oct 1996 at Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium, Tempe, AZ
  78. 22 Oct 1996 at Civic Theatre, San Diego, CA
  79. 23 Oct 1996 at William Saroyan Theatre, Fresno, CA
  80. 25 Oct 1996 at Arlington Theater, Santa Barbara, CA
  81. 26 Oct 1996 at Event Center Arena, San Jose, CA
  82. 28 Oct 1996 at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR
  83. 29 Oct 1996 at Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA
  84. 08 Nov 1996 at Saint Rose Of Lima School, Freehold, NJ
  85. 12 Nov 1996 at Shea's Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, NY
  86. 13 Nov 1996 at Landmark Theatre, Syracuse, NY
  87. 14 Nov 1996 at Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, MA
  88. 19 Nov 1996 at Ellis Auditorium, Memphis, TN
  89. 20 Nov 1996 at The Louisville Palace, Louisville, KY
  90. 21 Nov 1996 at Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN
  91. 24 Nov 1996 at Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
  92. 25 Nov 1996 at Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
  93. 26 Nov 1996 at Paramount Theatre, Asbury Park, NJ
  94. 02 Dec 1996 at Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, FL
  95. 03 Dec 1996 at Sunrise Musical Theatre, Sunrise, FL
  96. 05 Dec 1996 at Township Auditorium, Columbia, SC
  97. 06 Dec 1996 at Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Concert Hall, Birmingham, AL
  98. 10 Dec 1996 at Music Hall, Cincinnati, OH
  99. 11 Dec 1996 at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Columbus, OH
  100. 12 Dec 1996 at Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
  101. 14 Dec 1996 at Ovens Auditorium, Charlotte, NC
  102. 27 Jan 1997 at International Forum, Tokyo, Japan
  103. 29 Jan 1997 at International Forum, Tokyo, Japan
  104. 30 Jan 1997 at International Forum, Tokyo, Japan
  105. 31 Jan 1997 at International Forum, Tokyo, Japan
  106. 04 Feb 1997 at QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane, Australia
  107. 05 Feb 1997 at QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane, Australia
  108. 07 Feb 1997 at Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia
  109. 08 Feb 1997 at Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia
  110. 10 Feb 1997 at Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia
  111. 11 Feb 1997 at Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia
  112. 12 Feb 1997 at Capitol Theatre, Sydney, Australia
  113. 15 Feb 1997 at Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
  114. 16 Feb 1997 at Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
  115. 17 Feb 1997 at Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia
  116. 06 May 1997 at Austria Center Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  117. 07 May 1997 at Austria Center Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  118. 09 May 1997 at Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, Poland
  119. 10 May 1997 at Sala Kongresowa, Warsaw, Poland
  120. 12 May 1997 at Congress Centre, Prague, Czech Republic
  121. 15 May 1997 at Auditorium Maurice Ravel, Lyon, France
  122. 16 May 1997 at Le Corum, Montpellier, France
  123. 18 May 1997 at Palais Des Congrès Acropolis, Nice, France
  124. 19 May 1997 at Zénith Oméga, Toulon, France
  125. 21 May 1997 at Teatro Verdi, Florence, Italy
  126. 22 May 1997 at Teatro Augusteo, Naples, Italy
  127. 25 May 1997 at Palais Des Congrès De Paris, Paris, France
  128. 26 May 1997 at Palais Des Congrès De Paris, Paris, France

SINALOA COWBOYS was performed once during what is known as The Reunion Tour (132 dates, April 1999 to July 2000), on 28 Oct 1999 in Oakland, CA. The song was played in a unique full-band arrangement. See the live 28 Oct 1999 version for more details.

SINALOA COWBOYS was performed twice during the Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour (72 dates, April to November 2005). On this tour, the song was played solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica.

List of Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour performances

  1. 28 Jun 2005 at ICC Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  2. 20 Oct 2005 at DCU Center, Worcester, MA

Live History: off-tour

SINALOA COWBOYS was performed off-tour on 28 Oct 1995 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, during the ninth Bridge School Benefit concert. The song was played solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica. See the live 28 Oct 1995 version for more details.

SINALOA COWBOYS was performed off-tour on 19 and 20 Feb 2003 at Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA, during the DoubleTake Magazine benefit shows. The song was played The song was played solo on acoustic guitar.

List of off-tour performances

  1. 28 Oct 1995 at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA
  2. 19 Feb 2003 at Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA
  3. 20 Feb 2003 at Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA

Covers

At least 3 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's SINALOA COWBOYS.

Dean Sapp & The Hartford Express -- Living In A Crossroads
Dean Sapp & The Hartford Express -- Living In A Crossroads

2xCD - Old Train Music (OTM 1003/4) - USA, 1998
Cracker -- Countrysides
Cracker -- Countrysides

CD - iMusic (80119-01148-2) - USA, 2003

See Cracker's cover version for more details.
Dyl -- Folk Ott
Dyl -- Folk Ott

CD - Patch Records (no catalog number) - France, 2009

Available Versions

List of available versions of SINALOA COWBOYS on this website:

SINALOA COWBOYS [Album version]
SINALOA COWBOYS [Live 28 Oct 1995 version]
SINALOA COWBOYS [Live 08 Dec 1995 version]
SINALOA COWBOYS [Live 09 Dec 1995 version]
SINALOA COWBOYS [Live 28 Oct 1999 version]
SINALOA COWBOYS [Cracker's cover version]
Page last updated: 20 May 2018