About the song
In the vast and storied catalog of George Strait, few songs evoke as much quiet reflection and wanderlust as “The Seashores of Old Mexico.” Originally penned and recorded by country legend Merle Haggard in the 1970s, this evocative ballad found new life and a fresh audience when George Strait made it his own in 2005. With his unmistakable smooth baritone and a storytelling style as timeless as the tides, Strait delivers this song with a kind of effortless grace that speaks directly to the hearts of listeners—especially those who know a thing or two about the weight of regret and the promise of redemption.
“The Seashores of Old Mexico” is a tale of escape—not from danger, but from disappointment, failure, and the feeling of being stuck. The narrator, a man on the run not from the law but from life’s letdowns, drives south across the border into Mexico. There, on the tranquil beaches far from home, he finds a second chance—maybe not at fortune, but at peace. There’s something deeply relatable about that longing: the hope that somewhere, under foreign skies and near unfamiliar shores, we might shed our burdens and rediscover ourselves.
What makes Strait’s version particularly moving is its understated nature. He doesn’t oversell the drama; instead, he lets the lyrics breathe, supported by a traditional arrangement that features steel guitar and soft percussion. The song is a gentle reminder that country music, at its best, doesn’t need fireworks to move us—it just needs honesty.
For longtime fans of George Strait, this track is a testament to his deep respect for the genre’s roots and his unmatched ability to bring old stories to new generations. And for those just discovering this gem, “The Seashores of Old Mexico” offers a perfect entry point into the kind of heartfelt storytelling that defines classic country music.
Video
Lyrics
I left out of Tucson with no destination in mindI was runnin’ from trouble and the jail term, the Judge had in mindAnd the border meant freedom, a new life, romanceAnd that’s why I thought I should goAnd start my life over on the seashores of old MexicoMy first night in Juarez, lost all the money I hadOne bad senorita made use of one innocent ladBut I must keep on runnin’, it’s too late to turn backI’m wanted in Tucson, I’m toldYeah, and things will blow over on the seashores of old MexicoTwo Mexican farmers en route to a town I can’t sayLet me ride on the back of a flatbed half-loaded with hayDown through Durango, Colima, AlmieraThen in the ManzanillosWhere I slept in the sunshine on seashores of old MexicoAfter one long siesta, I came wide awake in the nightI was startled by someone who shadowed the pale moonlightMy new-found companion, one young senoritaWho offered a broken helloTo the gringo she found on the seashores of old MexicoShe spoke of Sonora and swore that she’d never returnFor her Mexican husband, she really had no great concern‘Cause she loved the gringo, my red hair and lingoThat’s all I needed to knowYeah, I found what I needed on the seashores of old MexicoYeah, she loved the gringo, my red hair and lingoThat’s all I needed to know, ha-haYeah, I found what I needed on the seashores of old Mexico