Lyrics

2. Travelin’ Shoes

I been hearin’ Grandpa’s ghost callin’ out to me
Lookin’ for that sweet land, California
Where the honeysuckle blossoms tumble to the sea
Lookin’ for that sweet land, California

Well, he walked out of Arkansas in nineteen thirty-four
Lookin’ for that sweet land, California
Didn’t want very much, just a little more
Lookin’ for that sweet land, California

chorus
There’s a scent of citrus on the breeze
And the land gets down upon its knees
To touch the ever-restless seas and wipe the slate clean

Well, Boulder City took him in with dust on his shoes
Lookin’ for that sweet land, California
No need to worry, son, we got no union dues
If you’re lookin’ for that sweet land, California

Well, he helped out with the gradin’ and they asked him if he’d stay
Lookin’ for that sweet land, California
Started up a family, put his travelin’ shoes away
And his thoughts of that sweet land, California

chorus
We’re carvin’ stone and liftin’ sand
We’re cuttin’ steel with burnished hands
We run the water ‘cross the land and turned the valleys green

Well, lying in the cool grass beneath a lemon sky
Thinkin’ ‘bout that sweet land, California
He said, I hope these shoes will take me to the sea before I die
Thinkin’ ‘bout that sweet land, California

Well, he took out those trusty shoes in the spring of sixty-nine
Thinkin’ ‘bout that sweet land, California
But sat down on his front porch and said, this is where I’ll lie
With my dreams of that sweet land, California

chorus
We carved the stone and lifted sand
We cut the steel with burnished hands
We run the water ‘cross the land and turned the valleys green
There’s a scent of citrus on the breeze
And the land gets down upon its knees
To touch the ever-restless seas and wipe the slate clean

I been hearin’ Grandpa’s ghost callin’ out to me
Lookin’ for that sweet land, California
Where the honeysuckle blossoms tumble to the sea
Lookin’ for that sweet land, California