by: Woody Guthrie
Key: D
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Tom Joad got out of that old Mc-A-les-ter Pen
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It was there that he got his pa-role
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Af-ter four long years on a man kill-ing charge
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Tom Joad come a walk-ing down the road, poor boy
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Tom Joad come a walk-ing down the road
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It was there that he found him
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a truck driv-ing man
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It was there that he caught him a ride
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Said: «I just got loose from Mc-A-les-ter’s Pen
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On a charge called ho-mi-cide, great God
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A charge called ho- mi- cide.»
That truck rolled away in a cloud of dust,
And 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, Tom Joad
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.