Verse 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 it turned into a struggle Half way across Alabam And that 'Hound broke down and left us all stranded In downtown Birmingham Right away I bought me a through train ticket Riding across 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 There are people there who care a little about me And they won't let a poor boy down Sure as you're born they bought me a silk suit They put luggage in my hands And I woke up high over Albuquerque On a jet to the promised land We stopped at Charlotte we by passed Rock Hill We never was a minute late We was ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown Rolling out of Georgia state Working on a T-bone steak I had a party flying over to the golden state When the pilot told us that in thirteen minutes He would get us to the terminal gate Swing Low Chariot come down easy Taxi to the terminal door Cut your engines and cool you wings And let me make it to the telephone Los Angeles give me Norfolk Virginia Tidewater -1 - -9 Tell the folks back home this is the promised land Calling and the boy's on the line