Dreams of the San Joaquin
Harvesting Dreams: A Tale of Struggle and Hope in the San Joaquin Valley
Lyrics
One, two, three, four
Introductory count-off for the song.
I'm sending you some money, I wish it could be more
The speaker is sending money, expressing a wish to send more, but struggles to find sufficient work.
But it's harder than I thought to find the work I came here for
Expresses the difficulty in finding the expected work in the place the speaker is in.
This place is just as pretty as I pictured it to be
Describes the beauty of the place but acknowledges the prevalence of unemployment.
But a man in need of work's an all too common sight to see
Highlights the commonness of people seeking work and the challenges they face.
Each morning as the trucks roll in the lucky few climb on
Describes the daily arrival of trucks carrying fortunate workers while others are left hoping for work.
The rest of us are left to wonder where the dream has gone
Expresses the feeling of loss or disappearance of the dream of a better life through work.
Where the dream has gone
Reiterates the absence or fading of the dream, emphasizing its significance.
They say the Sierras melt with the rain
Metaphorically refers to the Sierras melting with rain, symbolizing change or transformation.
And race through the valley like blood through the vein
Describes the movement of water through the valley, emphasizing its life-giving properties.
Turning the lowland from golden to green
Describes the transformation of the landscape from dry ("golden") to fertile ("green").
To harvest forever our dreams of the San Joaquin
Symbolically references the necessity of hard work to achieve dreams in the San Joaquin Valley.
Every day I struggle with the distance and the fear
Expresses the daily struggle and fear of not being able to return or bring a loved one to the new place.
That I will not return or find a way to bring you here
Shares the worry about the possibility of not being able to reunite with a loved one.
My emptiness grows deeper
Describes a growing feeling of emptiness within the speaker.
My spirit starts to fall
Depicts the speaker's diminishing morale and emotional state.
As night comes like a blanket that brings no sleep at all
Describes the inability to find peace or rest during the night, despite exhaustion.
Only hope that time will find a way to work things out
Expresses hope for a positive resolution or reunion in the future.
That we may be together in this life we dream about
Expresses the desire to be together in the idealized life both dream of.
This life we dream about
Reiterates the hope and desire for the shared dream life.
They say the sierras (dicen que la sierra)
Repeats lines 12-15 in Spanish, possibly emphasizing the significance of the San Joaquin Valley dreams for a bilingual audience or adding cultural depth.
Melt with the rain (con la lluvia)
-And race through the valley (y corre por el valle)
-Like blood through the vein (como la sangre)
-Turning the lowland (cambia la sierras)
-From golden to green (dorado al verde)
-To harvest forever
-Our dreams of the San Joaquin (los sueños de San Joaquín)
-We'll harvest forever (to harvest forever)
Reiterates the perpetual nature of harvesting dreams in the San Joaquin Valley.
In dreams of the San Joaquin
Reaffirms the ongoing act of harvesting dreams specifically in the San Joaquin Valley.
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