Springsteen Revives A Literary Ghost

Bruce Springsteen wrote a hit song directly inspired by a fictional character from a 1939 novel. The track brings the struggles of Tom Joad from The Grapes of Wrath into the modern American landscape.

Bruce Springsteen took the iconic protagonist from John Steinbeck's classic book and imagined him living in the mid-nineties. By borrowing the spirit of Tom Joad, the song bridges the gap between Depression-era hardship and contemporary social issues. It serves as both a musical tribute to literature and a gritty exploration of lasting economic struggle. Many listeners were surprised to find such deep roots in American classic fiction within a folk rock single.