Woody Guthrie wrote this song in 1941, one of his many “Dust Bowl compositions,” it’s language, story, and imagery were inspired by John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath and John Ford’s film adaption of the same name.
It's a mighty hard row that my poor hands have hoed
My poor feet has traveled a hot dusty road
Out of your Dust Bowl and Westward we rolled
And your desert was hot and your mountains was cold
I've worked in your orchards of peaches and prunes
Slept on the ground in the light of your moon
On the edge of your city you'll see us and then
We come with the dust and we're gone with the wind
California, Arizona, I make all your crops
Well its North up to Oregon to gather your hops
Dig the beets from your ground, cut the grapes from your vine
To set on your table your light sparkling wine
Well it's always we rambled, that river and I
All along your green valley, I'll work til I die
My land I'll defend with my life if need be
My pastures of plenty must always be free
It's a mighty hard row that my poor hands have hoed
My poor feet has traveled a hot dusty road
Out of your Dust Bowl and Westward we rolled
And your desert was hot and your mountains was cold
Pastures Of Plenty was written by Woody Guthrie.
Pastures Of Plenty was produced by Frank Fried.