Promised Land

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I left my home in Norfolk Virginia
California on my mind
I straddled that greyhound and Rode and Raleigh
And on across Caroline

We stopped at Charlotte the bypass rock hill
We never was a minute late
We were ninety miles out of Atlanta by sundown
Rollin' outta 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

Right away, I bought me a through train ticket
Riding across Mississippi clean
And I was on that midnight flier out of Birmingham
Smoking 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 'bout me
And they won't let the poor boy down

Sure as you're born me, bought me a silk suit
Put luggage in my hand
And I woke up high over Albuquerque
On a jet to the Promised Land

Workin' on a T bone steak at La Carte
Flying over to the golden state
And when the pilot told us in thirteen minutes
He would set us at the terminal gate

Swing low sweet 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 O nine
Tell the folks back home this is the Promised Land callin'
And the poor boy's on the line

Promised Land (unreleased cover)
Written byChuck Berry
Performed byElvis Costello & The Imposters

First known performance:
June 23, 2002, Portsmouth, VA - snippet in medley with Pump It Up
July 28, 2011, Portland, ME - first known full performance
Last known performance:
February 26, 2012 Boston, MA with Keith Richards, at event to honour Chuck Berry
     (2 known performances, 1 as a snippet)


Category:Unreleased covers1999-00-00 live.jpg


Recordings by other artists

 Artist  Year  Release  Links
Chuck Berry  1964 St. Louis to Liverpool AllMusicWikipedia
 Johnny Rivers  1964 In Action Wikipedia
Dave Edmunds  1972 Rockpile AllMusic
Elvis Presley  1974  single and on Promised Land Wikipedia
James Taylor  1974 Walking Man Wikipedia
Grateful Dead  1976 Steal Your Face Wikipedia

and many others.

Internal links

External links