The Ghost of Tom Joad

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Bruce Springsteen followed his muse on this haunting 1995 release. Perhaps that's why it barely made a dent in the marketplace, even while it thrilled the faithful who were willing to take another dark, Nebraska-like journey with him. It's abundantly clear that Springsteen had been soaking himself in the work of John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie during the writing of The Ghost of Tom Joad, but their combined influence is found on more than just the title track. It's all over these windblown songs (including the haunting "Dry Lightning" and "the seminal "Youngstown") and their hard-scrabble protagonists. Not the Boss's biggest record, but certainly one of his best. --Michael Ruby

Tracks:

The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Straight Time
Highway 29
Youngstown
Sinaloa Cowboys
The Line
Balboa Park
Day Lightning
The New Timer
Across The Border
Galveston Bay
My Best Was Never Good Enough

Amazon.com

Bruce Springsteen followed his muse on this haunting 1995 release. Perhaps that's why it barely made a dent in the marketplace, even while it thrilled the faithful who were willing to take another dark, Nebraska-like journey with him. It's abundantly clear that Springsteen had been soaking himself in the work of John Steinbeck and Woody Guthrie during the writing of The Ghost of Tom Joad, but their combined influence is found on more than just the title track. It's all over these windblown songs (including the haunting "Dry Lightning" and "the seminal "Youngstown") and their hard-scrabble protagonists. Not the Boss's biggest record, but certainly one of his best. --Michael Ruby

Customer Reviews:

The highway is alive tonight.......2006-06-09

I wonder if the reviewer XraySpex had listened to this CD? To write such a pathetic review...

This CD along with the GREAT "Nebraska" and the also magnific "Devils & Dust" completes a trilogy of great Springsteen records. My favourite tracks are: "The Ghost Of Tome Joad", "Straight Time", "Highway 29", "Sinaloa Cowboys", "Across The Border", "My Best Was Never Good Enough" and, especially, "Youngstown", with Soosie Tyrell on violin and Marty Rifkin on pedal steel guitar. I really do believe that "Youngstown" is one of the BEST Bruce's songs.

This proves - once again, once and for all - that Bruce Springsteen is one of the great American Ambassadors.

Not his best, but good.......2006-05-06

Except for "Dry Lightning" and "My Best Wasn't Good Enough", I believe the songs on Springsteen's second acoustic record are very good.

The reason I give this four stars, however, is the production. If I was the producer, I would have turned up the mike for Bruce's vocals and I would have drastically cut down on the keyboard instrumentation. If he had only cut down - or, even better, cut out - the keyboards, we might understand his words better. Also, if you listen closely to the acoustic guitar work Bruce does, it is wonderful... only problem is... you guessed it: keyboard overkill.

Looking beyond the keyboard instrumentation and the two aformentioned songs, though, I still recommend this album as Bruce portrays a portion of the United States that we either do not see or choose not to see.

Like I said in the title of this review, this record is not his best, but it is good nonetheless.

Strong tales of America's new outcasts. .......2006-04-30

Tom Joad followed a short E-Street reunion for the greatest hits album. It is rumored that both Tom Joad and Youngstown were written with the E-Street in mind. These two songs are coincidentally the only two songs on the album that feature a strong melodic structure. This is immediately the biggest weakness of the album. Tom Joad was a small step up from Human Touch and Lucky Town for Springsteen, but still lacked the compelling quality of his earlier albums. Where Nebraska and Tunnel of Love, his first two "solo acoustic" outings, were characterized by strong R&R rhythms or lively melodies, the songs on Joad are more declamations.

The strength of this album lies not in the songs but in the lyrics and the issues they address. Once again Springsteen confronts us with a darker side of the American dream. The tales on Joad are the tales of those left behind. The title song refers to the Steinbeck Dustbowl novel Grapes of Wrath, even though Springsteen admits his source is more the Ford movie than the book. In the lyrics we find Springsteen paraphrasing the climax of the novel in which Tom Joad plans to go out and organize workers movements.

"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.""

This paraphrase sets the tone for the record. Over all the songs the Ghost of Tom Joad lurks. Be it either with the ex-convict unable to escape his past in Straight Time or the factory worker who feels more at home in "the blast furnaces of hell" in Youngstown, Tom Joad is there. Be it with the Mexican immigrants who get killed in an accident while chemically making cocaine or the New Timer leaving his family in a search for work, Joad watches over them like a patron saint. The album closes with a man's somber reminiscences of childhood rhymes and sayings.

"Remember, "A quitter never wins and a winner never quits"
"The sun don't shine on a sleepin' dog's ass"
And all the rest of that stuff
But for you my best was never good enough"

And that about sums it up for some of us.

2nd Best from The Boss.......2006-04-18

I believe 'Nebraska' is Bruce Springsteen's best work, but this came close for me. It's just beautiful. I got to see him live in an accoustic set during this period and I was blown away by it.
I think you should buy this and 'Nebraska' and you'll be very pleased that you did!
Peace :o)

Pretension.......2006-02-25

Bruce please go back to writing about real world topics. Writing about ghosts is idiotic.

Average customer rating:

Nebraska/Ghost of Tom Joad

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000HWXTCM
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Album Description

Exclusive Australian two CD set featuring a double-dose of best-selling albums by this great artist housed in a slipcase. Springsteen, 'The Rocker', set aside the loud thumps of drums and the ringing of guitars for these two albums that were closer to his Folky heart: Nebraska (1982) and 'The Ghost Of Tom Joad' (1995). Sony/BMG.

Average customer rating:

The Ghost of Tom Joad
Bruce Springsteen
Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Visi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E1BY
Release Date: 1996-11-21

Album Description

Japanese pressing for the latest single from his1995 studio album of the same name. Contains the same fourtracks as the European versions, but comes in a standardjewel case:1)The Ghost Of Tom Joad2)Straight Time (Live)3)Sinaloa Cowboys (Live)4)Darkness On The Edge Of Town (Live)

Average customer rating:

The Ghost of Tom Joad
Bruce Springsteen
Manufacturer: Sony Japan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Folk | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Classic Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Human Touch
Greatest Hits
The Rising
Lucky Town
Darkness on the Edge of Town

ASIN: B0009V92M2
Release Date: 2005-09-05

Tracks:

Ghost of Tom Joad
Straight Time
Highway 29
Youngstown
Sinaloa Cowboys
Line
Balboa Park
Dry Lightning
New Timer
Across the Border
Galveston Bay
My Best Was Never Good Enough

Average customer rating:

Rage against Injustice

The Ghost of Tom Joad

Manufacturer: Sony Music Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rap Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000F0WZCQ

Customer Reviews:

Rage against Injustice.......2007-06-05

I got this after watching the commentary on The Grapes of Wrath. The movie was incredibly powerful. I enjoy Rage Against the Machine in modest doses. This single is a little less intelligible than some of their other songs. It's a reminder, though, a prophetic call to evaluate the structural injustices of our society. It's a lament and a call to arms.

In my heart of hearts I secretly wish for George W. Bush to be impeached, convicted, and sentenced to listen to this during all his waking hours. But if he hasn't completely dismantled the constitution, he'll be protected from this "re-education" because his lawyers will plead that it's cruel and unusual punishment.

Avoid this if you don't like Rage against the Machine. This is not the best introduction to their work. But it's a must if you're a fan - or if you just want an angry musical tirade against the corporate welfare state.

Average customer rating:

The Ghost of Tom Joad
Bruce Springsteen
Manufacturer: Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Folk | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000FVR5VQ
Release Date: 1995-12-05

Tracks:

Ghost of Tom Joad
Straight Time
Highway 29
Youngstown
Sinaloa Cowboys
Line
Balboa Park
Dry Lightning
New Timer
Across the Border
Galveston Bay
My Best Was Never Good Enough

Album Description

Vinyl Classics reissue of this 1995 album comes as a vinyl look-a-like CD that's packaged in a die-cut see-through slipcase. 12 tracks. Sony.

Average customer rating:

The Ghost of Tom Joad

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Rap Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000F498NG

Average customer rating:

American Son
Tom Breiding
Manufacturer: Round Hotel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Country | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005LOZL
Release Date: 2001-06-01

Tracks:

The End of The Line
Take It From Me
American Son
Where You Come From

Album Description

American Son is Tom's fifth release. It's gritty lyrics and subject matter - the Steel Industry in the Mon Valley, approach the subject matter in an honest blue-collar fashion. The songs on this new release deal with the dying steel industry in the Mon Valley - and support the Stand Up For Steel movement which is attempting to save and rejuvenate the region.

Average customer rating:

The Ghost Of Tom Joad
Bruce Springsteen
Manufacturer: Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004WXHA

Average customer rating:

The Ghost of Tom Joad
Bruce Springsteen
Manufacturer: COLUMBIA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000LOD9WG

Product Description

MADE IN AUSTRIA. TRACKS: 1. THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD 2. STRAIGHT TIME (LIVE) 3. SINALOA COWBOYS (LIVE) 4. DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN (LIVE)

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