Tom Joad, Pt. 1

Tom Joad got out of the old McAlester Pen
 There he got his parole
 After four long years on a man killing charge
 Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road, poor boy
 Tom Joad come a-walkin' down the road
 Tom Joad, he met a truck driving man
 There he caught him a ride
 He said, "I just got loose from McAlester Pen
 On a charge called homicide
 A charge called homicide"
 That truck rolled away in a cloud of dust
 Tommy turned his face toward home
 He met Preacher Casey and they had a little drink
 But they found that his family, they was gone
 He found that his family, they was gone
 He found his mother's old-fashion shoe
 Found his daddy's hat
 And he found little Muley and Muley said
 "They've been tractored out by the cats
 They've been tractored out by the cats"
 Tom Joad walked down to the neighbor's farm
 Found his family
 They took Preacher Casey and loaded in a car
 And his mother said, "We've got to get away"
 His mother said, "We've got to get away"
 Now, the twelve of the Joads made a mighty heavy load
 But Grandpa Joad did cry
 He picked up a handful of land in his hand
 Said, "I'm stayin' with the farm till I die
 Yes, I'm stayin' with the farm till I die"
 They fed him short ribs and coffee and soothing syrup
 And Grandpa Joad did die
 They buried Grandpa Joad by the side of the road
 Grandma on the California side
 They buried Grandma on the California side
 They stood on a mountain and they looked to the West
 And it looked like the promised land
 That bright green valley with a river running through
 There was work for every single hand, they thought
 There was work for every single hand