Promised Land
J. Welbon Lyrics

Left my home in Norfolk, Virginia, California on my mind.
I left my hometown with the desire to go to California on my mind.

Straddled that Greyhound and rode it into Raleigh and on across Caroline.
I boarded a Greyhound bus in Norfolk and traveled through Raleigh and across the Carolinas.

We stopped in Charlotte but we bypassed Rockhill, we never was a minute late.
We made a stop in Charlotte but didn't stop in Rockhill and were never delayed.

We were ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown rolling out of Georgia state.
We were ninety miles away from Atlanta when the sun set and we were leaving Georgia state.

Had some motor trouble that turned into a struggle half way across Alabam.
We experienced some issues with the bus engine that became a struggle halfway through Alabama.

That hound broke and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham.
The Greyhound bus broke down and left us stranded in downtown Birmingham.

So right away I bought me a through train ticket right across Mississippi clean,
I immediately bought a train ticket to Mississippi.

And I was on that Special Flyer out of Birmingham smoking into New Orleans.
I boarded a special flight out of Birmingham and arrived in New Orleans quickly.

Someone's got to help me get out of Louisiana, just to help me get to Houston town.
I needed assistance to leave Louisiana and get to Houston.

There's an uncle there who cares a little about me and he won't let the poor boy down.
My uncle in Houston cares about me and will not let me down.

Sure as you're born, he bought me a silk suit, put some luggage in my hand.
My uncle bought me a silk suit and gave me some luggage to carry.

And I woke up high over Albuquerque on a jet to the Promised Land.
I woke up on a plane flying over Albuquerque on my way to the Promised Land.

Working on a T-Bone steak, a la carte, flying over to the Golden State.
I was eating a T-Bone steak while flying over to California.

When the pilot told us that in thirteen minutes he would have us at the terminal gate.
The pilot informed us that we would be landing in thirteen minutes.

Swing down chariot, come down easy, taxi to the terminal dome.
I was hoping for a smooth landing and taxi to the terminal dome.

Cut your engines and cool your wings and let me make it to the telephone.
I wanted the plane's engines to be cut so that I could make a call.

Los Angeles give me Norfolk, Virginia, tidewater four-ten-O-nine.
I needed to make a call from Los Angeles to Norfolk, Virginia, on the 4109 number.

Tell the folks back home this is the Promised Land calling,
I wanted to tell my family and friends back home that I had arrived in the Promised Land

And the poor boy is on the line.
I was the one making the call as a poor boy who had made it to the Promised Land.