I left my home in Norfolk, Virginia, California, home of mine I straddled that three-hundred road in Mineralia and on across Carolina I had more than trouble to turn into a struggle that way across Alabama Well a town broke down and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham Right away I bought me a through-trade ticket right across Mississippi I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham smokin' in the New Orleans Somebody help me get out of Louisiana, just help me get to Houston town There are people there who care a little about me and they won't let the poor boy down Shoes you bought me bought me a silk suit and puttin' luggage in my hand And I woke up high over Albuquerque on a jet to the promised land Workin' on a team on a stake all a-cartin' flyin' over to the Golden State The pilot told us in thirteen minutes he would send us to the terminal gate Swing low, chariot, come down, easy passin' through the terminal zone Right your engines and cool your wings and let me make it to the telephone Los Angeles, you'll meet Norfolk, Virginia, Clydewater, four-ten-oh-nine Telephone's my home, this is the promised land, cause me and the poor boy's on the line Workin' on a team on a stake all a-cartin' flyin' over to the Golden State The pilot told us in thirteen minutes he would send us to the terminal gate Swing low, chariot, come down, easy passin' through the terminal zone Right your engines and cool your wings and let me make it to the telephone Los Angeles, you'll meet Norfolk, Virginia, Clydewater, four-ten-oh-nine Telephone's my home, this is the promised land, cause me and the poor boy's on the line *