Land Across the Sea

Now, my name is not important, and my story's not so bold I worked these years to make a life, and now I'm growing old I never asked for nothing, and I never did things wild When I did, I swear it was for my dear wife and child There was no food on the table, not one single pea While folks said food was plentiful in the land across the sea Well, that was back in 1889 when princes ruled our time I shot a deer so he could eat a consequential crime That prince caught me red-handed, you could say I wasn't smart But I made my stand and fired, put a bullet through his heart My wife, Adeline, was terrified. She said I had to flee So I bid adieu and headed for that land across the sea You and me, we will be free in the land across the sea Follow me, we will be free in the land across the sea Well, in a bustling seaport town, I loaded ships both night and day And if all workers went ashore, well, the crew could not really say For three days, I did stow away, but then they found my lair The captain said hard labor, but I really didn't care My ship sailed into New York Harbor, captain set me free I am safe, my letter said, from the land across the sea Well, I made my way out to Dakota, worked as a railway roustabout And I sent the money to Adeline to bring her and Bertha out We made a good life in this land, had three more girls, two boys The sound of our kids running free was such a joyful noise I left behind my crime, we found opportunity Here in this place we call home, in our land across the sea You and me, we will be free in the land across the sea Follow me, we will be free in the land across the sea So my name is not important, and my story's just like yours We all came as immigrants from famines, fear, and wars Me, I came in by Miss Liberty when she was three years new The other day, I read what she still says to me and you Give me your tired, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free It's all our stories, you and me, in our land across the sea It's all our stories, you and me, in our land across the sea It's all our stories, you and me, in our land across the sea