I left my home in Norfolk Virginia California on my mind
I strattled that greyhound and rode him into Releigh and on across Caroline
Stopped at Charlotte and we by passed Blackhill we never was a minute late
We was ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown rollin' out of Georgia state
Had mottor trouble that turned into a struggle halfway across Alabama
And that bound broke down and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham

[ steel ]
Right away I bought me a through train ticket ridin' across Mississippi clean
And I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham smokin' into New Orleans
Somebody help me get out of Louisiana just the help me get to Houston town
There's people there who care a little bout me and they won't let a poor boy down
Sure as you're born they brought me a silk suit and put luggage in my hand
And I woke up high over Albuquerque on a jet to the promised land

[ fiddle ]
Workin' on a T-bone steak I had a party flyin' over to the golden state
When the pilot told us in thirteen minutes he would get 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 tied Water 4-10-0-9
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land callin' and the poor boy's on the line
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land callin' and the poor boy's on the line