Men walkin long the railroad tracks
Goin some place, theres 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 sieepin in their cars in the southwest
No home, no job, no peace, no rest
The highway is alive tonight
But nobodys kiddin nobody about where it goes
Im sitting down here in the campfire light
Searchin for the ghost of tom joad

He pulls prayer book out of his sleepin bag
Preacher lights up a butt and takes a drag
Waitin for when the last shall be first and the first shall be last
In a cardboard box neath the underpass
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 aqueduct

The highway is alive tonight
But where its headed everybody knows
Im sittin down here in the campfire light
Waitin on the ghost of tom joad

Now tom said, mom, wherever theres a cop beatin a guy
Wherever a hungry new born baby cries
Where theres a fight gainst the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me mom Ill be there
Wherever theres somebody fightin for a piace to stand
Or decent job or a helpin hand
Wherever somebodys strugglin to be free
Look in their eyes mom youll see me.

The highway is alive tonight
But nobodys kiddin nobody about where it goes
Im sitting down here in the campfire light
Searchin for the ghost of tom joad