Promised Land
W.A.S.P. Lyrics
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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'
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
The lyrics to W.A.S.P.'s song "Promised Land" tell the story of a young man who leaves his home in Norfolk, Virginia, in search of a better life in California. He takes a Greyhound bus and encounters motor trouble, eventually ending up stranded in Birmingham, Alabama. Undeterred, he buys a train ticket and makes his way to New Orleans before ultimately boarding a jet to Los Angeles. The lyrics are a celebration of the American dream and the journey that one must sometimes take in order to achieve it.
The song is filled with vivid imagery and detailed descriptions of the different parts of the journey. The obstacles that the young man faces along the way are portrayed as challenges to be overcome, and the eventual arrival in California is presented as a triumph. The mention of a "silk suit" and "t-bone steak" suggests the idea of luxury and success, while the repetition of the phrase "promised land" reinforces the idea of a brighter future.
Overall, "Promised Land" is a testament to the power of perseverance and the belief in a better tomorrow. It is a song that celebrates the American spirit of optimism and the promise of a brighter future that is always just beyond the horizon.
Line by Line Meaning
I left my home in Norfolk, Virginia
I left my hometown in Virginia
California on my mind
I was thinking about California
Straddled that Greyhound
I got on a Greyhound bus
Rode him in the Raleigh
I rode the bus to Raleigh
And on across Caroline
I continued on through North and South Carolina
We had motor trouble it turned into a struggle
The bus had engine problems and it became a big problem
Half way across Alabam'
Halfway through Alabama
And that 'hound broke down and left us all stranded
The bus broke down and we were all stuck
In downtown Birmingham
In the city of Birmingham
Right away, I brought me a through train ticket
I quickly got a ticket for a through train
Ridin' cross Mississippi clean
I rode a train across Mississippi without any problems
I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham
I took a midnight flight out of Birmingham
Smokin' into New Orleans
The plane was flying into New Orleans
Somebody help me get out of Louisiana
I needed help to leave Louisiana
Just help me get to Houston town
I just needed to get to Houston
There are people there who care a little 'bout me
There are people in Houston who care about me
And they won't let the poor boy down
They will not abandon me
Sure as you're born, they bought me a silk suit
They bought me a fancy suit
Put a luggage in my hands
They gave me some luggage to carry
And I woke up high over Albuquerque
I woke up on a plane over Albuquerque
On a jet to the promised land
I was on a plane to California, the promised land
Workin' on a t-bone steak a la carte
I was eating a fancy steak dinner
Flyin' over to the Golden State
I was flying to California
And the pilot told us in thirteen minutes
The pilot informed us that we would land soon
He would send us to the terminal gate
He would guide us to the terminal gate
Ah, swing low, chariot, come down easy
Oh, come down smoothly, airplane
Taxi to the terminal zone
Drive to the terminal area
Cut your engines and cool your wings
Shut off the engines and let the wings cool down
And let me make it to the telephone
So I can make a phone call
Los Angeles give me Norfolk, Virginia
Los Angeles, connect me to Norfolk, Virginia
Tidewater four-ten-oh-nine
The phone number 410-9, in the Tidewater area
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling
Tell my friends and family that I've reached California
And the poor boy's on the line
And I'm the one making the call
Contributed by Sadie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.