# Springsteen Lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2000, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/springsteen-lyrics/27874 "2000-08-02T17:54:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Deimos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Deimos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deimos)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2000, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/springsteen-lyrics/27874/1 "2000-08-02T17:54:47Z")
alright, classic rock fans… does anyone have any clue (or opinion) as to what “the ghost of tom joad” is about? is it some post-apocalyptic ballad? who the hell is tom joad? ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2000, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/springsteen-lyrics/27874/2 "2000-08-02T18:12:43Z")
Tom Joad is the main character in “Grapes of Wrath.” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2000, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/springsteen-lyrics/27874/3 "2000-08-02T23:04:51Z")
Tom Joad was one of the impoverished “Okies” (hjomeless, dispossessed Oklahoma farmers) migrating to California during the Great Depression, in John Steinbeck’s novel “The GRapes of Wrath.” Springsteen was using TOm Joad as a symbol of all the poor people in America, trying vainly to hold on to their hopes for a better future in America. IMHO, it’s the worst album Springsteen has ever made… and that’s saying a lot, considering how bad “Nebraska” sucked. Springsteen is a great songwriter at times, but he’s NOT a deep thinker. Somehow, I’m afraid sycophantic critics like Dave MArsh and GReil MArcus have convinced him that he’s a brilliant social commentator.