City of New Orleans
by Arlo Guthrie


Ridin' on the City of New Orleans
Illinois Central, Monday mornin' rail
fifteen cars & fifteen restless riders
Three conductors, twenty five sacks of mail

All along the southbound odyssey, the train pulls out of Kankakee
That rolls along past houses, farms and fields
Passin' graves that have no name, freight yards full of old grey men
And the graveyards of rusted automobiles

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' poker with the old men in the club car
Penny a point, ain't no one keepin' score
Won't you pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
Can't you feel the wheels rumblin' neath the floor

And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers
Ride their fathers' magic carpets made of steel
Mothers with their babes asleep, rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel

Good mornin' America, how are you?
Singing 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

Night time on the City of New Orleans
Changin' cars in Memphis, Tennessee
Halfway home, we'll be there by mornin'
Through the Mississippi darkness rollin' down to the sea

But all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream
And the steel rail still ain't heard the news
The conductor sings his songs again
"The passengers will please refrain
This train got the disappearin' railroad blues

Good night America, I love you
Singing 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

Good mornin' America, how are you?
Singing 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
I'll be gone 500 miles when the day is done