The Ghost of Tom Joad

Infobox Album | Name = The Ghost of Tom Joad
Type = Album
Artist = Bruce Springsteen


Released = November 21, 1995
Recorded = March–September 1995
Genre = Rock, Folk
Length = 50:16
Label = Columbia
Producer = Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Plotkin
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:s0ngtq3znu45 link]
*Rolling Stone Very Favorable [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/165665 link]
Last album = "Greatest Hits"
(1995)
This album = "The Ghost of Tom Joad"
(1995)
Next album = "Blood Brothers"
(1996)

:"This article is about the album. For the song, see The Ghost of Tom Joad (song)."

"The Ghost of Tom Joad" is the eleventh studio album by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). The album was recorded and mixed at Thrill Hill during the spring and summer of 1995.

The album is mainly backed by acoustic guitar work and the lyrics on many of the tracks are a somber reflection of life in the mid-1990s in America and Mexico. Tom Joad is the protagonist of John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath". Springsteen has commented that he was first inspired by John Ford's film of the novel.

The title track of this album has been covered by Rage Against the Machine, Junip and Nickelback (cover of the Rage Against the Machine version). In April 2008 Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello joined Springsteen on stage as his folk alter-ego the Nightwatchman for a new, edgy arrangement of the song with two extended guitar solos by Morello. The videos posted on YouTube soon became very popular and the performence was included on the Magic Tour Highlights.

The album's release was followed by Springsteen's solo acoustic Ghost of Tom Joad Tour.__NOTOC__

Track listing

All songs were written by Bruce Springsteen.

# "The Ghost of Tom Joad" – 4:23
# "Straight Time" – 3:25
# "Highway 29" – 3:39
# "Youngstown" – 3:52
# "Sinaloa Cowboys" – 3:51
# "The Line" – 5:14
# "Balboa Park" – 3:19
# "Dry Lightning" – 3:30
# "The New Timer" – 5:45
# "Across the Border" – 5:24
# "Galveston Bay" – 5:04
# "My Best Was Never Good Enough" – 2:00

Personnel

* Bruce Springsteen – bass, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, vocals, producer
* Marty Rifkin – steel guitar
* Danny Federici – accordion, keyboards
* Gary Mallaber – drums
* Garry Tallent – bass
* Jennifer Condos – bass
* Jim Hanson – bass
* Soozie Tyrell – violin, background vocals
* Patti Scialfa – background vocals
* Lisa Lowell – background vocals
* Toby Scott – engineer
* Anton S. Trees - assistant engineer
* Greg Goldman – recording assistant
* Terry Magovern – research
* Sandra Choron – art direction
* Alexander Vitlin - stills photographer
* Eric Dinyer – cover art
* Pam Springsteen – interior photographs

External links

* [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/165665/the_ghost_of_tom_joad Album Review at the Rolling Stone]
* [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,299680,00.html Review at EW.com ]
* [http://www.brucespringsteen.net/songs/TheGhostOfTomJoad.html Album audio and lyrics]
* [http://www.springsteenlyrics.com/lyrics/y/youngstown.php Youngstown] -- Lyrics and detailed info at SpringsteenLyrics.com
* [http://www.springsteenlyrics.com/lyrics/h/highway29.php Highway 29] -- Lyrics and detailed info at SpringsteenLyrics.com