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