1995 album version
Men walking 'long the railroad tracks
Going someplace and 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 their 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
Searching for the ghost of Tom Joad
He pulls a prayer book out of his sleeping bag
Preacher lights up a butt and he 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
Bathing in the city aqueduct
And the highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Waiting on the ghost of Tom Joad
Tom said, "Mom, 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
Look for me, Mom, I'll be there
Where there's somebody fighting for a place to stand
Or a decent job or a helping hand
Wherever somebody's struggling to be free
Look in their eyes, Mom, you'll see me"
The highway is alive tonight
But nobody's kidding nobody about where it goes
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
With the ghost of old Tom Joad
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD is a song written by Bruce Springsteen and released on his 1995 album The Ghost Of Tom Joad. The above lyrics are for Bruce Springsteen's album version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD as released in 1995.
The 1995 album version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was included on The Essential Bruce Springsteen (both 2003 and 2015 editions) compilation album, the Collection: 1973-2012 compilation album, the Chapter And Verse compilation album, the Japanese Singles Collection -Greatest Hits- compilation album, and the Best Of Bruce Springsteen compilation album.
Other studio versions of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD were recorded and released in subsequent years (see the below section for more details), including the 2014 album version which was recorded in a full-band arrangement and released on the High Hopes album in 2014.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was inspired by John Ford's 1940 film adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1939 classic novel The Grapes Of Wrath. The references at the end of The Ghost Of Tom Joad album's credits list some of the source materials, including "John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath, written by Nunnally Johnson, based on the novel by John Steinbeck, a Twentieth Century-Fox film." Springsteen's song, however, is set in the 80's or 90's, with contemporary times being likened to Dust Bowl images. The song also takes inspiration from Woody Guthrie's 1940 song TOM JOAD, which explores the novel's protagonist's life. In 1995, Springsteen got in touch with John Steinbeck's widow Elaine Steinbeck to ask permission to use the name of the character from The Grapes of Wrath.
In a 1995 interview, Springsteen told Bob Costas that it was the film more than the book that made an impact on him. "That picture I guess I saw in the late seventies and it had a really deep effect on me. I think I'd read some John Steinbeck, probably earlier than that — in high school and there was something about the film that sort of crystallized the story for me. And it always stayed with me after that, for some reason there was something in that picture that always resonated throughout almost all of my other work. It was just an image that popped out as I was sitting around on the couch messing around with the guitar." The character Tom Joad, mentioned in the song's title and narrative, is the protagonist from The Grapes Of Wrath. The last verse in THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD ("Tom said, 'Mom, wherever there's a cop...') is a direct reference to Henry Fonda's (who played the Tom Joad character) speech at the end of the film. Springsteen even admitted that he cried the first time he watched Fonda give that speech. "That was a very powerful speech for me," he told Costas.
In his 1998 book Songs, Bruce Springsteen wrote: "'The ghost of Tom Joad' was among the songs I wrote for the E Street Band to complete the Greatest Hits album. It started out as a rock song. But it didn't feel right, so I set it aside. I returned to it some months later, while still unsure of what I wanted to work on next. After working with the band in New York, I went back to California and started recording at home. I had 'Straight Time,' 'Highway 29,' and 'The Ghost of Tom Joad.' I also had a notebook filled with unfinished song ideas. I began recording with just myself and my acoustic guitar. When I felt I had some workable material, I put together a small, five-piece group. Once I cut 'Tom Joad,' I had a feeling for the record I wanted to make. It was an acoustic album where I picked up elements of the themes I had worked on in the past and set the stories in the mid-'90s."
The 1995 album version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was recorded sometime in Spring 1995 at Thrill Hill West, Springsteen's home studio in Los Angeles, CA. It was recorded with a light and muted accompaniment, featuring Springsteen on vocal, guitar, and harmonica, E Street Band members Danny Federici on keyboards and Garry Tallent on bass, and session musicians Marty Rifkin on pedal steel guitar and Gary Mallaber on drums. According to Clinton Heylin's 2012 book E Street Shuffle: The Glory Days Of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, the song was cut on 23 May 1995.
The lyric "The highway is alive tonight" was previously used in SEASIDE BAR SONG.
Bruce Springsteen later recorded and released four more studio versions of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD. In 2006 he recorded an acoustic version as a duet with Pete Seeger (see the 2006 studio version), in 2009 he recorded two solo acoustic versions (see the 2009 (first) studio version and the 2009 (second) studio version), and in 2014 he recorded a rock version as a duet with Tom Morello (see the 2014 album version).
Following the Jan-Feb 1995 studio reunion with the E Street Band and the release of Greatest Hits, Bruce Springsteen writing activity increased significantly. Between March and September 1995, Springsteen wrote and recorded about two-albums worth of new songs. From the scattered comments made by Springsteen and other session participants, it would seem that over an album's worth of solo material and over an album's worth of band material were recorded during these sessions. The Ghost Of Tom Joad album consist of 7 solo tracks and 5 band tracks. The songs Springsteen recorded solo may have spanned the entire session period and the band sessions appear to have been split into two or three phases during the spring and summer of 1995.
In his 1998 book Songs, Springsteen wrote: "I knew that The Ghost of Tom Joad wouldn't attract my largest audience. But I was sure the songs on it added up to a reaffirmation of the best of what I do. The record was something new, but it was also a reference point to the things I tried to stand for and be about as a songwriter.
The Ghost Of Tom Joad was released on Columbia Records on 21 Nov 1995. It was produced by Bruce Springsteen and Chuck Plotkin. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1997.
The Ghost Of Tom Joad features 12 new Springsteen compositions and clocks at 50:16.
A non-representational music video, directed by Arnold Levine, was made for THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD. It features a montage of black-and-white photos (credited to Pamela Springsteen) constrained to a subsection of the screen resembling a rear-view mirror. Occasionally a line from the song flashes on the screen. The video was included on Springsteen's The Complete Video Anthology / 1978-2000 home video which was released in 2001.
Video Anthology / 1978-88 is a collection of 18 Bruce Springsteen music videos and concert performances, released on VHS on 31 Jan 1989. The home video was also released on LaserDisc.
Sonny reissued the video on DVD on 16 Jan 2001. Titled The Complete Video Anthology / 1978-2000, the new expanded release added a second disc with 15 additional music video, concert performances, and television appearances.
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The 1995 album version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released as a single in Europe and Japan. In 1997 it was included on some issues of the Secret Garden EP which was released to promote the Jerry Maguire movie soundtrack.
The Essential Bruce Springsteen is a compilation album released as part of Sony BMG'S (previously Sony Music Entertainment) series of "Essential" sets. According to Springsteen's liner notes comments, the collection was intended as an introduction to his music for new fans who attended shows on The Rising Tour.
The collection is fundamentally a 2-disc set (clocking at 153:37) compiling songs from all of Springsteen's studio albums to date plus his Live In New York City release. A 3-disc limited edition (clocking at 201:04) was also released. It includes a bonus third disc comprising of a selection of rarities and previously unreleased recordings.
The Essential Bruce Springsteen was released on 11 Nov 2003 on Columbia Records. It debuted and peaked at #14 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart where it spent 13 weeks. It also reached #28 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was awarded certified gold and platinum records by the RIAA on 16 Dec 2003.
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The Essential Bruce Springsteen was reissued on 16 Oct 2015, this time as a 2-disc set (clocking at 156:25) with an updated track list, compiling songs from all of Springsteen's studio albums to date plus his Greatest Hits (1995 edition) collection. This 2015 reissue features remastered tracks not found in that form on other Springsteen releases.
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Collection: 1973-2012 is a Bruce Springsteen compilation album released on Columbia Records in 2013. It was released on 08 Mar 2013 in Australia and 15 Apr 2013 in Europe. The compilation was not released commercially in the United States. Instead, a promotional version was given out exclusively to $1,500 ticket holders at the "MusiCares Person Of The Year" tribute event held in Los Angeles, CA, on 08 Feb 2013. The event honoured Springsteen for both his artistic achievements and philanthropic efforts. The compilation consists of 18 previously released studio tracks.
Chapter And Verse is a Bruce Springsteen compilation album released on Columbia Records on 23 Sep 2016 in the U.S. It was officially announced on 28 Jul 2016. The album is an audio companion to Springsteen's autobiography Born To Run, which was published four days later, on 27 Sep 2016, by Simon & Schuster.
The album is a career retrospective consisting of 18 tracks. It spans almost half a century of Springsteen's career, from as early as 1966. According to the press release, Springsteen selected the songs to reflect the themes and sections of the autobiography. The first five tracks have not been previously released.
Tracks 1 and 2 are from The Castiles era, track 3 is from the Steel Mill era, and track 4 is from The Bruce Springsteen Band era. Tracks 5 and 6 are Springsteen solo, from around the time he signed his record deal with CBS. The remaining 12 tracks are compiled from 12 different Bruce Springsteen studio albums, from 1973 to 2012. All song were written by Bruce Springsteen, except tracks 1 (co-written by Bruce Springsteen and George Theiss) and track 2 (written by Willie Dixon). Track 2 is only song on the album recorded live.
Chapter And Verse is available as a single-disc CD and as a double-disc LP, as well as digital download and streaming.
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Japanese Singles Collection -Greatest Hits- is a Bruce Springsteen compilation album released by Sony Music Japan in 2023. The compilation, which was exclusively released in Japan, consists of previously released 35 audio tracks and 62 video tracks. The collection is part of a 26-title reissue campaign to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Bruce Springsteen's debut album. The series, issued in three waves (25 Oct 2023, 22 Nov 2023, and 20 Dec 2023), includes 25 albums originally released between 1973 and 2014 plus a new compilation album that includes all of Springsteen's singles released in Japan from 1975 to 1999. All audio CD's were manufactured using Sony Japan's Blu-spec CD2 format.
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Best Of Bruce Springsteen is a compilation album released on Columbia Records on 19 Apr 2024. The album is collection of original songs spanning Springsteen's entire career, from 1973 to 2020. The release was officially announced on 01 Mar 2024.
Two variants of the album were released: the 18-track physical releases and an expanded 31-track download-only version. The physical releases include a single-disc CD and as a two-disc LP set. Four editions of the vinyl release were issued: a regular edition on black vinyl, an Atlantic Blue vinyl exclusive to Europe, a Highway Yellow vinyl exclusive to independent retailers, and a Jersey Devil Red vinyl exclusive to Amazon Music.
The 1995 album version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was included on the Columbia Records Radio Hour Part 1 & 2 radio show in 1995 and the Interview With Bruce Springsteen promotional sampler in 1996. It also appears on some various artists compilation albums.
Other versions of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD were also officially released.
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In preparation for The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour, THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed during the tour's public warm-up rehearsal show that took place on 21 Nov 1995 at State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed 116 times during The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour (128 dates, November 1995 to May 1997). The song was the opener of every show from the beginning of the tour until 24 Sep 1996, except on 27 Apr 1996 in London, England, when PONY BOY opened the show and was segued directly into THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD. After that it was sometimes moved to the middle of the setlist and sometimes it was replaced by Woody Guthrie's TOM JOAD. On this tour, the song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. The live 09 Dec 1995 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Columbia Records Radio Hour Part 1 & 2 radio show in 1995. The live 19 Mar 1996 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the King's Hall, Belfast March 19, 1996 official live download in 2017. The live 08 Nov 1996 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Freehold, NJ 1996 Saint Rose Of Lima School Gym official live download in 2018. The live 24 Nov 1996 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Asbury Park 11/24/96 official live download in 2019. The live 18 May 1997 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Nice, France 1997 official live download in 2021.
In preparation for The Reunion Tour, THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed during both of the tour's two public warm-up rehearsal shows that took place in March 1999 in Asbury Park. The song was played in a full-band arrangement featuring a vocal warm-up intro. See the live 19 Mar 1999 version for more details. The song is also known to have been practiced during at least 3 of the private rehearsals that took place in March 1999 in Asbury Park prior to the tour's first leg, during the private rehearsal that took place in April 1999 in Barcelona the day before the tour kicked off in Spain, and during the private rehearsal that took place in February 2000 in University Park, PA, the day before the tour's final leg kicked off.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed 112 times during what is known as The Reunion Tour (132 dates, April 1999 to July 2000). On this tour, the song was played in a full-band arrangement sometimes (at the beginning of the tour — see below list) featuring a vocal warm-up intro. The live 30 Sep 1999 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Chicago September 30, 1999 official live download in 2018. The live 23 Oct 1999 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Los Angeles October 23, 1999 official live download in 2019. A snippet of the 26 Jun 2000 rehearsal version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Live In New York City home video in 2001.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed once during The Rising Tour (120 dates, August 2002 to October 2003), on 16 Sep 2003 in Hartford, CT. The song was the show opener and was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 16 Sep 2003 version for more details.
In preparation for the Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour, THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD is known to have been practiced during at least two of the private rehearsals that took place in March and April 2005 in Asbury Park prior to the tour's first leg.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed twice during the Devils & Dust Solo Acoustic Tour (72 dates, April to November 2005). On this tour, the song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed 5 times during The Seeger Sessions Tour (56 dates, April to November 2006). On this tour, the song was played in a revamped full-band arrangement as a duet with Frank Bruno. The live 19 Nov 2006 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band PBS Exclusive EP in 2007.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed twice during the Magic Tour (100 dates, October 2007 to August 2008), on 07 and 08 Apr 2008 in Anaheim, CA. On this tour, the song was performed as a duet with Tom Morello in a full-band rock arrangement similar to the 2014 album version. The live 07 Apr 2008 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Magic Tour Highlights digital EP in 2008.
In preparation for the Working On A Dream Tour, THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed during one of the tour's two public warm-up rehearsal shows that took place in March 2009 in Asbury Park. The song was played in a full-band rock arrangement similar to the 2014 album version.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed 26 times during the Working On A Dream Tour (83 dates, April to November 2009). On this tour, the song was played in a full-band rock arrangement similar to the 2014 album version. The live 15 Apr 2009 version was as a duet with Tom Morello. The live 04 May 2009 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Nassau Coliseum 05.04.09 official live download in 2020.
In preparation for the Wrecking Ball Tour, THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD is known to have been practiced during at least one of the private rehearsals that took place between January and March 2012 in Fort Monmouth, Trenton, and Asbury Park prior to the tour's first U.S. leg.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed 20 times during the Wrecking Ball Tour (133 dates, March 2012 to September 2013). On this tour, the song was performed 16 times as a duet with Tom Morello in a full-band rock arrangement similar to the 2014 album version and 4 times as the show's solo acoustic opener. See the below list for details. Due to the filming of his television show, Lilyhammer, Steven Van Zandt was replaced by Tom Morello on the tour's Australian leg. Thanks to Morello's presence, THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed on all of the leg's 10 dates.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed 33 times during the High Hopes Tour (34 dates, January to May 2014), skipping only the second date on the tour (28 Jan 2014 in Cape Town, South Africa). On this tour, the song was performed as a duet with Tom Morello in a full-band rock arrangement similar to the 2014 album version. Audio recordings for most High Hopes Tour shows are officially available for purchase. See the live 11 Feb 2014 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed twice during The River Tour 2016 (75 dates, January to September 2016). On this tour, the song was performed once in a solo acoustic arrangement (see the live 16 Jul 2016 version) and once as a duet with Tom Morello in a full-band rock arrangement similar to the 2014 album version (see the live 25 Aug 2016 version). Audio recordings for all The River Tour 2016 shows are officially available for purchase.
In preparation for Springsteen On Broadway, THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed during all of the tour's three known private rehearsal shows that took place in September 2017 in West Long Branch, NJ, and New York City, NY.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed 106 times during Springsteen On Broadway (268 dates, October 2017 to December 2018 and June to September 2021). On this tour, the song was played solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica. The live July 2018 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Springsteen On Broadway album in 2018.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 28 Oct 1995 at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, during the ninth Bridge School Benefit concert. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 28 Oct 1995 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 27 Nov 1995 at NBC Studios in Burbank, CA, during the taping of an episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 27 Nov 1995 (NBC Studios) version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 20 Feb 1996 at Teatro Ariston in Sanremo, Italy, during the 46th Sanremo Music Festival. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 20 Feb 1996 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 23 Feb 1996 at Canal+ Studios in Paris, France, during an appearance on French TV. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 23 Feb 1996 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 26 Feb 1997 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY, during the 39th Grammy Awards ceremony. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 23 Feb 2003 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 05 May 1997 at Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, during the Polar Music Prize awards ceremony. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 05 May 1997 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 22 Jan 1998 at Sony Music Studios in New York City, NY, during the taping for the Where It's At: The Rolling Stone State Of The Union documentary. The song was played in its full-band album arrangement. The live 22 Jan 1998 version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was released on the Where It's At: The Rolling Stone State Of The Union promotional home video in 1998.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 04 Apr 1998 at Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY, during a tribute and stage dedication to stage director Elaine Steinbeck. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 10 Dec 1998 at Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy in Paris, France, during a benefit show for the Amnesty International Foundation. The song was played in a sped-up solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 10 Dec 1998 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 19 and 20 Feb 2003 at Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA, during the DoubleTake Magazine benefit shows. The song was played in a solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 19 Feb 2003 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 03 May 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY, during The Clearwater Concert. The song was played in an acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement, as a duet with Tom Morello. The song was released on the Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday Celebration: The Clearwater Concert DVD in 2009. See the live 03 May 2009 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 29 Oct 2009 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY, during the first of the two Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25th anniversary concerts. The song was performed as a duet with Tom Morello in a full-band rock arrangement similar to the 2014 album version. This performance of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD aired on HBO a month later and was officially released on The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts album and home video in 2010. See the live 29 Oct 2009 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed off-tour on 15 Mar 2012 at Moody Theater in Austin, TX, during the South By Southwest music festival. The song was performed as a duet with Tom Morello in a full-band rock arrangement similar to the 2014 album version. See the live 15 Mar 2012 version for more details.
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD was performed on three of the four Barack Obama 2008 election rallies on which Springsteen appeared. The song was played in a slightly revamped solo acoustic guitar and harmonica arrangement. See the live 04 Oct 2008 version, the live 05 Oct 2008 version for more details, and the live 06 Oct 2008 version for more details.
At least 46 artists have recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD.
Info for some of the above THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD cover releases is taken from the Nebraska website.
Please contact me if you have scans for or info about any official release containing Bruce Springsteen's 1995 album version of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD or a cover of it that's not mentioned on this page. I also need scans for the following releases:
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List of available versions of THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD on this website:
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD [1995 album version]
