“The Ghost of Tom Joad” is a song that spans American literature and music history: It was written by Bruce Springsteen for a 1995 album, but it was inspired by “The Ballad of Tom Joad” by folk ...

Bruce Springsteen can rock with the best of them. These four songs show that he also has an effective folky side.

“I want to make a record where I don’t have to play by the rules… have any hit singles or none of that stuff,” Springsteen said of the Tom Joad album, backstage at an early stop on his solo acoustic ...