City of New Orleans - Arlo Gutherie - New Orleans LA
Posted by: 
nomadwillie
N 29° 57.637 W 090° 03.657
15R E 783639 N 3318056
City of New Orleans is a folk song written by Steve Goodman, which describes a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans in bittersweet and nostalgic terms.
Waymark Code: WM79KP
Location: Louisiana, United States
Date Posted: 09/24/2009
Views: 15
Goodman got the idea while traveling on the eponymous train on a visit to his wife's family. He performed the song for Arlo Guthrie in the Quiet Knight, a bar in Chicago, and Guthrie agreed to add it to his repertoire. The song proved a hit for Guthrie in 1972 on his album Hobo's Lullaby, and is now more closely associated with him, although Goodman continued to perform it until his death in 1984. The song has also been covered by Willie Nelson, John Denver, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Jerry Reed, and others.
Lyrics
Riding on the City of New Orleans,
Illinois Central Monday morning rail
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders,
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail.
All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields.
Passin' trains that have no names,
Freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles.
CHORUS:
Good morning 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 five hundred miles when the day is done.
Dealin' card games 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
Feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor.
And the sons of pullman porters
And the sons of engineers
Ride their father's magic carpets made of steel.
Mothers with their babes asleep,
Are rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel.
CHORUS
Nighttime on The City of New Orleans,
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee.
Half way home, we'll be there by morning
Through the Mississippi darkness
Rolling down to the sea.
And all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news.
The conductor sings his song again,
The passengers will please refrain
This train's got the disappearing railroad blues.
Good night, 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 five hundred miles when the day is done.
Musician: Arlo Guthrie
Name of Song: City of New Orleans
Relevant Verse:
Good night, 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 five hundred miles when the day is done.
Location website: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
There are no specific requirements for logging a waymark. You are, however, encouraged to include any funny or interesting pictures of your visit.