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
Rollin' 'cross
The Georgia state

We had motor
Trouble it
Turned into
A struggle
Half way
'Cross Alabama
And that 'hound
Broke down
And left us
All stranded
In downtown
Birmingham

Straight off
I bought me
A through
Train ticket
Ridin' cross
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
There's
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 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
Flying over
To the Golden State
The pilot told me
In thirteen minutes
We'd be headin'
In the terminal gate

Swing low
Sweet chariot
Come down easy
Taxi
To the terminal zone
Cut your engines
Cool your wings
And let me make it
To the telephone

Los Angeles
Ggive me
Norfolk Virginia
Tidewater
Four ten O nine
Tell the folks
Back home
This is
The promised land
Callin'
And the poor boy's
On the line