City of New Orleans - Arlo Guthrie lyrics

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City of New Orleans

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 the rusted automobiles

Chorus :

Good mornin' America, how are ya
Said don't ya 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 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
'N 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

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 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

Repeat Chorus….. (= Good night)

# Arlo Guthrie #