Tom Joad

Guthrie

Tom Joad got out of that old McAlester pen
'Twas there that he got his parole
After four long years on a man killing charge
Tom Joad came a-walking down the road, poor boy
Tom Joad came a-walking down the road
It was there that he found him a truck driving man
It was there that he caught him a ride
He said, "I just got loose from McAlester pen
On a charge called homicide, great God
A charge called homicide."
The truck rolled away in a big cloud of dust
And Tommy turned his face towards home
He met Preacher Casey and they had a little drink
And he found out his family they was gone, Tom Joad
He found out his family they was gone
He found his mother's old-fashioned shoes
He found his daddy's hat
He found little Muley and little Muley said
"They've been tractored out by the cats, Tom
They've been tractored out by the cats."
Then Tom he walked to the neighboring farm
He found his family
They took Preacher Casey and they loaded in the car
And his mama said, "We got to get away, Tom."
His mama said, "We got to get away"
The twelve of the Joads made a mighty heavy load
And grandpa Joad, he cried
He picked up a handful of land in his hand
He said, "I'm sticking with my farm until I die."
He said, "I'm sticking with my farm until I die."
They fed him spare ribs and coffee and soothing syrup
And grandpa Joad, he died
We buried grandpa Joad on the Oklahoma road
And grandma on the California side
And grandma on the California side
We stood on a mountain and we looked to the West
It looked like the Promised Land
Was a big green valley with a river running through
And there was work for every single hand, we thought
Work for every single hand
The Joads rolled in to the Jungle Camp
It was there that they cooked them a stew
And the hungry little kids in the Jungle Camp
Said, "We'd like to have some, too
Yes, we'd like to have some, too."
A deputy sheriff fired loose at a man
He shot a woman in the back
But before he could take his aim again
It was Preacher Casey dropped him in his tracks
Good boy, Preacher Casey dropped him in his tracks
Well, they handcuffed Casey and they took him to jail
And then he got away
He met Tom Joad by the old river bridge
And these few words he did say, Preacher Casey
These few words he did say:
"Well, I preached for the Lord a mighty long time
I preached about the rich and the poor
But us workin' folks has got to stick together
Or we ain't got a chance anymore, God knows
We ain't got a chance anymore."
Then the deputies come and Tom and Casey run
To the place where the water run down
And the vigilante bug hit Casey with a club
And he laid Preacher Casey on the ground
And he laid Preacher Casey on the ground
Tom Joad he grabbed the deputy's club
He banged it down on his head
When Tommy took flight in that dark and rainy night
Was a preacher and a deputy lying dead, two men
A preacher and a deputy lying dead
Tommy went back to where his mama was asleep
He woke her up out of bed
He kissed goodbye to the mother that he loved
And he said what Preacher Casey said, Tom Joad
He said what Preacher Casey said
Everybody might be just one big soul
It looks that-a way to me
So everywhere you look in the day or night
That's where I'm gonna be, Ma
That's where I'm gonna be
Wherever little kids are hungry and cry
Wherever people ain't free
Wherever men are fighting for their rights
That's where I'm gonna be, Ma
That's where I'm gonna be