Live 12 Feb 1997 version
[Spoken intro:] Good evening. This is my last night in Sydney, just want to welcome all fans that have been travelling along. Enjoy yourselves.
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 walking down the road
Tom Joad came walking down the road
Tom Joad he met a truck driving man, there he caught him a ride
He said, "I just got loose from the McAlester Pen on a charge called homicide
On a charge called homicide"
Well that truck rolled away in a cloud of dust, Tommy turned his face towards home
He met Preacher Casey and they had a little drink but they found that his family they were gone
He found that his family they were gone
Well he found his mother's old fashion shoe, well he found his daddy's hat
And he found little Muley and Muley said, "They've been tractored out by the cats, Tommy boy
They've been tractored out by the cats"
Tom Joad walked down to the neighbor's farm and he found his family
They took Preacher Casey and they loaded in a car and his mother said, "We've got to get away, Tommy boy"
His mother said, "We've got to get away"
Now the twelve of the Joads made a mighty heavy load but Grandpa Joad he did cry
He picked up a handful of land in his hand and said, "I'm staying here, Tommy, till I die
I'm staying here, Tommy, till I die"
Well they fed him short ribs and soothing syrup, and Grandpa Joad he did die
They buried Grandpa Joad by the side of the road, Grandma on the California side
They buried Grandma on the California side
Well 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'd be work for every single hand
Well the Joads rolled away to the jungle camp and there they cooked them a stew
And the hungry little kids of the jungle camp said, "We'd like to have some too, please
Yeah we'd like to have some too"
Now a deputy sheriff fired loose at a man and he shot a woman in the back
Before he could take his aim again, Preacher Casey dropped him in his tracks
Preacher Casey he dropped him in his tracks
Well 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 did he say
Yeah these few words did he say
"Well I preached for the Lord a mighty long time, I preached about the rich and the poor
Us working folks we wanna get together, we ain't got a chance anymore, Tommy boy
We ain't got a chance anymore"
Now the deputies come, Tom and Casey they did 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
They laid Preacher Casey on the ground
Tom Joad he grabbed that deputy's club and he hit him over the head
Tom Joad took flight in the dark and rainy night with a deputy and a preacher laying dead
A deputy and a preacher laying dead
Well Tom run back to where his mother was asleep and he woke her up out of her bed
And he kissed goodbye to the mother that he loved and he said what Preacher Casey said
And he said what Preacher Casey said
"Now everybody might be just one big soul, well it looks that way to me, Ma
Everywhere 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 fighting for their rights, that's where I'm gonna be, Ma
That's where I'm gonna be"
Whoa!
The above lyrics are for the live 12 Feb 1997 performance of TOM JOAD at Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, during The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour. The song was the show opener. It was played solo on acoustic guitar and harmonica.
This was the last of a five-night stand at Capitol Theatre.
List of available versions of TOM JOAD on this website:
TOM JOAD [Live 25 Sep 1996 version]