[Bruce Springsteen:] 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 [Bruce Springsteen:] 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 [Tom Morello:] He pulls a prayer book out of his sleeping bag Preacher lights up a bu*t 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 underpa** 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's aqueduct [Bruce Springsteen:] Go! [Springsteen and Morello:]
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 [Bruce Springsteen:] 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! [Springsteen and Morello:] 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