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"Promised Land" is a song lyric written by Chuck Berry to the melody of "Wabash Cannonball", an American folk song. The song was first recorded in this version by Chuck Berry in 1964 for his album St. Louis to Liverpool. Released in December, 1964, it was Berry's first single issued following his prison term for a Mann Act conviction.
In the lyrics, the singer (who refers to himself as "the poor boy") tells of his journey from Norfolk, Virginia, to the "Promised Land", Los Angeles, California, mentioning various cities of the American Southeast that he encounters along his journey. It has subsequently been covered by numerous other artists.
Berry wrote the song while still in prison, and borrowed an atlas from the prison library to plot the itinerary. Describing himself as a "poor boy," he boards a Greyhound bus in Norfolk, Virginia. that passes Raleigh, N.C., stops in Charlotte, North Carolina, then bypasses Rock Hill, South Carolina. The bus rolls out of Atlanta but breaks down, leaving him stranded in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. He then takes a train "across Mississippi clean" to New Orleans. From there, he goes to Houston, where he is bought a silk suit, luggage and a plane ticket to Los Angeles. Upon landing in Los Angeles, he calls Norfolk, Virginia ("Tidewater four, ten-oh-nine") to tell the folks back home he's made it to the "promised land." The lyric: "Swing low Chariot, come down easy & taxi to the Terminal Gate" is related to the ancient lyric: "Swing low sweet Chariot, coming for to carry me Home" since both refer to a Common destination "The Promised Land" for Berry free California is the Terminal destination versus Heaven.
Cover versions - There are numerous cover versions of this song:
In 1964 Johnny Rivers released his live album In Action including this song.
The Grateful Dead performed this song live 425 times from July 1971 through the band's last show in 1995; live performances appear on nearly 50 of the band's live albums, including the 1976 United Artists released live album Steal Your Face as well as several of the band's Dick's Picks releases.
In 1971 Johnnie Allan released a Cajun version in the US. It was released in 1974 in the UK.
In 1971 Dave Edmunds recorded a cover on the release his album Rockpile, released also as a single in 1972, it reached number 5 in the Australian charts.
In 1972 Freddy Weller released a version on an album of the same name. It was a Top 5 country hit.
In 1972 the band Juicy Lucy recorded a version on their album Pieces.
In 1973 the Canadian-American rock group The Band recorded "Promised Land" for their sixth studio LP, Moondog Matinee.
In December 1973, Elvis Presley recorded a powerful, driving version. Presley's version of "Promised Land" was released as a single on September 27, 1974. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard charts and 9 on the UK Singles Chart in the fall of 1974. It was included on his 1975 album Promised Land. The Presley version was used in the soundtrack of the 1997 motion picture Men in Black.
In 1974 James Taylor recorded a version on his album Walking Man.
In 1977 it was recorded by country singer Billy "Crash" Craddock on his album Live!.
In 1983 Meat Loaf recorded the song for his Midnight at the Lost and Found album.
In 1984 The Black Sorrows recorded a version for their debut studio album, Sonola.
In 2007 Geno Delafose released a zydeco version on his album Le Cowboy Creole.
In 2009 W.A.S.P. recorded a version of this song on the album Babylon.
In 2014 Harry Dean Stanton released a version on the soundtrack album for the documentary film about him, Partly Fiction.
In 2014 Jerry Lee Lewis released a version of this song on his album Rock & Roll Time
SONG LIST:
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***Title ***Artist ***Album ***Year
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| Promised Land (live) (1965) | Chuck Berry | 1965 | ||||
| Promised Land (1979) | Cisse Hakkinen | 1979 | ||||
| The Promised Land (1972) | Dave Edmunds | 1972 | ||||
| Promised Land (1971) | Freddy Weller | 1971 | ||||
| The Promised Land (1974) | James Taylor | 1974 | ||||
| The Promised Land (1978) | Johnnie Allan | 1978 | ||||
| Promised Land (1984) | Mike Read | 1984 |
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