Heading down south to the land of the pines
I'm thumbing my way in the North Caroline
Staring up the road pray to God I see headlights
I made it down the coast in seventeen hours,
Picking me a bouquet of dogwood flowers
And I'm a hopin' for Raleigh,
So I can see my baby tonight

So rock me momma like a wagon wheel,
Rock me momma any way you feel
Hey momma rock me
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain,
Rock me momma like a south bound train
Hey momma rock me

Running from the cold up in New England
I was born to be a fiddler in an old time string band
My baby plays a guitar I pick a banjo now,
Oh north country winters keep a getting me
And I lost my money playing poker so I had to up and leave
But I ain't turning back and living that old life no more

So rock me momma like a wagon wheel,
Rock me momma any way you feel
Hey momma rock me
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain,
Rock me momma like a south bound train
Hey momma rock me

Walkin' to the south out of Roanoke,
I caught a trucker out of Philly had a nice long toke
But he's a heading west to the Cumberland gap,
From Johnson City, Tennessee
Now I gotta get a move on before the sun,
I hear my baby calling my name and I know that she's the only one
And If I die in Raleigh at least I will die free

So rock me momma like a wagon wheel,
Rock me momma any way you feel
Hey momma rock me
Rock me momma like the wind and the rain,
Rock me momma like a south bound train
Hey momma rock me