Promised Land

I left my home in Norfolk Virginia

California on my mind

I straddled that Greyhound, rode him into Raleigh

And on across to Caroline

Stopped in Charlotte and bypassed Rock Hill

We never was a minute late

We was ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown

Rollin' out of Georgia State

We had motor trouble

It turned into a struggle half way 'cross Alabama

And that 'Hound broke down and left us all stranded

In downtown Birmingham

Right away I bought me a through train ticket

Ridin' cross Mississippi Clean

And I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham

Smoking into New Orleans

Somebody help me get out of Louisiana

Just help me get to Houston town

And there're people there who care a little 'bout me

And they won't let the poor boy down

Sure as you're born they bought me a silk suit

Put luggage in my hands

And I woke up high over Albuquerque

On a jet to the promised land

Workin' on a T-bone steak a la carte

Flying over to the Golden State

Oh, when the pilot told me in thirteen minutes

He would set us at the terminal gate

Swing low sweet chariot come down easy

Taxi to the terminal zone

Cut your engines and cool your wings

And let me make it to the telephone

Los Angeles, give me Norfolk Virginia

Tidewater, four, ten-o-nine

Tell the folks back home this is the promised land callin'

And the poor boy's on the line