Lyrics

Cold Cup of Water
©1996 Pat Humphries
Moving Forward Music, BMI
www.emmasrevolution.com

Acres and acres of row upon row, scratched in the face of the land.
Holding the hope of the seeds we have sown, deep in the cracks of my hands.
We come from places our children can't grow, some of us south of the border.
Seeking safety and wages and work, dignity, food and water.

Chorus: From harm may we be delivered.
Demand though we may be fired.
To meet and bargain together
For all workers, clean and safe shelter.
And a cold cup of water
And a cold cup of water.

The dust stings my eyes my fingers will blister from poisonous water and air.
If I speak up the crew boss insists there’s hundreds to take my place here.
From Spring to the fall we all make the rounds from bunkhouse, orchard and field.
In 49 years I'll be under this ground waiting for next seasons yield

Chorus

I trusted the grower's promise of work.
Lived months away from my home.
Now I yield little more than blisters and dirt and the weariness in me is growing.
If you think you owe my family no debt, let the fruit spoil on the bough.
3 billion dollars of my toil and sweat are feeding your empire now.

Chorus