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 Alabam 
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 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 

• [ Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode . mp3]
• [ Chuck Berry - Live At The Fillmore Auditorium - San Francisco . mp3]
• [ Chuck Berry - St. Louis to Liverpool . mp3]
• [ Lynyrd Skynyrd - The Last Rebel . mp3]
• [ Lynyrd Skynyrd - Gimme Back My Bullets (reissue) . mp3]