The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Men walking 'long the railroad tracks
Going someplace, there's no going back
Highway patrol choppers coming up over the ridge
Hot soup on a campfire under the bridge
Shelter line stretching 'round the corner
Welcome to the new world order
Families sleeping in the cars in the southwest
No home, no job, no peace, no rest
Well the highway is alive tonight
But nobody's kidding nobody about where it goes
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Searching for the ghost of Tom Joad
He pulls a prayer book out of his sleeping bag
Preacher lights up a butt and he takes a drag
Waiting for when the last shall be first and the first shall be last
In a cardboard box 'neath the underpass
You got a one-way ticket to the promised land
You got a hole in your belly and a gun in your hand
Sleeping on a pillow of solid rock
Bathing in the city's aqueduct
Go!
Well the highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Waiting on the ghost of Tom Joad
Now Tom said, "Mom, wherever there's a cop beating a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Where there's a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me, Mom, I'll be there
Wherever somebody's fighting for a place to stand
Or a decent job or a helping hand
Wherever somebody's struggling to be free
Look in their eyes, Ma, and you'll see me"
Yeah!
The highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
With the ghost of old Tom Joad
Going someplace, there's no going back
Highway patrol choppers coming up over the ridge
Hot soup on a campfire under the bridge
Shelter line stretching 'round the corner
Welcome to the new world order
Families sleeping in the cars in the southwest
No home, no job, no peace, no rest
Well the highway is alive tonight
But nobody's kidding nobody about where it goes
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Searching for the ghost of Tom Joad
He pulls a prayer book out of his sleeping bag
Preacher lights up a butt and he takes a drag
Waiting for when the last shall be first and the first shall be last
In a cardboard box 'neath the underpass
You got a one-way ticket to the promised land
You got a hole in your belly and a gun in your hand
Sleeping on a pillow of solid rock
Bathing in the city's aqueduct
Go!
Well the highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
Waiting on the ghost of Tom Joad
Now Tom said, "Mom, wherever there's a cop beating a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Where there's a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me, Mom, I'll be there
Wherever somebody's fighting for a place to stand
Or a decent job or a helping hand
Wherever somebody's struggling to be free
Look in their eyes, Ma, and you'll see me"
Yeah!
The highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
With the ghost of old Tom Joad
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There's a lot of stupid comments on this song. "grapes of wrath is all this song is about": no, why would he mention "families sleeping in cars in the southwest?" and the "Ghost" of Tom Joad. this song is set in the 1990s. He even references George H.W. Bush's 1990 speech (not the conspiracy theory), which said:
"Until now, the world we’ve known has been a world divided — a world of barbed wire and concrete block, conflict and cold war. Now, we can see a new world coming into view. A world in which there is the very real prospect of a new world order. In the words of Winston Churchill, a 'world order' in which 'the principles of justice and fair play ... protect the weak against the strong ...' "
Springsteen is clearly ironically quoting Bush's speech. Bush said the "new world" wouldn't be divided, and would have justice for the weak. Obviously, five years later this didn't happen and probably never will in America.
This is one of my favorite songs. As soon as I hear that opening harmonica I get chills. There's really something magical about this recording. It's a sad but beautiful commentary on the inequalities of life, 60 years after Guthrie wrote "The Ballad of Tom Joad". His ghost haunts us everyday, but still gives us hope for a better world. More so now than even in the 90s, with so many people losing their homes.
Wow, what a powerful song.
"Wherever somebodies fightin for a place to stand For a decent job or a helpin' hand Wherever somebody is strugglin' to be free"
The song is clearly about more than just trying to get money. He talks about cops beating guys and blood and hatred in the air. Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but the song seems to be about something deeper. And yes, I do like the Rage version.
In the book, jim casey and tom joad preach how the poor need to unite and become one soul to beat the faceless rich...BS is basically saying the same thing...The poor are being mistreated and that everyone should be treated as one soul
The RATM version may be one of the best covers ever. I agree that this song is about how badly the American people have treated their downtrodden and underpriveleged. I think this should the church of liberalism's main anthem, it's that good of a song. Bruce Springsteen really did well when he wrote this.
Beautiful song. If you guys haven't heard it, you really need to listen to the live version that has Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine (who made their own version of the song) playing with Bruce and the band. Hell, I'll just post the Youtube link: youtube.com/watch It's a brilliant performance, you guys should check it out.
Yeah that performance blows my mind to this day. It's beautiful, such beauties in the live scene are really rare nowadays.
The song is also in honor of Woody Guthrie, who wrote a song called Tom Joad. Guthrie was a pioneer of musicians writing and fighting for the rights of the poor and downtrodden, and a hero of the Boss.
there's a great cover by junip. check it out
Waitin' for when the last shall be first and the first shall be last - what does this line mean??
I'm not entirely sure about the meaning but Bob Dylan sings something similar in "The times they are a-changin'" Look at the end of: songmeanings.net/songs/view/1112 <br /> Also, I've somehow understood it as some biblical reference, but that surely isn't my area of expertise, perhaps someone can confirm or deny that?<br />
Song is taken from the book "The Grapes of Wrath.' About being a loner hobo, homeless, drifting across America looking for the American Dream.