For this week’s Song Lyric Sunday, writers were asked to get into their natural element by finding a song with the given words—air, Earth, fire, or water—in either the title or the lyrics. Carlos Condit, the former WEC Welterweight Champion and UFC Interim Welterweight Champion, was known as “The Natural Born Killer,” though he breathed a special form of life into the fight game. When Condit entered the arena to “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Rage Against the Machine, fans were aware—much like the character from The Grapes of Wrath—a mixed martial artist who devoted his energies to the present moment would be on display for the world to see.
Lyrics to “The Ghost of Tom Joad”:
[Verse 1]
Man walks along the railroad track
He’s goin’ some place, there’s no turnin’ back
The Highway Patrol chopper 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 hope, no peace, no rest, no rest
[Chorus]
And the highway is alive tonight
Nobody’s foolin’ nobody as to where it goes
I’m sitting down here in the campfire light
Searchin’ for the ghost pf Tom Joad
[Verse 2]
He pulls his prayer book out of a sleepin’ bag
The preacher lights up a butt and takes a drag
He’s waitin’ for the time when the “last shall be first, and the first shall be last”
In a cardboard box ‘neath the underpass
With a one way ticket to the promised ;and
With a hole in your belly and a gun in your hand
Lookin’ for a pillow of solid rock
Bathin’ in the cities’ aqueducts
[Chorus]
And the highway is alive tonight
Nobody’s foolin’ nobody as to where it goes
I’m sittin’ down here in the campfire light
With the ghost of old Tom Joad
[Bridge]
Now Tom said, “Ma
Whenever ya see a cop beatin’ a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Wherever there’s a fight against the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me, ma’, I’ll be there
Wherever somebody’s strugglin’ 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
You’ll see me
You’ll see me
You’ll see me
You’ll see me
You’ll see me
You’ll see me
You’ll see me
You’ll see me
[Chorus]
And the highway is alive tonight
Nobody’s foolin’ nobody as to where it goes
I’m sittin’ down here in the campfire light
With the ghost of Tom Joad
Prompted from Song Lyric Sunday at: https://jimadamsauthordotcom.wordpress.com/2020/07/11/four-elements/.
I like the beat, if not the music itself, but those lyrics are fire!!
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I love how Rage Against the Machine does this Springsteen song. I love the guitarist of this band, here and with Audioslave.
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