El alma de Tucson

Crystal Frontier is reportedly Gabrielle Giffords' favorite song. On her Facebook page, she lists Calexico as the music she likes, and astronaut-husband Mark Kelly has listened to it as wake-up music while on the Space Shuttle Discovery.

Rep. Giffords and Calexico's Joey Burns are mutual admirers, and he talks about their association here on NPR. He also talks about some of the local Tucson memorial/vigil events that took place after the shootings.

The song lyrics are deeply reflective of the issues of an Arizona border town, and things become more and more complex along with growing frustration, hatred, racism, desperation, and just enough hope to keep all those wheels turning... for better or worse... on all sides.

Marco's shadow falls on the door
to the 7 Lost Cities of Gold
finds a raven's head and rattler's tail
dead in his tracks, this Godforsaken soul's
unwanted here and his ghost lingers for years

Amalia's face hides behind the mask
sweating on the TV factory line
that smile on her face is starting to crack
while welding back the pieces of shattered heart
that's scattered out here, with the ghosts of her peers
searched for her lost child along the river of tears

At the end of the working week
when drunken worlds meet
both sides keeping a close eye
for a break in the line here... on the Crystal Frontier

Blood spills out on the streets
and bodies are missing for weeks
both sides keeping a close eye
watching the bullets fly here... on the Crystal Frontier

Ramon tightens up his leather belt
and slips through a hole in the fence
he can get you anything you want
might cost you a life, might cost you
the whole price of freedom here...on the Crystal Frontier