The Promised Land

I left my home in

Norfolk Virginia

California on my mind

Straddled that greyhound, rode him past

RaleighOn across

CarolineStopped in

Charlotte and bypassed rock hill

And we never was a minute late

We was ninety miles out of

Atlanta by sundown

Rollin' 'cross the

Georgia state

We had motor trouble it turned into a struggle

Half way 'cross

AlabamaAnd that 'hound broke down and left us all stranded

In downtown

Birmingham

Straight off,

I bought me a through train ticket

Ridin' 'cross

Mississippi clean

And I was on that midnight flier out of

Birmingham

Smoking into

New Orleans

Somebody help me get out of

LouisianaJust help me get to

Houston Town

There's 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 us in thirteen minutes

He was headin' 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