[Verso]
I left my home in Norfolk Virginia
California on my mind
Straddled that greyhound, rode him past Raleigh
On across Caroline
Stopped in Charlotte and bypassed Rock Hill
And we never was a minute late
We was ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown
Rolling across the Georgia state
We had motor trouble it turned into a struggle
Half way across Alabama
And that 'hound broke down and left us all stranded
In downtown Birmingham
Straight off, I bought me a through train ticket
Riding across Mississippi clean
And I was on that midnight flier out of Birmingham
Smoking into New Orleans
Somebody help me get out of Louisiana
Just help me get to Houston Town
There's 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
Put luggage in my hands
And I woke up high over Albuquerque
On a jet to the promised land
Working 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 heading 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 calling
And the poor boy's on the line
