George Strait: A Desperate Odyssey in “The Seashores of Old Mexico”
George Strait’s rendition of “The Seashores of Old Mexico” is a captivating exploration of a man on the run, a desperate soul seeking refuge in a foreign land.
Background
This 2005 track, penned by Merle Haggard, serves as a poignant departure from Strait’s typical romantic ballads, delving into the darker, more complex facets of the human experience.
Strait’s vocal performance is a masterclass in storytelling, his voice imbued with a raw vulnerability that mirrors the protagonist’s plight. His delivery is both world-weary and hopeful, conveying a complex character caught in a web of circumstances beyond his control.
The song’s narrative unfolds with a cinematic intensity, drawing listeners into a gritty world of desperation and survival.
Video
Lyrics
🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤
I left out of Tucson with no destination in mindI was runnin’ from trouble and the jail term, the Judge had in mindAnd the border meant freedom, a new life, romanceAnd that’s why I thought I should goAnd start my life over on the seashores of old MexicoMy first night in Juarez, lost all the money I hadOne bad senorita made use of one innocent ladBut I must keep on runnin’, it’s too late to turn backI’m wanted in Tucson, I’m toldYeah, and things will blow over on the seashores of old MexicoTwo Mexican farmers en route to a town I can’t sayLet me ride on the back of a flatbed half-loaded with hayDown through Durango, Colima, AlmieraThen in the ManzanillosWhere I slept in the sunshine on seashores of old MexicoAfter one long siesta, I came wide awake in the nightI was startled by someone who shadowed the pale moonlightMy new-found companion, one young senoritaWho offered a broken helloTo the gringo she found on the seashores of old Mexico