Willie Nelson recorded this moving song, written by Paul Madeira and Jimmy Dorse. It is especially appropriate right now. Refugees all over the world, homeless families wandering, hungry and thirsty, drowning at sea, suffocating in the backs of trucks — just wanting a home and peace and freedom. The same things we all want. It’s so sad. This song inspires and reminds us how our country is capable of showing great compassion and kindness to the downtrodden of the world. It’s time for more of that.
Give us your tired and weak
And we will make them strong
Bring us your foreign songs
And we will sing alongLeave us your broken dreams
We’ll give them time to mend
There’s still a lot of love
Living in the PromisedlandLiving in the Promisedland
Our dreams are made of steel
The prayer of every man
Is to know how freedom feelsThere is a winding road
Across the shifting sand
And room for everyone
Living in the PromiselandSo they came from a distant isle
Nameless woman
Faithless child like a bad dream
Until there was no room at all
No place to run, and no place to fallGive us our daily bread
We have no shoes to wear
No place to call our home
Only this cross to bearWe are the multitudes
Lend us a helping hand
Is there no love anymore
Living in the PromiselandLiving in the Promiseland
Our dreams are made of steel
The prayer of every man
Is to know how freedom feelsThere is a winding road
Across the shifting sand
And room for everyone
Living in the Promiseland“Living in the Promiseland” is track #37 on the album The Essential Willie Nelson.
It was written by Paul Madeira; Jimmy Dorsey.