I left my home in Norfolk, Virginia California on my mind I straddled that Greyhound and rode into Raleigh And on across Caroline I had motor trouble that turned into a struggle Halfway across Alabam' And that 'Hound broke down and left me all stranded In downtown Birmingham Right away I bought me a through train ticket Ridin' 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 A-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 And put luggage in my hand And I woke up high over Albuquerque On a jet to the Promised Land Working on a T-bone steak à la carte Flying over to The Golden State When the pilot told me, in 13 minutes He would set us at the terminal gate Ooh, 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, 4-10-0-9 And tell the folks back home this is the Promised Land calling And the poor boy is on the line You've got to swing low chariot, come down easy Taxi to the terminal zone And cut your engines and cool your wings And let me make it to the telephone Los Angeles give me Norfolk, Virginia Tidewater, 4-10-0-9 And tell the folks back home this is the Promised Land calling And the poor boy is on the line Oh, tell the folks back home this is the Promised Land calling And the big boy is on the line