Cash Johnny City Of New Orleans Lyrics

City Of New Orleans Lyrics

Written by: Steve Goodman

 

 Ridin' on the City of New Orleans

 Illinois Central, Monday mornin' rail

 15 cars & 15 restless riders

 Three conductors, 25 sacks of mail

 

 All along the southbound odyssey the train pulls out of Kankakee

 Rolls along past houses, farms & fields

 Passin' graves that have no name, freight yards full of old black men

 And the graveyards of rusted automobiles

 

 Chorus: 

 Good mornin' America, how are you?

 Don't you know me? I'm your native son!

 I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans

 I'll be gone 500 miles when the day is done

 

 Dealin' cards with the old men in the club car

 Penny a point, ain't no one keepin' score

 Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle

 And feel the wheels grumblin' neath the floor

 

 And the sons of Pullman porters & the sons of engineers

 Ride their fathers' magic carpet made of steel

 Mothers with their babes asleep, rockin' to the gentle beat

 And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel

 

 Repeat Chorus

 

 Night time on the City of New Orleans

 Changin' cars in Memphis, Tennessee

 Halfway home, we'll be there by mornin'

 Thru the Mississippi darkness rollin' down to the sea

 

 But all the towns & people seem to fade into a bad dream

 And the steel rail still ain't heard the news

 The conductor sings his song again

 "The passengers will please refrain:

 This train has got the disappearin' railroad blues

 

 Repeat Chorus