I think he completely made her up. "I told myself it was all something in her, but as we drove I knew it was something in me" makes me think that he is slowly starting to realize his capabilities as a criminal, etc. And the crash at the end is obviously the reality check, and "it was just a dream" is pretty ambiguous. What was a dream? Her? The robbery? The crash? All of it? I think however that the end is his death. It is a beautiful song nonetheless and one of my favorites from Tom Joad. Perhaps this is part of the reference to the Grapes of Wrath?
I think he completely made her up. "I told myself it was all something in her, but as we drove I knew it was something in me" makes me think that he is slowly starting to realize his capabilities as a criminal, etc. And the crash at the end is obviously the reality check, and "it was just a dream" is pretty ambiguous. What was a dream? Her? The robbery? The crash? All of it? I think however that the end is his death. It is a beautiful song nonetheless and one of my favorites from Tom Joad. Perhaps this is part of the reference to the Grapes of Wrath?