Man walks along the railroad track Goin' some place, there's no turnin' back The Highway Patrol chopper's comin' up over the ridge Man sleeps by a campfire under the bridge The shelter line stretchin' around the corner Welcome to the New World Order Families sleepin' in their cars out in the Southwest No job, no home, no peace, no rest
And The highway is alive tonight Nobody's kiddin nobody about where it goes I'm sitting down here in the campfire light Searchin' for the Ghost of Tom Joad
He pulls his prayer book out of a sleepin' bag The preacher lights up a butt and takes a drag He's waitin' for when the last shall be first and the first shall be last In a cardboard box sleepin under tha pass With a one way ticket to the promised land With a hole in your belly and a gun in your hand sleepin on a pillow of solid rock Bathin' in the cities' aqueducts
And The highway is alive tonight And where it's headed, everybody knows I'm sittin' down here in the campfire light Waitin on the Ghost of Tom Joad
Now Tom Said; "Ma, whenever there's a cop beatin' a guy Wherever a hungry new born baby cries Where there's a fight against the blood and hatred in the air Look for me ma' I'll be there Wherever somebodies fightin for a place to stand For a decent job or a helpin' hand Wherever somebody is strugglin' to be free Look in their eyes ma, You'll see me
And the highway is alive tonight nobody's kiddin nobody about where it goes I'm sittin' down here in the campfire light With the Ghost of Tom Joad