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Tom Joad got out of the old McAlester Pen; |
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There he got his parole. |
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After four long years on a man killing charge, |
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Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road, poor boy, |
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Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road. |
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Tom Joad, he met a truck driving man; |
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There he caught him a ride. |
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He said, "I just got loose from McAlester Pen |
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On a charge called homicide, |
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A charge called homicide." |
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That truck rolled away in a cloud of dust; |
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Tommy turned his face toward home. |
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He met Preacher Casey, and they had a little drink, |
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But they found that his family they was gone, |
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He found that his family they was gone. |
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He found his mother's old fashion shoe, |
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Found his daddy's hat. |
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And he found little Muley and Muley said, |
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"They've been tractored out by the cats, |
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They've been tractored out by the cats." |
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Tom Joad walked down to the neighbor's farm, |
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Found his family. |
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They took Preacher Casey and loaded in a car, |
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And his mother said, "We've got to get away." |
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His mother said, "We've got to get away." |
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Now, the twelve of the Joads made a mighty heavy load; |
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But Grandpa Joad did cry. |
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He picked up a handful of land in his hand, |
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Said: "I'm stayin' with the farm till I die. |
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Yes, I'm stayin' with the farm till I die." |
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They fed him short ribs and coffee and soothing syrup; |
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And Grandpa Joad did die. |
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They buried Grandpa Joad by the side of the road, |
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Grandma on the California side, |
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They buried Grandma on the California side. |
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They stood on a mountain and they looked to the west, |
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And it looked like the promised land. |
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That bright green valley with a river running through, |
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There was work for every single hand, they thought, |
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There was work for every single hand. |
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The Joads rolled away to the jungle camp, |
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There they cooked a stew. |
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And the hungry little kids of the jungle camp |
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Said: "We'd like to have some, too." |
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Said: "We'd like to have some, too." |
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Now a deputy sheriff fired loose at a man, |
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Shot a woman in the back. |
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Before he could take his aim again, |
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Preacher Casey dropped him in his track, poor boy, |
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Preacher Casey dropped him in his track. |
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They handcuffed Casey and they took him in jail; |
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And then he got away. |
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And he met Tom Joad on the old river bridge, |
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And these few words he did say, poor boy, |
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These few words he did say. |
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"I preached for the Lord a mighty long time, |
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Preached about the rich and the poor. |
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Us workin' folkses, all get together, |
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'Cause we ain't got a chance anymore. |
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We ain't got a chance anymore." |
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Now, the deputies come, and Tom and Casey run |
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To the bridge where the water run down. |
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But the vigilante thugs hit Casey with a club, |
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They laid Preacher Casey on the ground, poor Casey, |
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They laid Preacher Casey on the ground. |
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Tom Joad, he grabbed that deputy's club, |
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Hit him over the head. |
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Tom Joad took flight in the dark rainy night, |
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And a deputy and a preacher lying dead, two men, |
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A deputy and a preacher lying dead. |
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Tom run back where his mother was asleep; |
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He woke her up out of bed. |
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An' he kissed goodbye to the mother that he loved, |
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Said what Preacher Casey said, Tom Joad, |
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He said what Preacher Casey said. |
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"Ever'body might be just one big soul, |
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Well it looks that a-way to me. |
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Everywhere that you look, in the day or night, |
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That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma, |
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That's where I'm a-gonna be. |
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Wherever little children are hungry and cry, |
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Wherever people ain't free. |
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Wherever men are fightin' for their rights, |
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That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma. |
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That's where I'm a-gonna be." |
