Tom Joad (part 1) Lyrics - 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-walkin' down the road, poor boy 

Tom Joad come a-walkin' 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 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 

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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 neighbor's farm 

Found his family 

They took Preacher Casey and loaded in a car 

And his mother said, We've got to get away 

His mother said, We've 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 the farm till I die 

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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 

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 the 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, poor boy 

Preacher Casey dropped him in his track 

They handcuffed Casey and they took him in 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' folkses, all get together 

Cause we ain't got a chance anymore 

We ain't got a chance anymore 

Now, the deputies come, and Tom and Casey run 

To the bridge where the water run down 

But the vigilante thugs hit Casey with a club 

They laid Preacher Casey on the ground, poor Casey 

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 

And 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 

An' 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 a-gonna be, Ma 

That's where I'm a-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 a-gonna be, Ma 

That's where I'm a-gonna be