The Immigrant Song

Story Behind The Song

Inspired by a conversation I overheard where a statement was made that "immigration should be stopped and in fact all the immigrants should be shipped back." Simple solutions seldom are.

Song Length 4:22 Genre Folk - General

Lyrics

WAVE AFTER WAVE
(The Immigrant Song)

Verse 1
They sailed here on small boats, they sailed here on clippers
To come to America?s shores;
They hoisted the sails (for) they feared the skippers;
They slept in the darkness under the floors.
And they came from the valleys; they came from the highlands,
They came from those desolate moors;
And they came from the cities; they came from the islands,
And the red men had pity and opened the doors.
They were Irish and Scottish and English and Dutch,
And they chained up African slave;
And they settled this land that they soon called their own,
And they came to this new world wave after wave.

Verse 2
They sailed here on steel ships, they sailed here on steamers
To come to American?s shores.
They were peasants and tailors and blacksmiths and dreamers;
They were orphans, debtors, convicts, and whores.
And they came from the valleys; they came from the highlands,
They came from those desolate moors;
And they came from the cities; they came from the islands,
And they pushed back the red men and opened the doors.
They were German and Spanish and Italian and French
With their princes and paupers and knaves;
And they settled this land that they soon called their own,
And they came to this world wave after wave.

Verse 3
They sailed through the headwinds of the storms on the seas
To come to America?s shores.
They were just huddled masses yearning to be free;
They were victims of hunger and victims of wars.
And they came from the valleys; they came from the highlands,
They came from those desolate moors;
And they came from the cities; they came from the islands,
And they locked up the red men and opened the doors.
They were Chinese and Polish, Norwegian and Dane
Who longed for the land of the brave.
And they settled this land that they soon called their own,
And they came to this new world wave after wave.

Verse 4
They still sail here on small boats out on the sea
To come to America?s shores.
There are still huddled masses yearning to be free;
There are victims of hunger and victims of wars
And they come from the valleys and they come from the highlands
They come from those desolate moors;
And they come from the cities and they come from the islands,
Will America have pity and open the doors?
Will America still open the doors?
Will America open the doors?

Copyright 2000 by Paul Reece (ASCAP)



Lyrics Paul Reece Music Paul Reece
Producer Paul Reece Publisher Paul Reece
Performance Paul Reece Label Paul Reece

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