Free Mexican Air Force

Lyrics: Peter Rowan
Music: Peter Rowan

A Peter Rowan song played by the David Nelson Band. Also played by Peter Rowan with Phil Lesh in 2021.

In the Morelos Mountains campesinos are planting their fields (note 1)
Where the ghost of Zapata and his horse still outrun the wheel
High in the sky high above them, clear out of sight
It's the Free Mexican Air Force flyin' tonight

In the town of San Antonio a cowgirl is cooling her heels (note 2)
Remembering that God gave us herbs and the fruits of the fields
But a criminal law that makes outlaws of those seeking light
Makes the Free Mexican Air Force
Mescalito riding his white horse
Yeah, the Free Mexican Air Force is flyin' tonight
Flying so high

I was smoking colitas, while the Federales were loading their guns
Blowing smoke from their six-shooters, spinning their barrels for fun
Contrabandistas, banditos alike
Hey, we're the Free Mexican Air Force and we're flyin' tonight

High in the hills we are harvesting sweet sensemilla
Oh the law wants it all, 'cause they think that the wild weed can free you
And freedom for us is a prison for the rulers of might
That's why the Free Mexican Air Force
Mescalito riding his white horse
Yeah, the Free Texican Air Force is flyin' tonight
Flying so high
Flying tonight

Notes
(1) thanks to Gene Baran for pointing out that it's the Morelos Mountains not the Morenos Mountains as I originally had it.
(2) In the Peter Rowan original, this line is "In the City of Angels a cowboy is cooling his heels"

Recordings
	Date	Album	Recorded By
	1978	Peter Rowan	Peter Rowan
	2009	Crystal Bay Live	David Nelson Band

The Peter Rowan original has additional verses:

How strange that an innocent herb causes money to burn
They'll jail you or kill you for making those rich fat cats squirm
They're the fools who make rules with no difference between wrong and right
That's why the Free Mexican Air Force is flyin' tonight

Uncle Sam in his misery put a Nix on the fields of Guerrero
They shoot down all gringos and wetbacks who dare wear sombreros
Either run for your life, surrender, or stand up and fight
Or join the Free Mexican Air Force
Mescalito riding his white horse
Yeah the Free Mexican Air Force is flying tonight
Flying so high

It is not marijuana destroying the minds of the young
But confusion continued for power and greed in all forms
Well, the borders of evil will fall to the smugglers of light
We're the Free Mexican Air Force and we're flyin' tonight

In San Antonio they tell me that power and money are one
They can buy us or sell you to keep you afraid, on the run
But no one can stop us, my vision is clearly in sight
And the Free Mexican Air Force
Mescalito riding his white horse
Yeah the Free Mexican Air Force is flyin' tonight
Flying so high