Also with Williamson, Maharidge wrote Journey to Nowhere: The Saga of the New Underclass, which singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen has credited as an influence for songs such as "Youngstown" and "The New Timer".
"New Timer" and another song from The Ghost of Tom Joad, "Youngstown," were inspired by Springsteen reading Dale Maharidge's 1985 book Journey to Nowhere: The Saga of the New Underclass, illustrated by Michael Williamson.
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This appears to be a nod to one of the jobs the Joads took in John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath, which inspired the title (and the title song) of the album "The New Timer" comes from.
TiMER (film) | TiMER | The New Timer |