Tom Joad Blues Part 1 - 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

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»

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