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AUSFÜHRENDE KÜNSTLER:INNEN
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Künstler:in
KOMPOSITION UND LIEDTEXT
Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie
Songwriter:in

Lyrics

[Verse 1]
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
[Verse 2]
Tom Joad, he met a truck-driving man
And 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"
[Verse 3]
Well, 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
And he found that his family they was gone
Where he found his mother's old-fashioned shoe
He found his daddy's hat
And he found a little Muley, and Muley said
"They've been tractored out by the cats, Tommy boy
They've been tractored out by the cats"
[Verse 4]
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 got to get away, Tommy boy"
His mother said, "We've got to get away"
[Verse 5]
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
I'm stayin' with the farm till I die"
[Verse 6]
Well, 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
[Verse 7]
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 was work for every single hand
[Verse 8]
Well, the Joads rolled away to the jungle camp
There he cooked a stew
And the hungry little kids of the jungle camp
Said, "We'd like to have some, too"
Said, "We'd like to have some, too"
[Verse 9]
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 track, poor boy
Preacher Casey dropped him in his tracks
[Verse 10]
They handcuffed Casey, and they took him in jail
And then he got away
And he met Tom Joad on the old river bridge
And these few words he did say, poor boy
These few words he did say
[Verse 11]
"I preached for the Lord a mighty long time
I preached about the rich and the poor
Us workin' folks, all get together
'Cause we ain't got a chance anymore, Tommy boy
We ain't got a chance anymore"
[Verse 12]
Oh, now, the deputies come, and Tom and Casey 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
[Verse 13]
Tom Joad, he grabbed that deputy's club
And he hit him over the head
Tom Joad took flight in the dark rainy night
And a deputy and a preacher lying dead
Two men, a deputy and a preacher, lying dead
[Verse 14]
Well, Tom run back where his mother was asleep
He woke her up out of bed
He kissed goodbye to the mother that he loved
And he said what Preacher Casey said
He said what Preacher Casey said
[Verse 15]
"Well, everybody might be just one big soul
Well, it looks that way to me
Everywhere that you look, in the day or night
That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma
That's where I'm a-gonna be
[Verse 16]
Wherever little children are hungry and cry
Wherever people ain't free
Wherever men are fightin' for their rights
That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma
That's where I'm a-gonna be"
Written by: Woody Guthrie
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