THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD

Live 16 Sep 2003 version

Men walking 'long the railroad tracks
Going someplace, there's no going back
Highway patrol choppers coming up over the ridge
Hot soup on a campfire under the bridge
Shelter line stretching 'round the corner
Welcome to the new world order
Families sleeping in the cars in the southwest
No home, no job, no peace, no rest

Well the highway is alive tonight
But nobody's kidding nobody about where it goes
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Yeah searching for the ghost of Tom Joad

He pulls a prayer book out of his sleeping bag
Preacher lights up a butt and takes a drag
Waiting for when the last shall be first and the first shall be last
In a cardboard box 'neath the underpass
You got a one-way ticket to the promised land
You got a hole in your belly and a gun in your hand
Sleeping on a pillow of solid rock
Yeah bathing in the city aqueduct

Well the highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Yeah waiting on the ghost of Tom Joad

Now Tom said, "Ma, wherever there's a cop beating a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Where there's a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Yeah look for me, Mom, I'll be there
Wherever somebody's fighting for a place to stand
Or a decent job or a helping hand
Wherever somebody's struggling to be free
Well look in their eyes, Mom, you'll see me"

Well the highway is alive tonight
But nobody's kidding nobody about where it goes
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Yeah with the ghost of old Tom Joad

Info

The above lyrics are for the live 16 Sep 2003 performance of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD at Rentschler Field in Hartford, CT, during The Rising Tour. The song was the show opener and was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement.

Ticket stub for the 16 Sep 2003 show at Rentschler Field, Hartford, CT

Pass for the 16 Sep 2003 show at Rentschler Field, Hartford, CT
(Taken from Brucebase)

Handwritten setlist for the 16 Sep 2003 show at Rentschler Field, Hartford, CT

Available Versions

List of available versions of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD on this website:

Page last updated: 22 Sep 2016