Listen Up Joad Family

The setting of the film The Grapes of Wrath is in the Great Depression, an extremely difficult time in the history of the United States. People were struggling, the economy was struggling, it was just a terrible period of our history. John Steinbeck wrote a novel entitled “The Grapes of Wrath” to tell the story of what the Joad family went through and overcame.

Musicians everywhere also took the liberty of commemorating both John Steinbeck’s novel and the Great Depression by writing songs that had amazing lyrics that told the story of the Joad family, quoted Steinbeck’s novel, and even allow us to relive some of the most memorable scenes from the film.

Bruce Springsteen is one of the great musicians who told the story of Tom Joad through the song “Ghost of Tom Joad”. From what I understand from this song, I think that Springsteen wrote this in reference to Tom’s speech at the “first ending” of The Grapes of Wrath, the ending in which Tom gives us the idea that we are all a little piece of a big soul. The first ending that gives us the idea that when times get tough, he will be there fighting for the good of the community, and the good of the people. Springsteen does an incredible job of incorporating quotes almost directly from Joad’s speech into his own song.

Now Tom said “Mom, wherever there’s a cop beatin’ a guy
Wherever a hungry newborn baby cries
Where there’s a fight ‘gainst the blood and hatred in the air
Look for me Mom I’ll be there
Wherever there’s somebody fightin’ for a place to stand
Or decent job or a helpin’ hand
Wherever somebody’s strugglin’ to be free
Look in their eyes Mom you’ll see me.”

Mumford and Sons also did their own interpretation on the days of the Dust Bowl, much like the Tom Joad days. The song is titled “The Dustbowl Dance”. Some of the lyrics can be seen as direct correspondents with the film. “I’ve been kicked of my land at the age of 16” is one lyric that really stands out in this song as it is a reminder of the image of big Caterpillar tractors plowing over the farms in the film. The gist of this song is that the man, possibly Tom Joad, is questioning how someone who has taken so much from the poor, working class be so happy with their success and wealth if they know that people are suffering. This song emphasizes Tom’s point at the end of the film that he will be the one to do something for the greater good of the people. “There will come a time I will look in your eye you will pray to the God that you’ve always denied..”

“Well you are my accuser, now look in my face
Your oppression reeks of your greed and disgrace
So one man has and another has not
How can you love what it is you have got
When you took it all from the weak hands of the poor?
Liars and thieves you know not what is in store
There will come a time I will look in your eye
You will pray to the God that you’ve always denied”

So, “The Grapes of Wrath” is not only an incredible novel by Steinbeck that has been interpreted into a fantastic film. It is so much more than that. “The Grapes of Wrath” is the story of the Joad family, the story of a family in the Great Depression trying to get us, as an audience, to be able to imagine what it was like. It is something very hard for us to even imagine going through; however, through reading, watching, and just simply listening deeper into the lyrics of songs, we are able to at least try to understand.

More songs with references:

8 Great Pop-Culture References to The Grapes of Wrath

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