In 1927 Oklahoma blew away And we started 'cross the country in a beat up Chevrolet Our backs were to the sunrise and our feet were on the path We're going out to the promised land and the Grapes of Wrath They called us dirty rednecks and they called us filthy bums Said we don't want ya'll in our town so why the Hell'd you come? We ain't scared of anybody we're just running from the drought And I'm damn proud I'm an Okie so you'd better watch your mouth California you're a faker California you're a lie 'Cause the rich keep getting richer While the hungry children cry One of these days you're going to pay For your mistakes I spent all my younger days just followin' the sun I met the only girl I ever loved when I was 21 And Ruby was the only good thing that I ever had Oh Lord, I don't know how thing can turn out so bad We moved out close to Bakersfield and tried to settle down
I got a job sharecroppin' for the richest man in town If he'd a just left us alone we'd a lived a happy life But he couldn't keep his eyes off of my wife He slipped into my house one day when Ruby was alone And by the time that I got back the damage had been done And what I saw when I walked in just filled me full of hate And she just laid there crying Like her heart would break I grabbed my gun and started out but Ruby begged me please So I went in town and told the law but they just laughed at me But thirteen sticks of dynamite that night made quite a sound And brought a big fine mansion tumbling to the ground California you're a faker California you're a lie Cause the rich keep getting richer While the hungry children cry One of these days you're going to pay For your mistakes