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Promised Land

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(Berry)

Information:

Chuck Berry wrote and recorded Promised Land (Chess 1916) in 1965. His recording reached #41 on the Hot 100 chart. Freddie Weller had a #3 country hit in early 1971 with Promised Land (Columbia 45276), and James Taylor included the song in his popular 1974 LP Walking Man (Warner Bros. BS 2794).

Elvis recorded Promised Land at Stax Studios in Memphis on December 15, 1973. The tambourine was later overdubbed by David Briggs. Elvis's single release had a 13-week stay on the Hot 100 chart, peaking at #14, and an eight-week stay on the Easy-Listening chart, where it reached #11. Promised Land was a mainstay of Elvis's concert repertoire.

Lyrics:
 

I left my home in Norfolk, Virginia, California on my mind
I straddled that Greyhound and rode into Raleigh and on across Caroline
We had motor trouble that turn into a struggle halfway across Alabam'
And that hound broke down and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham

1. Right away I brought me a through train ticket ridin' across Mississippi clean
And I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham smoking into New Orleans
Somebody help me get out of Louisiana, just to 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

2. Sure as you're born, brought me a silk suit, put luggage in my hand
And I woke up high over Alburquerque on a jet to the promised land
Working on a T-bone steak a la carte flying over to the golden state
When the pilot told us in thirteen minutes he would set us at the terminal gate

3. 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 o nine
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling and the poor boy is on the line

1. 2. 3. (repeat)

Where it was released:

Released for the fist time on single »

Singles:

- Promised Land / It's Midnight (RCA PB-10074) October 1974. Standard release »

- Promised Land / It's Midnight (RCA Ja-10074) October 1974. Disc jockey promotional release.

- Promised Land / It's Midnight (RCA GB-10488) February 1976. Gold standard series reissue.

- Blue Suede Shoes / Promised Land (RCA PB-13929) October 1984. Special anniversary reissue of both songs pressed on blue vinyl with a gold "50th" label.

LPs/CDs:

- Promised Land (1975) »

– This Is Elvis (1981) »

- Walk a Mile in My Shoes – The Essential 70’s Masters (1995)

- Platinum – A Life in Music (1997)

- A Touch of Platinum, Volume 2 (1998)

- Essential Elvis, Volume 5 – Rhythm & Country (1998)

- Artist of the Century (1999)

- Rock’n’Roll (1999)

- Best of Artist of the Century (2000)

- From Elvis in Memphis; Promised Land; Moody Blue (2001)

- Elvis 70’s (2001)

- Live in Las Vegas (2001)

- Today Tomorrow and Forever (2002)

- 2nd to None (2003)

- Elvis Forever – Limited Edition (2004)

- Big Boss Man (2005) – FTD »

- Hitstory (2005)

- Southern Nights (2006) – FTD »

- Nevada Nights (2008) - FTD »

- From Sunset to Las Vegas (2009) - FTD »

- Promised Land (2011) - FTD »

- Our Memories of Elvis, Volume 1, 2 & 3 (2012) - FTD »

- Hits of the 70s (2012) - FTD »

- This is Elvis (2015) - FTD »

– Las Vegas 1975 (2016) - FTD »

– Las Vegas '74 (2017) - FTD »

– From Georgia to Florida (2019) - FTD »

Bootleg Releases:

- Big Boss Man (1974) - no label

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