Tom Joad, Pt. 1

Lyrics

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 On 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-fashioned shoe Found his daddy's hat 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 And he found his family They took Preacher Casey and loaded in a car And his mother said, "We've gotta get away" His mother said, "We've gotta 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 until I die Yes, I'm stayin' with the farm until 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 And Grandma on the California side Grandma on the California side They stood on a mountain and looked to the west 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