Tom Joad

Tom Joad got out of the old McAlester Pen
There he got his parole
After four long years on a man killing charge
Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road, poor boy
Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road

Tom Joad, he met a truck driving man
There he caught him a ride
He said, I just got loose from McAlester Pen
On a charge called homicide
A charge called homicide

That truck rolled away in a cloud of dust
Tommy turned his face toward home
He met Preacher Casey, and they had a little drink
But they found that his family they was gone
He found that his family they was gone

He found his mother's old fashion shoe
Found his daddy's hat
And he found little Muley and Muley said
They've been tractored out by the cats
They've been tractored out by the cats

Tom Joad walked down to the neighbor's farm
Found his family
They took Preacher Casey and loaded in a car
And his mother said, We've got to get away
His mother said, We've got to get away

Now, the twelve of the Joads made a mighty heavy load
But Grandpa Joad did cry
He picked up a handful of land in his hand
Said: I'm stayin' with the farm till I die
Yes, I'm stayin' with the farm till I die

They fed him short ribs and coffee and soothing syrup
And Grandpa Joad did die
They buried Grandpa Joad by the side of the road
Grandma on the California side
They buried Grandma on the California side

They stood on a mountain and they looked to the west
And it looked like the promised land
That bright green valley with a river running through
There was work for every single hand, they thought
There was work for every single hand

The Joads rolled away to the jungle camp
There they cooked a stew
And the hungry little kids of the jungle camp
Said: We'd like to have some, too
Said: We'd like to have some, too

Now a deputy sheriff fired loose at a man
Shot a woman in the back
Before he could take his aim again
Preacher Casey dropped him in his track, poor boy
Preacher Casey dropped him in his track

They handcuffed Casey and they took him in jail
And then he got away
And he met Tom Joad on the old river bridge
And these few words he did say, poor boy
These few words he did say

I preached for the Lord a mighty long time
Preached about the rich and the poor
Us workin' folkses, all get together
Cause we ain't got a chance anymore
We ain't got a chance anymore

Now, the deputies come, and Tom and Casey run
To the bridge where the water run down
But the vigilante thugs hit Casey with a club
They laid Preacher Casey on the ground, poor Casey
They laid Preacher Casey on the ground

Tom Joad, he grabbed that deputy's club
Hit him over the head
Tom Joad took flight in the dark rainy night
And a deputy and a preacher lying dead, two men
A deputy and a preacher lying dead

Tom run back where his mother was asleep
He woke her up out of bed
An' he kissed goodbye to the mother that he loved
Said what Preacher Casey said, Tom Joad
He said what Preacher Casey said

Ever'body might be just one big soul
Well it looks that a-way to me
Everywhere that you look, in the day or night
That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma
That's where I'm a-gonna be

Wherever little children are hungry and cry
Wherever people ain't free
Wherever men are fightin' for their rights
That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma
That's where I'm a-gonna be