Headed down south to the land of the pines
I'm thumbin' my way into north caroline
Starin' up the road
And 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 a 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 south-bound 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
Oh, the north country winters keep a gettin' me now
Lost my money playin' poker so i had to up and leave
But i ain't a turnin' back
To livin' that old life no more

Walkin' to the 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
And i gotta get a move on fit for the sun
I hear my baby callin' my name
And i know that she's the only one
And if i die in raleigh
At least i will die free