--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They don't keep their promises in the…" description: "\"They don't keep their promises in the promised land, its getting mighty hard to find an honest man.\" — Don McLean" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/don-mclean-6904_hard_they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-pr_1650349.png" --- # They don't keep their promises in the promised land, its… ![“They don't keep their promises in the promised land, its getting mighty hard to find an honest man.” quote by Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/don-mclean-6904_hard_they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-pr_1650349.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/don-mclean-6904_hard_they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-pr_1650349.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/don-mclean-6904_hard_they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-pr_1650349.png) > “They don't keep their promises in the promised land, its getting mighty hard to find an honest man.” [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Promises in the promised land have eroded, making honesty rare and trust difficult. **In simple terms:** Promises broken, honesty scarce. Key Takeaway Seek integrity despite cynicism. Themes trust honesty disillusionment Mood skeptical melancholy Type cultural musical When to use this quote - political discourse - community relations - personal integrity Key Concepts American Dream political promises social decay Questions to Reflect On - Can honesty survive in a cynical society? - What restores trust? A Different Perspective Idealism may clash with reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Promised land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promised-land/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [“What about your Your 10,000 promises? That you gave to me (to me, babe) Your 10,000 promises That you promised me You say I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/backstreet-boys/what-about-your-your-10-000-promises-that-you-gave-to-me-to-me-babe/) [Backstreet Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/backstreet-boys/) > [I keep my campaign promises, but I never promised to wear stockings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-t-grasso/i-keep-my-campaign-promises-but-i-never-promised-to-wear-stockings/) [Ella T. Grasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-t-grasso/) > [I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-just-want-to-do-god-s-will-and-he-s-allowed-me-to-go-to-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [You have asked me to lead this nation out of the present wilderness and malaise on to the promised land, and I shall do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwai-kibaki/you-have-asked-me-to-lead-this-nation-out-of-the-present-wilderness/) [Mwai Kibaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwai-kibaki/) > [Mister, I ain't a boy, no I'm a man, and i believe in a promised land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/mister-i-ain-t-a-boy-no-i-m-a-man-and-i-believe-in-a-promised-land/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“I Am The Naskar (Sonnet 2100) I am the Naskar, and I bridge people. Unlike religious salesmen, I don't offer you a promised land…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/i-am-the-naskar-sonnet-2100-i-am-the-naskar-and-i-bridge-people/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“On your way to the promised land are many circumstances, only determination will take you there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patience-johnson/on-your-way-to-the-promised-land-are-many-circumstances-only/) [Patience Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patience-johnson/) > [“For you to be effective in your promised land, you must study the land”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/for-you-to-be-effective-in-your-promised-land-you-must-study-the-land/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The trouble with people these days is that they want to reach the promised land without going through the wilderness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-trouble-with-people-these-days-is-that-they-want-to-reach-the/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I don't want to spend my whole life talking about the promised land without ever getting there. I want to live in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/i-don-t-want-to-spend-my-whole-life-talking-about-the-promised-land/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Sometimes you have to go through the wilderness before you get to the Promised Land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/sometimes-you-have-to-go-through-the-wilderness-before-you-get-to-the/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [I loved getting to do Promised Land with him. I mean, he's really there for you. We did one very emotional scene in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delta-burke/i-loved-getting-to-do-promised-land-with-him-i-mean-he-s-really-there/) [Delta Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delta-burke/) > [And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-i-ve-seen-the-promised-land-i-may-not-get-there-with-you-but-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And he's allowed me to go to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the promised land! I may not get there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/and-he-s-allowed-me-to-go-to-the-mountain-and-i-ve-looked-over-and-i/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“For you to be successful in your promised land, you must study the land”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/for-you-to-be-successful-in-your-promised-land-you-must-study-the-land/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) ## More by Don McLean > [My parents were not musical, and they were not effervescent people; everything was very quiet. The music that I played was loud; it used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/my-parents-were-not-musical-and-they-were-not-effervescent-people/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [I am what I do, and that's partly why I don't want to give up singing. But when I can't sing well, I will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/i-am-what-i-do-and-that-s-partly-why-i-don-t-want-to-give-up-singing/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [The society that produced The Who, The Stones, Dylan, Paul McCartney and later on people, like myself, is over. The materialistic society that produces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/the-society-that-produced-the-who-the-stones-dylan-paul-mccartney-and/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [And if she asks you why you can tell her that I told you That I'm tired of Castles in the Air I've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/and-if-she-asks-you-why-you-can-tell-her-that-i-told-you-that-i-m/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [I saw satan laughing with delight The day the music died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/i-saw-satan-laughing-with-delight-the-day-the-music-died/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [I mean, I've been given a terrific life by the audiences who stuck with me all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/i-mean-i-ve-been-given-a-terrific-life-by-the-audiences-who-stuck/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [You're going to be buying your ticket with your heartache, you're gonna be payin' the man with your dues. You're gonna be living alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/you-re-going-to-be-buying-your-ticket-with-your-heartache-you-re/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Starry, starry night, flaming flowers that brightly blaze, swirling clouds in violet haze reflect Vincent's eyes of china blue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/starry-starry-night-flaming-flowers-that-brightly-blaze-swirling/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Faces come and faces go in circular rotation.But something yearns within to grow beyond infatuation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/faces-come-and-faces-go-in-circular-rotation-but-something-yearns/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Every thread of creation is held in position by still other strands of things living. In an earthly tapestry hung from the skyline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/every-thread-of-creation-is-held-in-position-by-still-other-strands/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Herman Melville was supposed to be an accountant. Van Gogh was meant to be an art dealer. I was meant to take the train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/herman-melville-was-supposed-to-be-an-accountant-van-gogh-was-meant/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [American Pie speaks to the loss that we feel. That's why that song has found the niche that it has.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/american-pie-speaks-to-the-loss-that-we-feel-that-s-why-that-song-has/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [And when no hope was left inside on that starry, starry night, you took your life as lovers often do. But I could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/and-when-no-hope-was-left-inside-on-that-starry-starry-night-you-took/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [The horrible thing about Death of princess Diana - the sacrificial lamb, which she was. And I believe, in a sense, John Kennedy, Jr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/the-horrible-thing-about-death-of-princess-diana-the-sacrificial-lamb/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) > [Not a word was spoken. The church bells all were broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/not-a-word-was-spoken-the-church-bells-all-were-broken/) [Don McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) [Explore all 96 Don McLean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [There Was Many Time I Had Wanted To Give Up In Life On So Many Things…But Naw F\*\*\* That...I'm Not Going To Never Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/there-was-many-time-i-had-wanted-to-give-up-in-life-on-so-many-things/) Out Spoken > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) Browse all 29,826 Hard quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They don't keep their promises in the promised land, its getting mighty hard to find an honest man.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Don McLean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-promised-land-its-getting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-promised-land-its-getting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/don-mclean-6904_hard_they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-pr_1650349.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/don-mclean-6904_hard_they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-pr_1650349.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/don-mclean-6904_hard_they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-pr_1650349.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They don't keep their promises in the promised land, its getting mighty hard to find an honest man.” — Don McLean", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Don McLean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-mclean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "They don't keep their promises in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-promised-land-its-getting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-mclean/they-don-t-keep-their-promises-in-the-promised-land-its-getting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```