Tom Joad got out of the old McAlester Pen;
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There he got his parole.
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After four long years on a man killing charge,
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Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road, poor boy,
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Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road.
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Tom Joad, he met a truck driving man;
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There he caught him a ride.
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He said, "I just got loose from McAlester Pen
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On a charge called homicide,
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A charge called homicide."
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That truck rolled away in a cloud of dust;
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Tommy turned his face toward home.
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He met Preacher Casey, and they had a little drink,
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But they found that his family they was gone,
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He found that his family they was gone.
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He found his mother's old fashion shoe,
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Found his daddy's hat.
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And he found little Muley and Muley said,
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"They've been tractored out by the cats,
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They've been tractored out by the cats."
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Tom Joad walked down to the neighbor's farm,
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Found his family.
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They took Preacher Casey and loaded in a car,
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And his mother said, "We've got to get away."
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His mother said, "We've got to get away."
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Now, the twelve of the Joads made a mighty heavy load;
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But Grandpa Joad did cry.
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He picked up a handful of land in his hand,
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Said: "I'm stayin' with the farm till I die.
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Yes, I'm stayin' with the farm till I die."
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They fed him short ribs and coffee and soothing syrup;
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And Grandpa Joad did die.
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They buried Grandpa Joad by the side of the road,
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Grandma on the California side,
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They buried Grandma on the California side.
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They stood on a mountain and they looked to the west,
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And it looked like the promised land.
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That bright green valley with a river running through,
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There was work for every single hand, they thought,
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There was work for every single hand.
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The Joads rolled away to the jungle camp,
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There they cooked a stew.
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And the hungry little kids of the jungle camp
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Said: "We'd like to have some, too."
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Said: "We'd like to have some, too."
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Now a deputy sheriff fired loose at a man,
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Shot a woman in the back.
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Before he could take his aim again,
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Preacher Casey dropped him in his track, poor boy,
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Preacher Casey dropped him in his track.
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They handcuffed Casey and they took him in jail;
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And then he got away.
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And he met Tom Joad on the old river bridge,
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And these few words he did say, poor boy,
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These few words he did say.
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"I preached for the Lord a mighty long time,
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Preached about the rich and the poor.
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Us workin' folkses, all get together,
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'Cause we ain't got a chance anymore.
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We ain't got a chance anymore."
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Now, the deputies come, and Tom and Casey run
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To the bridge where the water run down.
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But the vigilante thugs hit Casey with a club,
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They laid Preacher Casey on the ground, poor Casey,
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They laid Preacher Casey on the ground.
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Tom Joad, he grabbed that deputy's club,
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Hit him over the head.
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Tom Joad took flight in the dark rainy night,
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And a deputy and a preacher lying dead, two men,
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A deputy and a preacher lying dead.
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Tom run back where his mother was asleep;
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He woke her up out of bed.
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An' he kissed goodbye to the mother that he loved,
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Said what Preacher Casey said, Tom Joad,
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He said what Preacher Casey said.
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"Ever'body might be just one big soul,
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Well it looks that a-way to me.
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Everywhere that you look, in the day or night,
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That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma,
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That's where I'm a-gonna be.
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Wherever little children are hungry and cry,
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Wherever people ain't free.
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Wherever men are fightin' for their rights,
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That's where I'm a-gonna be, Ma.
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That's where I'm a-gonna be."
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Tom Joad (Part 1)
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| Woody Guthrie |
