His voice is pent-up anger and frustration at the treatment of the marginalized in America. That's how he wanted to sound. It's called emotion. Nothing to do with his voice being worn out. Possibly his best song. Or at least his most meaningful. Tom Joad was the main character in Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Tom Joad says the following to his mother, Ma Joad: "Wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever they's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. If Casy (Preacher Casy) knowed, why, I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad an' - I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry an' they know supper's ready. An' when our folks eat the stuff they raise an' live in the houses they build - why, I'll be there." This quote reflects Tom Joad's commitment to social justice and his determination to stand up for the oppressed and hungry during the difficult times depicted in the novel. If you do nothing else, read that book. People run across a song like this in modern day and think it's the first time anybody's spoken out about the horrible way people are treated in America. The problem is as old as America. People like John Steinbeck, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Morello, and countless others have been writing about it for ages.

Great reaction Maddy. Tom Joad was the main character in The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, a novel about Americans struggling in the Great Depression.

I've seen Bruce Springsteen 108 times in concert including 8 times this year alone. In 2014 I was lucky to see Bruce when Tom Morello was temporarily in his band. When they played this song I was mesmerized by Tom. It is still the most amazing guitar performance I have ever seen live.

The thing about Bruce is his voice tends to take on the character he is inhabiting. In this case the outcast, down trodden, forgotten who are suffering and living rough, as depicted in the book, The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck. Listen to Nebraska where he is telling a story using the voice of Charles Starkweather, a serial killer. There is a coldness and matter of factness in his tone. I'm On Fire, the voice of longing and lust. You're Missing, a voice of pain and loss. The anger of Youngstown. If you listen to the lyrics and the tone of, or affliction in his voice they go together to create the portrait of the person telling the story.

Tom Joad is from Grapes of Wrath. He gives a speech in that story that is basically the 3rd verse of this song.

Arm The Homeless on Tom's guitar is a statement for people to rise together and sometimes the invisible to be visible is to scare those with blinders on. I have worked with the homeless populations if Vancouver and Winnipeg for the last 25 years. And I agree sometimes with Tom.

I saw Springsteen on Sep. 23, 1985 at Mile High stadium in Denver.... We were on the 50 yard line and the stage was on the 20 yard line... We were suppose to see the show on the 20th but it was rained out so we had to come back on the 23rd......I was one of 78 thousand people that celebrated Springsteen's 36th birthday that night...... Best show I ever saw and the ticket ran me $25

Thanks for reminding people to donate, volunteer and to get involved, you are a good person.

Bruce Springsteen plays guitar like a craftsman, and Tom Morello plays like a virtuoso.

I'd say you're right in saying that "Love is one of the largest factors in change." I may even take a bit further and say it's the only factor in change. Everything else is and leads to the same old same old.

Great..great performace..hits you in the soul...💔

Bruce is the Woody Guthrie of multiple generations. If you like this kind of social justice art from Bruce, check out 41 Shots (Live in NYC). Very sad but excellent.

Tom Morello equals Rage Against the Machine. Tom Joad Main character in Jon Steinbeck Novel depicting depression -era Midwesternors fleeing the Dustbowl to California. Where police refused to let them in.

To understand who Tom Joad is it would help to see Henry Fonda’s portrayal of him in the short clip titled “The Grapes of Wrath: Tom Joad will be Everywhere” from the classic 1940 movie.

It is deep song 👍🏻👍🏻🎸🎸

THIS SONG WAS WRITTEN 28 YEARS AGO - THINGS ARE NOT GETTING BETTER

I saw Bruce live 11 years ago, it was his second longest show he had ever done at that time. One of my best moments in my life. I agree that his voice is not on top here, but Tom's guitar playing is :)

Saw these guys do this song in the tour of Australia when Tom filled in as a band member. This and Shackled and Drawn were the two best songs for this pairing.

Hi Maddy, I have always seen Tom's "Arm the homeless" as an homage to Woody Guthrie who famously wrote "This machine kills fascists" on his guitar. Both can be interpreted as violent messages, but can also be read as metaphors. The first can be about empowerment, the second about supporting the anti-fascist aspect of World War II. Guthrie also has a song about Tom Joad. "The Ghost of Tom Joad" represents an interesting nexus of cultural and historical threads, especially when you throw in Rage Against the Machine.

“Sitting by the campfire waiting for the ghost of Tom Joad” In the book GOW, Tom Joad rose up and led the resistance. Leader of the People.

Tom is character from the book Grapes of wrath about dust bowl in the30's

"Arm the Homeless" give them the strength to fight back.

One of The Boss's finest compositions. This was originally a more acoustic song but the band were absolutely amazing here (and I DON'T agree with you about Bruce's voice) but I love your reactions. 🙋‍♂

I actually have seen this..shout out to the guy with the request but more so to you for getting stuff in that you just don't see anywhere else. And that New World Order line is as old as this song which was written at least 25 years ago. Same old song and dance..people get scared to bring up certain words that's because people are scared to bring them up lol..so there's no dialogue of it. If enough people start speaking instead of being scared to say certain things that narrative will change. World has been in the same old rut for years and years, not much has changed unfortunately. And last but not least Tom Morello needs to be in this greatest guitarist ever conversation..thank you Ms Madi!

That was deep

Definitely check out the original. Much more haunting although this is a spectacular version. The original has more of a haunting campfire feel. I love how Bruce is a bandleader and never shies away from letting another person shine! We still need some hippies in this world fyi!

Have been homeless, wandered the highways riding my thumb. A vet, I was restless. My travels brought me close to many different people. I have watched my country change. My suggestion for you tonight, Maddy, is Steppenwolf, Suicide/America/Monster. A song as important now as it was 50 years ago. Peace to you.

Great performance from a concert full of them, in 2009 they had the Concerts for the Rock and Roll Hall of fame and TONS of great performers played there, another killer was U2 backing Mick Jaeger in Gimme Shelter with Fergie doing the female vocals and really sparking with Mick, it was a great version of this classic song, see it and the rest of the great shows as you can, well worth your time. You will be very entertained! Enjoy. 🎵🎸🎤🎹🎷🎶

Bruce!!!!!!!

Beautiful!

Tom Morello also did a collaboration with Chris Stapleton on the song "The War Inside". I do prefer the Rage Against The Machine version over this one.

RATM does the best version of this if you haven't heard it you need to compare it to this... Trust me I think you'll enjoy it much better.

I don’t know if anyone answered but Tom Joad is from “The Grapes of Wrath”

The Voices of the People aren't going to be polished. Too much pain. The Tribunes of the People were shot down in the decade after I was born, and it's been downhill since. A lot more homeless and a lot more billionaires, you would be a fool to think they're not related. Tom Joad is the major character from the book The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, the Great Depression.

I think “arm the homeless” is the way to go. Lending a helping hand is great, but people should be provided with what is needed to help themselves. Nobody should depend on charity in order to survive in this age of humanity.

ah I found this a year or so ago, way cool.

Tom morello always has something important written on his guitar. He is also a person who helps the homeless a lot.

I never knew Tom Morello could sing! I only knew him as one of the most innovative guitarists ever, you caught a glimpse of his Rage Against The Machne / Audioslave stylings here.

Well said maddy

excellent choice...Grapes of Wrath ..Tom Joad

Tom Morello is the guitarist for Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine - the latter being a super-progressive band. Check out "Killing In the Name Of" - a song that kept the Xmas songs from. their normal number 1 position in the UK years after its release.

Rage Against The Machine did a cover of this. Love Springsteen version but RATM version blew my mind.

Maddy - nice reaction to a fantastic and incredible live performance of a powerful song. But: Don’t sit and blink your eyes at what Morello has written on his guitar. Instead think about the wider implications of this song, the implications that you have yourself just outlined. Morello means something with this, and he is referencing something with this. Be curious. And this is one of the best live performances of all times ever.

I'll take a nils lofgren solo anu day

You really need to read The Grapes of Wrath, written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939. That's what the song is based on, albeit directly based on Woody Guthrie's song that was based on Steinbeck's book. Arm the Homeless means to enable them. "This machine kills fascists" is what American musician Woody Guthrie wrote on his guitar in 1943. “This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender” is what Pete Seeger wrote on his banjo. Tom is just following in their footsteps.

You talk of change. What is really sad about this song is that it was written in the late 20th century referencing a character written about in the 1930s. And yet it is still relevant now in the 21st century. Nothing changes

I believe "The Grapes of Wrath" is the book that earned John Steinbeck the Nobel Prize for Literature. In my opinion it is the story of the American spirit and every American should read it at least once.

Have you heard the rage against the machine version?

I need those frames

It just doesn't have to be this way.

Loved it "The Boss" brought it, and Tom _______ ripped it. Yeah, the NWO is interesting. The Under- represented, will have our day soon. 😢

Nice reaction beautiful! 😘 Darealdeal

Springsteen is the greatest singer/songwriter ever.

Bruce's voice sounds the same as he always has. I don't hear any difference.

Maddy, please one day could you react to Bruce Springsteen's live cover version of the Bee Gees classic 'Staying Alive' from his gig in Brisbane, Australia in 2014. It's really special. Thanks! 🙋‍♂

I love your show, but it takes balls to charge 1000 a ticket and complain about the rich screwing the working man and woman!

Not a Bruce fan.

Tom Morello ------------ Guitar player from "Rage against the Machine "