Deportees lyrics and chords
Recorded by The Wolfe Tones [ songs ] and Paddy Reilly. The ukulele chords and the five string banjo chords are included. written by Woody Guthrie. Key of D Major. Also recorded by The Highwaymen, Joan Baez, Christy Moore in the 1960s. under the title ''The Plane Crash At Los Gatos''. The sheet music is also in D Major with another version in a PDF file..
The[D] crops are all in and the[G] peaches are[D] rotting
The oranges are filed in their[A7] creosote[D] dumps
They're[G] flying 'em back to the[D] Mexico border
To take all their money to[A7] wade back again
[G]Goodbye to my Juan, farewell[D] Roselita
[A7]Adios mis amigos,[D] Jesus y Maria
You[G] won't have a name when you[D] ride the big airplane
All they will call you will[A7] be depor[D]tees
My father's own father, he waded that river
They took all the money he made in his life
It's six hundred miles to the Mexico border
And they chased them like rustlers, like outlaws, like thieves
The skyplane caught fire over Los Gatos Canyon
The great ball of fire it shook all our hills
Who are these dear friends who are falling like dry leaves?
Radio said, "They are just deportees"
Is this the best way we can grow our big orchards?
Is this the best way we can raise our good crops?
To fall like dry leaves and rot on out topsoil
And be known by no names except "deportees"
🎵 Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)
Key: D Major
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: ~85 BPM (slow waltz)
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 time)
For choruses or fuller verses:
↓ ↓ ↑
(count: 1 2 &)
Alternate:
↓ (↓↑) ↓ (↓↑)
Keep it soft and lilting, with the first beat slightly stronger:
1 2 3 → strong, light, light
🎸 FINGERPICKING PATTERN (Travis-style, 3/4)
(T = thumb, I = index, M = middle)
T – I – M – T – I – M
(count: 1 2 3)
Thumb plays alternating bass (root → 4th or 5th string)
Index & middle pluck the G and B strings
Keep a gentle rolling rhythm
🪶 Fingerpicking TAB — All Verses & Chorus
Verse 1
(“The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting…”)
D
e|--------2-----------2-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
The oranges are filed in their creosote dumps
A7 D
e|--------0-----------0-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--0------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
They're flying 'em back to the Mexico border
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
To take all their money to wade back again
Chorus
(“Goodbye to my Juan, farewell Roselita…”)
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Goodbye to my Juan, farewell Roselita
A7 D
e|--------0-----------0-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--0------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
You won’t have a name when you ride the big airplane
A7 D
e|--------0-----------0-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--0------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
All they will call you will be deportees
🎸 Optional Ending (soft fade-out)
Finish with a gentle arpeggio on D:
D
e|--------2-----------|
B|------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------------|
A|--------------------|
E|--------------------|
🎧 Performance Notes
Verse: Fingerpick softly — tell the story, let each note breathe.
Chorus: You can switch to light strumming (↓ ↓ ↑) for lift.
Accent beat 1 slightly each measure for that flowing folk-waltz feel.
Let the bass (thumb) keep steady time like a heartbeat.
Optional: capo 2nd fret to match Joan Baez or Dolly Parton’s versions.
Key: D Major
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: ~85 BPM (slow waltz)
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 time)
For choruses or fuller verses:
↓ ↓ ↑
(count: 1 2 &)
Alternate:
↓ (↓↑) ↓ (↓↑)
Keep it soft and lilting, with the first beat slightly stronger:
1 2 3 → strong, light, light
🎸 FINGERPICKING PATTERN (Travis-style, 3/4)
(T = thumb, I = index, M = middle)
T – I – M – T – I – M
(count: 1 2 3)
Thumb plays alternating bass (root → 4th or 5th string)
Index & middle pluck the G and B strings
Keep a gentle rolling rhythm
🪶 Fingerpicking TAB — All Verses & Chorus
Verse 1
(“The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting…”)
D
e|--------2-----------2-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
The crops are all in and the peaches are rotting
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
The oranges are filed in their creosote dumps
A7 D
e|--------0-----------0-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--0------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
They're flying 'em back to the Mexico border
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
To take all their money to wade back again
Chorus
(“Goodbye to my Juan, farewell Roselita…”)
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Goodbye to my Juan, farewell Roselita
A7 D
e|--------0-----------0-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--0------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Adios mis amigos, Jesus y Maria
G D
e|--------3-----------3-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
You won’t have a name when you ride the big airplane
A7 D
e|--------0-----------0-----------|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--0------------------------------|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
All they will call you will be deportees
🎸 Optional Ending (soft fade-out)
Finish with a gentle arpeggio on D:
D
e|--------2-----------|
B|------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------------|
A|--------------------|
E|--------------------|
🎧 Performance Notes
Verse: Fingerpick softly — tell the story, let each note breathe.
Chorus: You can switch to light strumming (↓ ↓ ↑) for lift.
Accent beat 1 slightly each measure for that flowing folk-waltz feel.
Let the bass (thumb) keep steady time like a heartbeat.
Optional: capo 2nd fret to match Joan Baez or Dolly Parton’s versions.
Here's The Guitar Chords In The Key Of G Major
The[G] crops are all in and the[C] peaches are[G] rotting
The oranges are filed in their[D7] creosote[G] dumps
They're[C] flying 'em back to the[G] Mexico border
To take all their money to[D7] wade back again
[C]Goodbye to my Juan, farewell[G] Roselita
[D7]Adios mis amigos,[G] Jesus y Maria
You[C] won't have a name when you[G] ride the big airplane
All they will call you will[D7] be depor[G]tees
Chords In The Key Of C
The[C] crops are all in and the[F] peaches are[C] rotting
The oranges are filed in their[G7] creosote[C] dumps
They're[F] flying 'em back to the[C] Mexico border
To take all their money to[G7] wade back again
[F]Goodbye to my Juan, farewell[C] Roselita
[G7]Adios mis amigos,[C] Jesus y Maria
You[F] won't have a name when you[C] ride the big airplane
All they will call you will[G7] be depor[C]tees
The[G] crops are all in and the[C] peaches are[G] rotting
The oranges are filed in their[D7] creosote[G] dumps
They're[C] flying 'em back to the[G] Mexico border
To take all their money to[D7] wade back again
[C]Goodbye to my Juan, farewell[G] Roselita
[D7]Adios mis amigos,[G] Jesus y Maria
You[C] won't have a name when you[G] ride the big airplane
All they will call you will[D7] be depor[G]tees
Chords In The Key Of C
The[C] crops are all in and the[F] peaches are[C] rotting
The oranges are filed in their[G7] creosote[C] dumps
They're[F] flying 'em back to the[C] Mexico border
To take all their money to[G7] wade back again
[F]Goodbye to my Juan, farewell[C] Roselita
[G7]Adios mis amigos,[C] Jesus y Maria
You[F] won't have a name when you[C] ride the big airplane
All they will call you will[G7] be depor[C]tees
| deportees-sheet-music.pdf |
Deportees Sheet Music In The Key Of G Major
Paddy Reilly song Deportees lyrics
The letter note version of Deportees below is a take from the sheet music above. When this folk song came to Ireland the tune of the song got slightly changed by singers such as Paddy Reilly and The Wolfe Tones. The altered version of the song, lets call it the Irish version, got stuck in my head and the letter notes below is that outcome. You can either play the original Woody Guthrie sheet music version above or my version below.
