Promised Land

Oh, get on up

I left my home in Norfolk, Virginia, California on my mind

I straddled that Greyhound and rode him into Raleigh and on across Caroline

We had motor trouble that turned into a struggle halfway across Alabam'

Well, the 'Hound broke down and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham

Right away, I bought me a through train ticket, riding across Mississippi clean

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

There are people there who care a little about me and they won't let the poor boy down

Sure as you're born, they bought me a silk suit and put luggage in my hand

And I woke up high over Albuquerque on a jet to the promised land

A-workin' on a T-bone steak a la carte, flying over to the Golden State

When the pilot told us in thirteen minutes he would set us at the terminal gate[Chorus]

Swing low, 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 calling and the poor boy is on the line

A-workin' on a T-bone steak a la carte, flying over to the Golden State

When the pilot told us in thirteen minutes he would set us at the terminal gate

Swing low, 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 calling and the poor boy is on the line