The Ghost Of Tom Joad

Home » Statistical Information » Songs » Songs =- T -= » The Ghost Of Tom Joad

Track 1 of The Ghost Of Tom Joad, 1995. Full-band version with Tom Morello released as track 10 of High Hopes, 2014.

Official 1996 video unavailable online.

The Ghost Of Tom Joad (1995)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, harmonica
- Danny Federici: keyboard
- Gary Mallaber: drums
- Marty Rifkin: pedal steel guitar
- Garry Tallent: bass

High Hopes (2014)
- Bruce Springsteen: lead vocals, guitar
- Ron Aniello: bass, synthesizer
- Roy Bittan: piano
- Charles Giordano: accordion
- Nils Lofgren: pedal steel guitar, mandolin
- Tom Morello: lead vocals, guitar
- Soozie Tyrell: violin
- Max Weinberg: drums

Sowing The Seeds: The 10th Anniversary (Compilation, 2007)
- Pete Seeger: vocals
- Tim Carbone: fiddle
- Mark Dann: acoustic guitar
- David Hamburger: dobro
- Ken Lovelett: percussion
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, harmonica
- Mike Visceglia: bass

The People Speak (Soundtrack, 2007)
- Bruce Springsteen: vocals, guitar, harmonica

THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V1	4:20	JOAD / ESSENTIAL / CHAPTER
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V2		2007 compilation
THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD - V3	7:34	HOPES

Note: Written as a rock song for the Greatest Hits project, but abandoned when Springsteen couldn't find an arrangement. Re-imagined as an acoustic song, and recorded May 23, 1995 at Thrill Hill Recording, Beverly Hills, California. Springsteen handles guitar and vocals and his four-man backing band on this recording is Danny Federici (keyboards), Garry Tallent (bass), Marty Rifkin (pedal steel, dobro) and Gary Mallaber (drums). The rock arrangement was premiered live on April 7, 2008 in Anaheim, CA, performed with Tom Morello sharing lead vocals. V2 is an entirely re-recorded version, but was not recorded during any of the three Seeger Sessions. It was recorded at various stages and studio locations during the mid-late 2006 period. Bruce’s parts (vocal, harmonica) were recorded at Thrill Hill Recording, Rumson, New Jersey in August 2006. Pete Seeger’s vocals were recorded at Seeger’s cabin in Beacon, NY on July 4, 2006. The backing band’s individual parts were recorded at various locations around the USA during mid-late 2006 and then everything was mixed together at Shelter Island Sound Studios in NYC by David Seitz. The additional musicians are Mark Dann (acoustic guitar), David Hamburger (dobro), Mike Visceglia (bass), Tim Carbone (fiddle) and Ken Lovelett (percussion). Produced by Springsteen, Jim Musselman and David Seitz. The recording was first released on September 11, 2007 on the Various Artists charity compilation Sowing The Seeds (Appleseed). V3 was recorded in March 2013 in Los Angeles, the day before a flight to Australia for the Australian leg of the Wrecking Ball Tour. Produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen. Musician credits are Springsteen (lead vocal, guitar), Roy Bittan (piano), Nils Lofgren (pedal steel, mandolin), Max Weinberg (drums), Tom Morello (lead vocal, guitar), Soozie Tyrell (violin), Charlie Giordano (accordion) and Ron Aniello (bass, synth).

^{Studio Sessions: The Ghost Of Tom Joad}

The Ghost Of Tom Joad

Men walking 'long the railroad tracks
Going someplace and 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 their 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 aqueduct

And 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

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
Where there's somebody 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, Mom, you'll see me"

The highway is alive tonight
But nobody's kidding nobody about where it goes
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
With the ghost of old Tom Joad

^{Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.}

The Ghost Of Tom Joad ^{(High Hopes)}

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

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
Tom Morello: 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
Well the highway is alive tonight
But nobody's kidding nobody about where it goes
I'm sitting down here in the campfire light
With the ghost of old Tom Joad
With the ghost of old Tom Joad
With the ghost of old Tom Joad

^{Visit SpringsteenLyrics.com for other versions of this song.}