Headed down south to the land of the pines
I’m thumbin’ my way to North Caroline
Starin’ up the road I pray to God I see headlights
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours
Pickin’ me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
And I’m hopin’ for Raleigh I can see my baby tonight
So rock me mama like a wagon wheel
Rock me mama anyway you feel
Hey, mama rock me
Rock me mama like the wind and the rain
Rock me mama like a southbound train
Hey, mama rock me
Runnin’ from the cold up in New England
I was born to be a fiddler in an old-time string band
My baby plays the guitar I pick a banjo now
Now the North Country winters keep gettin’ to me
I lost my money playin’ poker so I had to up and leave
But I ain’t turnin’ back to live that old life no more
Walkin’ due south out of Roanoke
I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke
But he’s a headed west from the Cumberland Gap to Johnson City, Tennessee
Now I got to get a move on before the sun
I hear my baby callin’ my name and know that she’s the only one
And if I die in Raleigh at least I will die free