Promised Land is a bluesy, Gospel song about a train bound for heaven.  Although there have been many train-themed songs written over the years, this is my version to add to the mix.  Historically, trains have symbolized a very civilized way of traveling in relative comfort and ease – all you have to do is buy your ticket, show up at the platform on time, board the train once the doors have opened and find your seat. There’s also a community feeling attached to trains because they hold a lot of people from every walk of life and are essential modes of mass transport – especially for workers commuting to and from their jobs in the city.  This feeling of community is also an inherent part of faith as Christianity is a faith-based community of believers – so a train bound for heaven is a perfect way to symbolize our trip to heaven together when we’ve finally reached the end of the line!  “Climb aboard this train’s a leavin’, There’s a seat for everybody, Take my hand and climb aboard, Just in time, There’s a day that’s soon a comin’, Don’t be left behind, As it’s pullin’ from the station, Right on time.”

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I recorded my original song “Promised Land” on Set 3 in 1996, and it conveys the idea of boarding a train bound for heaven. Trains are popular themes in music as they work well as metaphors for many aspects of our lives, and “Promised Land” is one of two train themed songs I’ve written ~ enjoy! ♡ 🙂 Mark

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(As with all of my early songs during which I worked with my friend Gordon Olvera, I’ve shared the copyright with him for trying to give voice to my songs.  Also, emailed versions of these songs lose their chord alignment and formatting, so refer to the original post and/or the scanned lyric sheet as your guide.)

Promised Land

“Turn To Face The Music”, Collected Works Volume II, Copyright 1990, Gordon Olvera/Mark Jones, All Rights Reserved

Verse One:

C           Am                  C

Can you hear the whistle blowin’

             F

Can you feel that train a rollin’

          Am                 C

As it’s pullin’ from the station

            G

One last time

            Dm            C

For that train it is a rollin’

      G      Em F

It’s rollin’ on forever

            Am                  Dm

And it’s gonna’ bring us to

      F            C

The promised land     (End)

Chorus:

C         G

For this train is bound for Heaven

     Am                              F

To take us to the promised land

         G

Climb aboard here let me give you

           Am                    G

Let me give you a helpin’ hand

          F

Helpin’ hand

     Dm                      C

So come on and climb aboard

              G          Em   F

There’s a seat for everyone

             Am                 Dm

Don’t be standin’ in the station

             C                   Am

Don’t be standin’ in the station

               F                        G

When this train starts rollin’ down

         C

These tracks     (Back to Verse One to end)

Verse Two:

         Am                        C

Climb aboard this train’s a leavin’

              F

There’s a seat for everybody

             Am                 C

Take my hand and climb aboard

          G

Just in time

              Dm                     C

There’s a day that’s soon a comin’

G           Em F

Don’t be left behind

          Am                 Dm

As it’s pullin’ from the station

F           C

Right on time

Verse Three:

         Am                     C

Don’t worry about your baggage

            F

You can leave that behind

          Am                C

All you really have to do is

              G

Walk this way

         Dm

Climb aboard this train’s a

C

Leavin’

    G          Em      F

It might be leavin’ today

                 Am                Dm

Don’t know when that old train

        F       C

Goes rollin’ on