Several famous musicians have written songs about the Dust Bowl era including Bruce Springsteen's "The Ghost of Tom Joad" and Woody Guthrie's "Talking Dust Bowl Blues" and "I'm a Dust Bowl Refugee." Look up one of these songs (check my webpage, too) and write your own "Dust Bowl Blues" or "The Ghost of ____" using another character from the novel.
Turn in a copy of your song on a separate sheet of paper as well as post it to this discussion forum. You need a minimum of 20 lines. Be creative!!! Check my webpage for a past example.
21 comments:
I’ve got the Dust Bowl blues
Ya I got em bad
Been wanderin the country
Lost my dad
My family’s a wreck
Aint got no money
Been working for weeks
Then I lost my honey
She left near Weedpatch
For some rich car salesmen
Well I went on without her
Now all I got is a writing pen
All the cottons been picked
There aint no work around no more
Thousands a people can tell you that
But worse yet you can go see their dirt floors
When the dirt went a flyin
So did I
I wish I woulda stayed at home
Even though I’d be dyin
I’ve got some serious Dust Bowl blues
Dust covered our homes.
Crops all died with the drought.
Banks kicked us out.
What to do. What to do.
So we packed our stuff and left.
Only god knows what's ahead.
Route 66 leads on and on.
California here we come.
Is this it?
Angry cops and ravenous Okies.
Little work with little pay.
What to do. What to do.
Government don't care that's why we're here.
Stuck in these Hoovervilles.
Babies cry and people die.
Up early again with little breakfast.
Gotta go look for work before we starve.
What to do, What to do.
No help needed anywhere.
To many people for the jobs.
Looks like dough for supper.
The family grows weak.
What to do. What to do.
To the tune of "London Bridge"
Family farms bein' plowed down.
Plowed down, plowed down.
People drivin' to Cali-land
Cali-land, Cali-land
Hoping to eat grapes and tan in the sand.
Tan in the sand, tan in the sand
The road is long and filled with cars
Filled with cars, filled with cars
Hoovervilles filled with cops and bums
Cops and bums, cops and bums
Children fighting over stew
Over stew, over stew
Government is done and through
Done and through, done and through
Fam'blys bein' ripped apart
Ripped apart, ripped apart
Possessions spill out the top
Out the top, out the top
What is the nation coming to,
Coming to, coming to
What is this world coming to,
Lord I wish I knew.
California
To the tune of “Desperado” by the Eagles
California, why don’t you pay better wages?
My kids are all starving; it’s not long now,
‘Till we give up, and surrender our last precious item;
Our souls will no longer be ours then.
Way back a long time ago we got by every day,
But now we cannot even pay for food.
The banks have all foreclosed on us,
We were left out in the cold.
But we took a guess and went to the West.
California, I wish you had less people,
More and more coming, who could steal my job.
Ah riches, ah riches, that’s just some people talking.
The worst would be living without my family.
Why, oh why, oh why, should I be starving?
Don’t they have a life I could be living,
Don’t you think that I try my best?
My family still counts on me,
Throughout our trials and our pluses too.
California, why can’t you see what your doing?
Please send government aid to help our plight.
We might be dying, without your help in this matter,
We beg of you please, come to our aid.
to the tune of YMCA
Tom Joad, pack your bags and go west.
I said, Tom Joad, it's in your best interest.
I said, Tom Joad, you'll make more money than the rest.
You're going to California!
Tom Joad, time to find a new home.
I said, Tom Joad, time to leave Oklahoma.
I said, Tom Joad, your future's in California.
Time to move OUT TO THE WEST!
You're moving to CAL-I-FOR-NIA
You're moving to CAL-I-FOR-NIA
The family's already out there.
Just pack plenty of clothes to wear.
You're moving to CAL-I-FOR-NIA
You're moving to CAL-I-FOR-NIA
You can get a good job.
You can buy a new house.
You'll be the happiest man around!
I said, Tom Joad, you got stabbed with a knife.
Tom Joad, do you want a better life?
I said, Tom Joad, do you want a cute wife?
It's all in CAL-I-FOR-NIA!
This is to the tune of “Hotel California” by the Eagles. It is based mostly on Ma.
On a dark desert highway,
family seeping in the car,
I wonder if we can make it,
we haven’t gone very far.
Up ahead in the distance,
troubles to suffer through
we can make it together,
because one is better than two.
Here I stand at a crossroads,
no possessions to sell,
family ready to divide,
I tell them to be all alone it would be Hell.
Then I held up a jack handle,
threatened the others to stay,
surprised by my outbreak,
they did things my way.
Welcome Hooverville California,
not such a lovely place, (lovely place)
but a working race.
Not much work in Hooverville California,
any time of year, (time of year)
see us starving here.
To the tune of "Kiss my @$$" by Ted Nugent.
The bank came and said to leave
So we chose the direction
We went west in the eve
With the slightest of pension,
Went on Route 66
Yeah, we took our licks,
But when the goin’ got tough
We headed on.
Lived in the Villes in our tents
We finally made it to the sea
Everyone needed a job
Yeah, we all needed the money,
We’ve moved on before
And I can’t stand anymore
But when the goin’ gets tough
We travel on.
We move on
We move on
We move on
We move on
If you’re having troubles
Then don’t take anymore
When the goin’ gets tough
Just move on
(I will Survive)
First I was afraid,
I was petrified
Kept thinkin I'd never
Live without my farmland by side
I spent so many nights wonderin' how things could go so wrong,
Then I decided, I'd just have to move along.
So then I packed,
And walked out the door.
Won't turn around now cause can't look back no more.
California's where I'm headed,
I'll find a new life there,
I'll stay alive
I will survive, I will survive.
So now I'm here,
This ain't no good.
Where's all the work and all the homes,
and where on earth's the food?
And half my family,
they've left or died.
I thought I'd survie, thougth I'd survive.
But now I'm starved.
My hands are cold.
And the little food I have to eat is full of green mold.
I want my old house,
my farmland, too.
That darn dust just thought it had to blow right through.
I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die,
Thought I'd survive, but now I think I'm gonna die...
“Magic Dance” by David Bowie
You remind me of that man!
What man?
The man with the money!
What money?
The money he took!
From where?
From you!
But how?
Remind me of that man.
I saw that man.
Selling as hard as man can sell.
What could I do?
The good cars all had gone, and left that lot so bare.
No money left!
Now what direction do I choose?
Ride with a friend, walk in my shoes.
Buy a used car now.
And family says:
Go for it!
Pack family pack.
Pack family pack.
We have to go to Cali.
Run family run.
Run family run.
Before all the jobs are gone.
To the tune of “A Horse with No Name”
In the first years of the dustbowl
I tried to live out my life
There was dust and crooks and banks and things
There were crops and locusts with wings
The first thing I did was find us a car
But it was all broke down
The heat was hot but the boys worked hard
And the car came around
I’ve been through the highways in a 4-Door Ford
It felt good to get out of the dust
In Oklahoma, you cant escape the pain,
‘cause there aint no one who can gain
(La la…)
After one day on Route 66,
We began to realize our mistake
After one night, Granpa soon fell sick
We left him in our wake
And we knew that more would eventually die
Made me want just to take a break
You see I’ve been through the highways in a 4-Door Ford
It felt good to get out of the dust
In Oklahoma, you cant escape the pain,
‘cause there aint no one who can gain
(La la…)
After serveral days, we came to the town
Where the jobs were sure to be found
But there were too many of us around…
To Californication, courtesy of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Farmers from the Midwest
Go to the west side of the nation
They all dream of Cali
Dust Bowl stole their mind's elation
And if you do not want to die
It's Californication
It is the fields of green
And the open occupations
Handbills are a plenty
Get to the nearest gas station
The Dust Bowl breeds nothing but weeds
It's Californication
Pack your fam'ly sell your stuff
It will cause grief and crying
We do not have room for leisure things
Get out of the deadly drying
My family's fate is torn
Our souls are worn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication
To the tune of -
Another One Bites the Dust
Joads ride down the street,
With junky old car to go
Just lookin’ for the next place to eat
Unwanted, money low
Are they ready, Are they ready for this
Are they ready for despair in the air
Out of darkness they must fly
To get some meat
Another one tastes the dust
Another one tastes the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one tastes the dust
Hey, you’re gonna wander too
Another one tastes the dust
How do you think they’re going to get along,
Without each other, they’re gone
They depend on each other for everything they need,
Together they succeed
Is bliss there, is it defeat
How can you live without meat
Out of depression they must fly
To get some meat
Another one breathes the dust
Another one breathes the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one breathes the dust
Hey, you’re gonna wander too
Another one tastes the dust
Another one tastes the dust
Another one breathes the dust
Another one lives the dust
Another one becomes the dust
There are plenty of ways you can kill a man
And bring him into the ground
You can beat him
You can cheat him
You can take his meat and leave his
Face down in the dust
But they’re getting ready, they’re near ready for you
They’re teetering in the sky
Out of the darkness they must fly
To get some meat
Another one lives the dust
Another one lives the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one lives the dust
Hey, you’re gonna wander too
Another one lives the dust
To the tune of “America the Beautiful” - (note the irony!)
O eh-empty and barren fields
That once were golden plains
And grea-eat hand that Go-od wields
Withholds the needed rains!
Desperation! Desperation!
All family’s hopes to dust
And only choice in muffled voice
A cry to West is cussed!
Oh eh-empty soul breaks in half
A piece to past and now
The move begins without a laugh
Goodbye to lo-oved plow!
Desperation! Desperation!
In truck not fit to drive
A sad goodbye in watcher’s eye
A tear proves still alive!
Oh eh-empty cracked shell exposed
That once held brand new life
All future do-ors sla-am close
On peace without such strife!
Desperation! Desperation!
Hard so-oul senses hope
Relentless struggle a-and work
Might still allow to cope!
Nobody cared,
so everyone's died.
We all ran off
to try and hide.
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
The dust, it came,
we tried to fight
but all that helped
was running away.
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
We headed west
and tried to find
who we were
deep inside.
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
We lost ourselves
the day we left
no clues to claim
no past to haunt.
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
Will we ever be whole
like we once were so strong?
Can we rise once again
and refuse to give in?
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
The dust now claims
the land I used to own.
The death toll rises
as we skim the surface of
our regrets.
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
Singing Amen, I'm alive!
God save us all,
we are fools.
How can we continue to
bring ourselves into the light?
Nobody cared,
so everyone died.
All of the pain
swollowed up dry
yet -
Sing Amen, I'm alive!
I am alive!
(to a modified version of Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star)
Dusty, dusty, Midwest
Will you ever get any better?
People forced to move west,
Hoping only for the best,
Dusty, dusty, Midwest,
Will you ever get any better?
People come and plow our houses,
Make us worry about our childs and spouses,
Will we have enough food to eat?
Even just one piece of meat?
Dusty, dust, Midwest
Your misfortune stills follows us!
Fambly dies, fambly leaves
Making us really question and doubt,
Is this travel on Route 66,
Better than our former conflict?
We made it to California,
But nothing is better,
Jobs are scarce,
Jobs are tough,
Tom almost got put in another set of handcuffs,
Dusty, dusty life we have
Maybe we were better off
Staying in Oklahoma.......
They took everything from me
Except my dignity
But even now it’s hard to see
The righteous soul inside of me
I worked hard for my money
Worked hard on my farm
But the government took it all away
Causing me great harm
So now I’m headed West for work
Without even a dime in my pocket
And all I have to comfort me
Is this tiny golden locket
More than likely I’ll have to sell it
So I’ll have something to eat
Or I may have to sell it
In order to put a pair of shoes on my feet
These dust bowl blues
Are the story of my life
And all I can do is pray…
For a quick ending to this strife
To the tune of "The House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals, from the view of a native Californian observing the changes in his hometown.
I've lived in this town
for forty long years.
And it's never done me wrong!
These "Dust-Bowlers" are moving in,
I'll soon be long gone.
These roads are packed with Okies.
Who are trying to fix their lives.
They're flockin' to my home town.
Might not one survive.
They come from lives that I've heard terrible things about,
They're always on the run.
They only relief they find,
is that California has no drought.
What they might find is a sorry excuse for a town.
We've got no opportunities left.
They've made the trip all this way,
and not even for the best.
They've got these dreams of roads paved in gold.
And grapes for everyone
Their lives have already been destroyed,
and Lord, now they are done.
I've lived in this town
for forty long years.
And it's never done me wrong!
These "Dust-Bowlers" are moving in,
I'll soon be long gone.
To the tune of "Only the Good Die Young" by Billy Joel and from the viewpoint of Casy.
Got out o' religion, didn't suite me quite
Cause Catholic girls are much too great
Aw but sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well just move on
I went with a family, and we drove away
We went to California and tried to find a way
But they never told us the way things would be
All the little ones wasting away…
Cause only the good die young
That’s what I saw
Only the good die young
Soon I left and met with a dangerous crowd
We worked too long for too little pay
We got to shouting a bit too loud
Aw and that was the end of me
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