Men walkin' 'long the railroad tracks
Goin' someplace there's no goin' back
Highway patrol choppers comin' up over the ridge
Hot soup on a campfire under the bridge
Shelter line stretchin' 'round the corner
Welcome to the new world order
Families sleepin' in their cars in the Southwest
No home no job no peace no rest
The highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
Sittin' down here in the campfire light
Awaitin' on the ghost of Tom Joad
Verse: 2
Lots of people out here east, they say
Leavin' home most ev'ry day
Beatin' the hot old dusty way
To the California line
'Cross the desert sands they roll
getting out of that old dust bowl
And they think they're going to a sugar bowl
Here's what they find
The police at the port of entry say
"You're number fourteen thousand for today."
Oh if you ain't got the do-re-mi, boys
If you ain't got the do-re-mi
Well you'd better go back to beautiful Texas
Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee
Verse: 3
California is a garden of Eden
It's a paradise to live in or see
But believe it or not
You won't find it so hot
If you ain't got the do-re-mi
Verse: 4
Now Tom said "Mom, wherever there's a cop beatin' a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Where there's a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me Tom I'll be there
Wherever there's somebody fightin' for a place to stand
Or decent job or a helpin' hand
Wherever somebody's strugglin' to be free
Look for me Ma you'll see me."
The highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
Sittin' down here in the campfire light
Waitin' on the ghost of old Tom Joad
The highway is alive tonight
Where it's headed everybody knows
Sittin' down here in the campfire light
Waitin' on the ghost of old Tom Joad