i left my home in norfolk virginia california on my mind straddled that greyhound rode him in the 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 brought me a through train ticket ridin cross mississippi clean i was on that midnight flyer out of birmingham smokin 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 bout me and they won t let the poor boy down sure as you re born they bought me a silk suit put a luggage in my hands and i woke up high over albuquerque on a jet to the promised land workin on a t bone steak a la carte flyin over to the golden state and the pilot told us in thirteen minutes he would send us to the terminal gate ah 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 oh nine tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling and the poor boy s on the line workin on a t bone steak a la carte flyin over to the golden state and the pilot told us in thirteen minutes he would send us to 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 oh nine tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling and the poor boy s on the line