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Ghost of Tom Joad


MorrisrownSal

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Thanks Keith and Euro...

 

Euro - it will be like a family room... with an area for me to rehearse too. Should be nice. The expensive part is the bathroom. Yikes....

 

And regarding the harmony, I agree with you. And I am weird in that I like .. almost more than playing guitar... getting or finding a harmony. I love it recording, and I love it playing live.

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I think it's outstanding, Sal.

 

On a side note, that song always disappointed me from a songwriting standpoint. I really like the song except for something pretty important -- the hook. I may be the only person in the world who would think this, lol. I always felt that the cadence of "searchin for the ghost of Tom Joad" or "waitin on the ghost of Tom Joad" is just not Grade-A. Something about it that always bugged me. It's like a major letdown at the crucial ending of the chorus, like, dang it, why didn't he make this fit better! Always wished he would change either the cadence or the syllable count or the entire melody, it just doesn't please my ear.

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The song is a lyrical/mystical/allegorical reference to the Tom Joad character in John Steinbeck’s book, The Grapes of Wrath. Not sure if you read the book or not. (It’s a classic.) Its Tom Joad hook line needs to be listened to in the context of John Steinbeck’s character in the book. Otherwise, I can see how it might not seem to work as it could seem random, undeveloped, misplaced.

 

Just a thought.

 

QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff

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Thanks for listening fellas

Yes tom is a character in Grapes of Wrath. He becomes "woke" into realizing the world is bigger than he... and we have a responsibility bigger than to just ourselves. There is a Speech in the movie "I'll be there"...

Like the movie ( and of course the book) , where tom undertakes a journey toward being woke, Bruce attempts the same in this song. From waiting on the ghost of old Tom Joad to With the ghost of old Tom Joad.

Written in the very prosperous Clinton era, a reminder that some get left behind. It's more true today.

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OK Sal ... group confrontation time ... why on earth you just put the J-50 up for sale on the AGF ??

 

I thought this was your No1 ?

 

Does that mean you will no longer have ...gulp ...any Gibsons in the stable and youve moved across to the other side ?

 

Talk him out of it girls n boys.

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OK Sal ... group confrontation time ... why on earth you just put the J-50 up for sale on the AGF ??

 

I thought this was your No1 ?

 

Does that mean you will no longer have ...gulp ...any Gibsons in the stable and youve moved across to the other side ?

 

Talk him out of it girls n boys.

 

 

Sal, didn't you sell this J-50 before, and the buy it back?

 

I cycle through the guitars I play when I get tired of one. But I don't sell it unless I find over time that I really don't enjoy it or want to play it.

 

Keep the J-50. It suits you well. Goes perfectly with your voice.

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Euro... If I ever make it to Prague you are getting a beer on your head....

 

I feel like mom and dad found my Marlboro smokes behind the encyclopedias...

 

or the porno stash .....

 

I admit Sal was unlucky, I venture to AGF about once a month these days, and looks like for Sal it was the wrong day ....then again, maybe it was meant to be ?

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