TOM JOAD

(Woody Guthrie)



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 walking down the road, poor boy

Tom Joad come a walking 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's 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 neighbors farm

Found his family.

They took Preacher Casey and loaded in a car

And his mother said "We got to git away."

His mother said 'We 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 my 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,

Buried 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 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.

Preacher Casey dropped him in his track.



They handcuffed Casey and they took him to 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' folks got to all get together,

Cause we ain't got a chance anymore.

We ain't got a chance anymore."



The Deputies come and Tom and Casey run

To the bridge where the water run down.

But the vigilante they hit Casey with a club,

They laid Preacher Casey on the ground.

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

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.

Then 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 gonna be, Ma,

That's where I'm 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 gonna be, Ma.

That's where I'm a gonna be.

@America @outlaw @work @West @political

filename[ TOMJOAD

SF

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