Man walks ‘long the railroad tracks
He’s Goin’ some place, and there’s no turnin’ back
Highway Patrol choppers comin’ up over the ridge
Man sleeps by a campfire under the bridge
with Shelter line stretchin’ around the corner
Welcome to the new world order
Families sleepin’ in their cars out in the southwest
No home, no job, no peace, no rest
No rest!
The highway is alive tonight
nobody’s kiddin’ nobody as to where it goes
I’m sitting down here in the campfire light
Searchin’ for the ghost of Tom Joad
He pulls his prayer book out of his sleepin’ bag
the Preacher lights up a butt and takes a drag
He’s waitin’ for the time when the last shall be first
and the first shall be last
In a cardboard box ‘neath the underpass
with one way ticket to the promised land
with a hole in your belly and a gun in your hand
Sleepin’ on a pillow of solid rock
Bathin’ in the cities aqueduct
Rock!
The highway is alive tonight
Where its headed everybody knows
I’m sittin’ down here in the campfire light
Waitin’ on the ghost of old Tom Joad
Now Tom Said, «Mom, wherever you seen a cop beatin’ a guy
Wherever a hungry new born baby cries
Where there’s a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me Mom, I’ll be there
Wherever there’s somebody fightin’ for a place to stand
for decent job or a helpin’ hand
Wherever somebody’s strugglin’ to be free
Look in their eyes Mom you’ll see me.
The highway is alive tonight
Nobody’s kiddin nobody as to where it goes
I’m sitting down here in the campfire light
with the ghost of Tom Joad